Volume 05 / Issue 03 / September 2017
Page 22
boa.ac.uk
JTO News and Updates
The American British Canadian Fellowship 2017 The ABC Traveling Fellowship is a biennial exchange between the English Speaking Orthopaedic Societies. It began in 1948 to enhance collaboration between British and North American Surgeons. Now, in the even-numbered years, British, Australian, New Zealand, and South African orthopaedic surgeons, who have been chosen by their national societies, visit academic centers in the United States and Canada. In the odd-numbered years, the American and Canadian surgeons travel to the United Kingdom and either South Africa, or Australia and New Zealand. In this way, the fellowship tries to stay true to its original goal of disseminating knowledge, fostering collaboration, and encouraging leadership. Our time in the United Kingdom helped us better understand Mark Twain’s quote that “nothing so liberalises a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.” Our time in the UK allowed us broad exposure to the hard-working individuals who compose the National Health Service, the research engines which are being used to produce large-scale prospective randomised clinical trials, and the burgeoning groups of scientists who are working to generate translational research. Most importantly we all made new acquaintances, which will allow us to collaborate in the future. Our journey started in London with Hazel Choules and Deborah Eastwood (ABC 1994) who gave us an overview of our itinerary in the lounge of the Grange Hotel. The next day, we toured
Imperial College with Prof Justin Cobb. Following this exciting tour, we met Prof Fares Haddad (ABC 2004) for lunch and a meeting with the Bone and Joint Journal Board. The next day, we toured University College London Hospitals, hosted by Sam Oussedik (ABC 2016). On the following day Jonathan Miles (ABC 2016) and John Skinner (ABC 2004) led us on a tour of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and lastly the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore. Unfortunately, we also got a taste of London traffic, which abbreviated, but did not diminish, our time with Tim Briggs (ABC 1998). We ended our time in London with the black tie BOA annual Dinner. Matt Costa (ABC 2010) and Andy Carr (ABC 1998) were our hosts in Oxford. We were introduced to the UK trauma network. Prof Keith Willett, the architect of the current system of orthopaedic trauma care in the UK, provided an insightful lecture on past and present trauma care. We toured the awesome clinical and research facilities at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, in addition to the
historical university campus. We “punted” – learning that this is a slow canoeing-like activity, not a way of converting field position on 4th down. We were exposed to a well-organised, well-funded, well-maintained prospective trials and outcomes research machine. We attended a gala dinner at Balliol College with numerous other ABC alumni. From Oxford, we transferred to Cambridge where Vikas Khanduja and Prof Andy McCaskie were our hosts. There, we attended trauma rounds, toured the hospital, and saw the new
translational research lab which opened a week after we left. We were also exposed to Prof McCaskie’s bioengineering research and the laboratory where he works. We made the most of the Bank Holiday by touring the Cambridge campus and further punting! Our stay in Cambridge finished with a formal dinner at Queen’s College, which dates to 1448. Next we flew to Edinburgh where Prof Hamish Simpson (ABC 1996) entertained us at home, with an excellent curry prepared by his wife, Helen. We were privileged to enjoy drinks at the officer’s mess, Edinburgh Castle, courtesy of Surgeon Commander Calam Arthur. To help compensate for the food and drink, we hiked Arthur’s Seat and marvelled at the beautiful views of the city below. We met numerous ABC alumni socially and/or at a very enriching academic day in which both sides presented their research. Our brief but energetic time in Edinburgh ended with a black tie dinner at the New Club.
(L-R) Joseph Hsu, Jonathan Braman, Eric Strauss, David Sheps, Brett Freedman, Nicholas Bernthal, Wade Gofton