A Profile of Dr J. N. de Vos – A Pretoria Orthopaedic Specialist
Dr J. N. de Vos obtained his primary medical degree from the University of Pretoria in 1980, completing his internship at the Nelspruit Hospital in Mpumalanga, the province known, at that time, As the Eastern Transvaal. His early career began with a 4-year spell as a general practitioner in Secunda before taking up the post of medical officer at the Kalafong Hospital in Pretoria in 1986. In the following year, he attained the post of Registrar in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at his alma mater – a move that was to determine his future role as a healthcare professional until the present.
On completion of his Master’s degree in Orthopaedics, Dr J. N. de Vos was awarded a consultant’s position, sharing his duties between the university’s orthopaedic department and the HF Verwoerd Hospital. In the following year, he made the decision to enter private practice, initially on a part-time basis, but committing to a full-time role as an orthopaedic surgeon within a few months. His early years saw him attaining some prestigious awards in the form of a Smith & Nephew Travelling Fellowship and the George Dommisse Prestige Award for “Best Registrar”. Since then, he has distinguished himself both in the operating room and within the ranks of his professional body, as well as contributing valuable research data in support of his chosen field.
A director of the Life Wilgers Hospital for the past fourteen years, Dr J. N. de Vos retains his role as a general orthopaedic surgeon, dealing with trauma and routine cases. However, over the years, he has succeeded in gaining national and international acclaim in the specialised fields of arthroscopy and arthroplasty, and he now devotes the bulk of his theatre time to performing elective procedures, such as total and partial hip and knee replacements. Under his leadership, the clinic has grown to become a major referral destination for patients in need of specialist orthopaedic surgery, not just from around South Africa, but also from a growing number of overseas countries.
Dr J. N. de Vos is a member of the South African Orthopaedic Association (SAOA), the South African Knee Society (SAKS), the South African Arthroplasty Society (SAAS), and the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS), to name just a few. He is active in all of these bodies and has held office in most of them, including the presidency of both the SAOA and SAAS.
Not content with confining his role to that of a practitioner of orthopaedics, he is also an active contributor to the ongoing professional development of his peers. To date, he has delivered more than 60 papers to audiences of his colleagues both in South Africa and in numerous overseas venues. No less concerned with his own professional development, Dr J. N. de Vos attended almost 100 courses and conferences during the 12 years between 2004 and 2016 alone.
Known both as an innovator and for his willingness to embrace new technology and surgical techniques, many of his patients benefit from his use of the arthroscope to perform keyhole surgeries that avoid the more radical incisions traditionally used for arthroplastic procedures. Perhaps the best summary of this man is that he is a skilled and caring professional.