Dr. Adeoye Adetiloye AAOS International Emerging Leaders (IEL) Scholarship Experience

 

It was a great honor and privilege to be a recipient of the 2014 AAOS International Emerging Leaders (IEL) Scholarship. The entire scholarship experience wasn't just an impactful and highly inspirational encounter; it was also a most exciting time with my mentors, colleagues and friends.

Firstly, I attended the 11^th Annual International Paediatric Orthopaedic Symposium by POSNA/AAOS at the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This highly educational course afforded me the opportunity to update my knowledge in Paediatric Orthopaedics. The resourceful faculty were detailed in their presentations and used evidence-based approach during the sessions. The Breakout sessions were highly interactive with ample opportunities to have hands-on training on some of the new techniques and instrumentation.

It was also a time to catch up and rub minds with some Ponseti practitioners, Dr. Pablo Rosselli from Colombia and Dr. Nariman Abol Oyoun, an Egyptian Paediatric Orthopaedic fellow at Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

 As I alighted from my flight to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, cruising from the airport to the city center, I had no doubt that I had entered the "City of bridges" as I adored the numerous bridges spanning the hilly city. 

I didn't come to count bridges in Pittsburgh by the way. I had the honor of being a visiting fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) under the tutelage of a multiple award-winning Orthopaedic Surgeon, a distinguished Service Professor, Dr. Freddie H. Fu, the Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery Department.

 

May I tell you a few things about UPMC. It's the first hospital ever where liver transplantation was successfully carried out and it has the largest series of limb transplantation in North America. UPMC is the largest non-governmental employer in Pennsylvania and its ranked No.1 in Pennsylvania by the U.S News and World Report.

Dr. Fu and colleagues did not hold back anything in dishing out the stuff that UPMC is known for. From learning about the "Double-bundle anatomic reconstruction of the ACL" and other arthroscopic maneuvers at the Mercy South side Hospital with Dr. Fu, working with Drs. Ivan Tarkin, Gary Gruen, Peter Siska and the rest of the trauma team at the Montefiore-Presbyterian Centre, to learning new techniques with the total joint reconstruction team at the Shadyside; it was indeed a life changing experience.

 

 

Special thanks go to Dr. Larry Crossett and Dr. Yates for their teachings during the Total Joint theatre sessions as well as learning about computer navigation TKR from Dr. Brian Klatt.

 

 

  
Having the opportunity to make a brief presentation during the Orthopaedic Grand round was quite humbling.

 

The meeting with the Co-director of residency program, Dr. MaCalus Hogan, where we shared ideas was quite fruitful and the numerous research meetings were beneficial also.

 

Taking a tour of the magnificent UPMC Sports Centre, Orthopaedic Research Lab, Biodynamics Lab, Robotics Lab, Stem Cell Lab, Cellular and Molecular Engineering Lab was also revealing and inspirational.

 

 

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Hence, courtesy of Dr Fu, I watched the Pitts Club Basketball team trounce their opponent at the Petersen Events Centre.

I will never forget Mrs. Lisa Arrisher-Brown, Secretary to Dr. Fu. Then Dr. Garth Walker, Dr. Fu's Research Fellow, who took care of most of my logistics and whom I equally impacted upon during the period. I also enjoyed the company of other international orthopaedic fellows who kept my company at UPMC.

The special dinner with Dr. Fu at the Prestigious Duquesne Club was another memorable event that I will not forget in a hurry. Every moment spent with this Orthopaedic innovator was a cherished time as his achievements, leadership and mentorship are worthy of emulation.

From the East coast, I then travelled to the west coast, to Oakland City, CA on the east side of the bay. My next training was at Kaiser Permanente's New Oakland Medical Centre. This group has certainly taking healthcare to another level. The new centre is tastefully furnished and well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. I was privileged to be mentored by an earnest teacher and Arthroplasty surgeon par excellence, Dr. Stefano Bini, whom I had been acquainted with at the AAOS International Scholarship Alumni meeting. My training in Total Joint Surgery was indeed heightened by Dr. Bini and colleagues in the Orthopaedic surgery Department.

 

 

Learning from Dr. Thomas Barber and Dr. Kan Gill, the present and past Chief of Arthroplasty, was indeed a pleasant experience for me. I did not only learn about surgical skills. It was also an opportunity to learn about their health system, health processes and protocols. The opportunity to learn leadership tips while learning surgical skills is quite unique and classic. It was an interesting time also when I made a presentation on "The Health System and Orthopaedic education in Nigeria".

