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From the operating theater to the research laboratory to
the waves of Lake Washington where he swam, skied, sailed and dreamed, Dr. Ernest Burgess lived life fully. He was a magnificent surgeon artful in soft tissue care, a visionary researcher, and a mentor whose work continues through the thousands he taught, encouraged, and inspired.

He fought the perception that amputation is a medical failure, tirelessly maintatining that it is a reconstructive operation and an opportunity to restore function which should be approached with skill; success requires cooperation between the surgeon, prosthetist, physical therapist, nurses and others. He promoted long posterior flap surgery with muscle stabilization. Dr. Burgess was also a pioneer in total hip replacement surgery.

In addition to private practice, he established an Amputee and Congenital Deficiency Service at Seattle Childern's Hospital, directed the Seattle VA STAMP program, and performed humanitarian surgeries internationally. In 1964 he founded Prosthetics Research Study, a laboratory with the mission of "Improving Function for the Amputee and Preserving the Limb at Risk." Over the past 36 years, this team has improved Immediate Post-Operative Prosthetics and limb viability analysis with TCPO2, and has invented the Seattle Foot and Limb system and ShapeMaker CAD/CAM software. Dr. Burgess also founded Prosthetics Outreach Foundation to bring advancements to Vietnam and other developing countries.

A few of Dr. Burgess' awards include:

- Vice President of AAOS 1971-72,
- VA Distinguished Physician   Award,
- The Presidential Design Award for   the Seattle Foot,
- Ernest M. Burgess Endowed Chair   of Orthopaedic Research,   University of Washington,
- Honorary Doctor of Humanities   degree, Southern Utah University,
- US Congressional appointment to   the "Department of Veterans   Affairs Advisory Comittee on   Health Research Policy,"
- US Senate Resolution honoring   "His Unwavering Global Service to   Prosthetics Medicine."