AOA Scientific Secretary
Sheanna Maine
It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 86th AOA Annual Scientific Meeting, to be held 11-15 October 2026 in Cairns. The theme for 2026 is “Celebrating 90 Years of Clinical Excellence & Global Engagement.” While we all have our frustrations with the health care system, Australia is still regarded as having one of the best in the world. Our ability to showcase our profession, highlight our achievements and also critically appraise our areas for improvement and growth are what makes our organisation successful and drives our ability to improve patient care.
Abstract submissions are now open. I invite you to submit your abstracts before the closing date of 1 April 2026.
The AOA will once again work closely with its Subspecialty Societies: Arthroplasty, Hand, Foot and Ankle, Knee, Shoulder & Elbow, ANZSA, ANZLRS, Medico-Legal, and Trauma. As always, these programs promise outstanding research, high-quality instructional course lectures (ICLS), and valuable opportunities for discussion and learning.
The AOA is proud to announce that the Royal College of Orthopaedic Surgeons of Thailand (RCOST) has accepted our invitation to be the Guest Nation for the 2026 ASM.
The guest speaker program is currently being finalised, and we are pleased to confirm the attendance of Presidents from AAOS, AOA, SOA, BOA, NZOA, COA, and Asian Orthopaedic Associations.
The AOA Annual Scientific Meeting is the only forum which gives us the opportunity to meet, network, and engage in discussion across all aspects of orthopaedics. This communication and collaboration is critical to the success of our organisation and our continued growth in the profession of orthopaedics. Please take the time to either engage and relax in the social events planned or immerse yourselves in the scientific content of the meeting.
I look forward to welcoming you to Cairns in October 2026!