 

Having come this close to the Bay area, I took a dash to San Francisco to enjoy some happy moments with my mentor, Dr. Rick Coughlin and friends at IGOT.

 An evening with Dr. Bini's lovely family was one to remember. Playing with the kids reminded me of home and the holidays.

 Oh, what a way to end the year! It's been a most remarkable experience.  Now, I’m reloaded to impact positively on my Orthopaedic patient care, practice and career.  All thanks to Almighty God and to AAOS for providing this wonderful platform.

I wish us all Happy Holidays and a most fulfilling 2015.

Dr. Adeoye James Adetiloye

Dr. Jiong Jiong Cuo, China, 2014 International Scholarship recipient. Dr. Guo's scholarship award was supported by Dr. Kevin and Orthopaedic Foundation, New York, NY.

I started off my scholarship visit at the Evanston Hospital Arthroscopy Lab with Dr. Howard Sweeney’s colleagues. In the lab, I learnt not only techniques but also tips and tricks of different knots for arthroscopic surgery. Skill is acquired through repeated practice, and practice makes it perfect. It was with the acquirement of these skills that I was able to come back to China to do cuff or Bankart repair in patients. The only pity was Dr. Sweeney was out on that day but I had a wonderful time with his colleagues, Dr. Chehab and Ms. McClellan.

I also had a pleasant meeting with AAOS international department staff.

 

AAOS Orthopaedic Learning Center(OLC) in Rosemont is a “sacred” place train orthopaedic surgery, attracting many surgeons from all around the world. In the course, I furbished up concepts and learned many contemporary strategies for shoulder arthroplasty. Just as the sayings of Confucius “acquiring new knowledge while thinking over the old”. I am very grateful to the unreserved teaching from all the AAOS course members, which has made  my stay in Chicago most fruitful and enjoyable.

 

My next stop was New York. I had the honor to learn from the great master of orthopaedics and sports medicine, Professor Kevin Plancher. He is a very kind, considerate and patient teacher and has taught me his own way of approach in managing patients with shoulder and knee sports injuries. He explained me about the advantage of releasing the suprascapular nerve in cuff tear surgery. This is especially true for the patients with massive rotator cuff tear. I felt honored that I could learn from him, assist him, and have him share with me his experience over the past years. These ventures have opened up my horizon to explore new approaches in shoulder surgery and I hall definitely follow them up on return to China. I also applied the research fund of ISAKOS this year and I shall have the privilege to continue to do some research with him in the future.  

I am very grateful to the entire offices of Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Foundation, as the doctors, nurses and all the staff welcomed me with open arms. I was always well looked after and was included in many of their social events. One of the highlights of this trip was the honour of attending the Orthopaedic Foundation’s 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner! Cate, beautiful music and scenery, what a wonderful night! I will cherish the shared values of the foundation forever.

To conclude, the experience that I gained in the scholarship is unparalleled. I am really proud of having part of my training at the AAOS course and Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine as I believe that I was able to develop a new understanding regarding the management of complicated shoulder problems. All the experience will have positive repercussion to my professional practices in China. Naturally, I shall try to continue my collaboration with Dr. Plancher in the field of clinic research. I am deeply indebted to the support of AAOS and Orthopaedic Foundation, as well as Dr. Plancher for his suggestions and guidance without which this fruitful experience will not come about.

Dr. Tewodros T. Zerfu, 2014 AAOS International Scholarship recipient. Dr. Zerfu's scholarship award was supported by Arthroscopy Association of North America and Dr. Richard Gayle.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for AAOS and Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) for giving me this opportunity. I have no words to express how happy I am to have received this scholarship. My appreciation also extends to Dr. Richard Gayle for supporting this scholarship. I spent time with Dr. Gayle and his wonderful family (Shanti, Zahra and Suliya) and couldn’t help but notice how big a heart he has that enjoys giving. I found out that he travelled to East African Countries (Uganda and Kenya) and saw the condition of health service in the region and is trying to help bring change to the area in his own way.

