Dr. Matthew Provencher on Leadership, Military Medicine, and Elite Sports Orthopedics
In this episode of Lead Change, Dr. Matthew Provencher discusses his career which includes the U.S. Navy service, elite-athlete sports medicine, academic research, and national orthopedic leadership. He shares insights on building high-performing teams, advancing large-scale orthopedic research, and leading in complex medical and humanitarian environments.
MOTION Database: Dr. Provencher’s Breakthrough in Military Orthopedic Research
Dr. Provencher highlights his creation of MOTION (Military Orthopedic Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network) a groundbreaking registry, tracking outcomes in military personnel. He created MOTION, due to the need to have unified data across military Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs). MOTION now includes data from more than 240,000 patients and serves as a model for coordinated orthopedic research.
U.S. Navy Leadership: Commanding Surgical Teams on the USNS Mercy
Dr. Provencher talks about his time commanding surgical teams aboard the USNS Mercy, where he oversaw more than 700 medical professionals from multiple militaries as well as non-military groups. The experiences he had are what helped shaped his approach to communication, trust, and leading by example.
Sports Medicine Leadership: Head Team Physician for the New England Patriots
Dr. Provencher also shares lessons from serving as Head Team Physician for the New England Patriots. During his tenure, he learned that interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based return-to-play protocols were essential. He centers his motivations on humility, service, and the mission of teaching and inspiring the next generation of orthopedic surgeons.
How an MBA Strengthened Dr. Provencher’s Orthopedic Leadership
Later, his decision to pursue an MBA strengthened his leadership within organizations such as AOSSM and enhanced his ability to manage strategy, financial stewardship, budgeting, and innovation.
Leadership Influences and Favorite Books:
Dr. Provencher closes the podcast, by listing his personal leadership influences including: Jocko Willink, Stephen Covey, and Admiral McRaven.
His favorite guiding quote is from JFK: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another.”