10th Annual AANA/SOMOS Course Celebrates Decade of Military Arthroscopic Education
ROSEMONT, Ill., Aug. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Service. Sacrifice. Leadership. This motto will hold true when the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) hold their 10th Annual AANA/SOMOS Lab Course August 2-4 at the Orthopaedic Learning Center (OLC) in Rosemont, Illinois.
The AANA/SOMOS Course's inception came about in 2009. Richard K.N. Ryu, M.D., who was AANA's President at the time, discussed surgical outcomes in the military population with SOMOS Past Presidents and AANA Members Matthew Provencher, M.D., Capt., MC, USNR and John Tokish, M.D., Col., USAF and discussed creating an advanced arthroscopy course focusing on state-of-the-art concepts for their military colleagues.
"We thought the collaboration between AANA and SOMOS would be perfect for the needs of the military as they do not always have exposure to the hands-on surgical skills training that AANA can provide due to their service commitments, including deployment and other essential duties," says Dr. Ryu, who is also Co-Chair for this year's course. "We consider our service men and women as warriors and athletes, and by providing additional training to our military colleagues who can then share their acquired skills and knowledge in the performance of their orthopaedic duties ensures that those who serve and protect us have the best care available."
And so, an additional training opportunity that would later be known as the AANA/SOMOS Course, was born. The two-day intense course, which also features a celebratory dinner, keynote lecture and military quilt presented by Quilts of Valor, combines hands-on cadaver lab training with technique-based lectures dedicated to optimizing care of the "military athlete," with the focus rotating each year between shoulder and knee.
"The military does about 21,000 shoulder and knee arthroscopy procedures each year on just active duty service members," comments Jon Dickens, M.D., who was the AANA/SOMOS Course Chair for the 2018 Course. "Therefore, the intent of the course is to give all Orthopaedic Surgeons in the military, whether they are sports fellowship trained or not, the best educational and technical exposure to take care of the injuries they see the most of."
In addition to two days' worth of technique-based lectures, expert panels and live demonstrations on shoulder instability, the 2019 course will include a commemorative dinner in honor of its 10th anniversary and keynote speaker Capt. Thomas Chaby, USN (Ret.) a highly decorated U.S. Navy Seal Leader who served for over 20 years. With a career focused on leadership, team effectiveness and performance optimization, Capt. Chaby's speech will no doubt resonate with both faculty and participants alike.
"I'm looking forward to what Tom has to say on the strategies he used to build multiple leadership programs to prepare SEALs to be more effective in combat," says Dr. Provencher, who also served as the Head Orthopaedic Team Physician for the Navy SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5 and 7 and was instrumental in setting up the Special Forces Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)—a comprehensive rehabilitation program for Naval Special Forces. "Tom is a great friend and an incredible leader - I believe his advice on how to deliver and implement leadership will come into play when we need to successfully take care of the men and women that defend our country."
"There is no other course that truly has military Orthopaedic Surgeons in mind," Dr. Tokish remarks. "It combines access to the latest arthroscopic training, connections with surgical thought leaders and ample exposure to cadavers and lectures all into one experience. It's truly unique."
AANA is an international professional organization of more than 5,000 Orthopaedic Surgeons and other medical professionals who are committed to advancing the field of minimally-invasive orthopaedic surgery to improve patient outcomes through education, research and advancement.
Press Release Contact:
Renee Zagozdon, Communications Specialist
Arthroscopy Association of North America
847-993-2069
[email protected]
SOURCE Arthroscopy Association of North America
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