                During my observership week in Palo Alto Medical Foundation I shadowed Dr. Richard Gayle in clinic (office) and the operating theaters. He has a busy practice which gave me plenty of opportunity to see lots of patients. I learned from his approach to patients and clinical exams to reach at a specific diagnosis. I also saw lots of knee and shoulder MRIs with variety of pathology which broadened my view. He was well aware of my level of expertise in arthroscopic surgery and was kind enough to teach me the best way he could. He also arranged for me a cadaveric laboratory arthroscopy work with Pacific Medical Inc. in Tracy, California. It was a great facility and they have a huge area dedicated to teaching arthroscopic techniques to residents. I was amazed to see how far the private companies go to help with the teaching. I had a great afternoon there, my first cadaveric scope. I went step by step with arthroscopic evaluation of the knee to all-inside ACL reconstruction with the help of Dr. Richard Gayle and Scott. I am very thankful to Scott and Pacific Medical Inc. too. 

                I then went to the cold and windy Chicago to attend the AANA Master Experience, Advances in Knee Surgery: Cartilage Focus, held from Nov. 21-23, 2014. It was a great experience to learn from the leading scientists in this field. The presentations were amazing. They were all teaching most updated information on the issues and they were very enlightening. The discussions that occurred after each teaching and case presentations were stimulating. I liked the way they were presented and discussed. The practical sessions were very interesting. We were given any equipment that we asked and we (with my lab partner Peter Choi from South Korea) managed to do all the practical exercises that were planned for the weekend and more. We had excellent tutors in the lab who helped us with the cases and also helped answer all the questions we had.

                The last day of my visit was a visit to North Shore University, Evanston Hospital. I met Dr. Howard Sweeney and spent a very helpful day with him. Dr. Sweeney kindly took me through the basics of arthroscopy, navigating the knee, arthroscopic knot tying and meniscus repairs. He also showed me how to use anchors as in Bankart repair. I also spent a good amount of time perfecting my skills working on knee model and simulators.

                In general, this scholarship has been very useful for me. I have increased my knowledge on various disease conditions related to sport and ageing. I also have improved my knee arthroscopy skills. The various conditions I have seen during my stay are also very prevalent in my country and I believe I will be of good help for my residents and also patients. I also have a plan to do sports medicine fellowship soon and this trip has helped me to clear my thoughts on the subject. I would like to reassure AAOS, AANA and Dr. Richard Gayle that this scholarship has been a success and that it is money well spent.

Dr. Ashok Gavaskar, 2014 AAOS International Scholarship recipient

It was a delight to hear that I have been awarded the AAOS - SICOT International Scholarship for the year 2014. It felt great to see the welcome note in your name on stepping into the Academy building.

The meeting with the AAOS officials was spot on time and we had a presentation followed by an excellent discussion on the perspectives of an international trainee from Afro-Asian countries and how AAOS can progressively support their endeavors to obtain specialty training. It was an honor to go around the academy, which has paid rich tributes to their scions with exhibits of their achievements and contributions to the development of orthopedics in the country and worldwide.

I attended the course on shoulder arthroplasty at the OLC the next two days. The entire faculty team was so friendly and interactive that they put me entirely at ease during the course. The content was great and the course was conceived so brilliantly. I tried my hands at the cadavers under the able guidance of senior pros, and benefitted immensely. My special thanks to the course directors Bradley Edwards and John Sperling for getting such an excellent team in place and making me feel so comfortable.

 

At the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, I had a great time watching Prof. Macaulay and Dr. Geller operate their cases on their respective days. I was watching mostly primary hip and knee arthroplasties with Prof. Macaulay, which though interesting was a bit of a routine. But he was a man of all ears and he was keen to interact with me right through his surgeries. I observed a lot of unicondylar knee arthroplasties with Dr. Geller, many of which would have got a TKA back home in India. This led to a lot of useful discussions between us and he was quite confident of decision-making and did have results to support his claim. What fascinated me in my very short stay in New York was the training system. Both surgeons, were operating on around 6 cases a day over a time of 12 hours, which for their ability could have been done in much shorter time but for the training of residents and fellows. The trainees were so patiently and methodically guided through the surgeries to impart maximum learning and allowing them to make the best use of the opportunity. I personally would have loved to stay longer but for an emergency back home. It was a great trip to remember and hope I can meet a lot of these people again when I come back for the annual meeting.

I personally would have loved to scrub during my fellowship, but I think the rules may not approve of that. But I think an observer should also scrub even to watch the surgeries better especially with so many trainees around the surgeon. This is just my personal opinion.

My special thanks to Dr. Ashok Johari who as the SICOT, India representative helped me a great deal to apply for this great program. It was such a great honor to hear people back home say that my name was flashing over at the annual meeting in New Orleans as the AAOS international awardee thanks to AAOS.  Once again I thank the entire AAOS team for giving me this great opportunity.