2014 ABC Travelling Fellowship


Phong Tran

For over 60 years, the American, British, Canadian (ABC) Fellowship has provided an extraordinary experience for young surgeons from the US, Canada, UK, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Established shortly after the Second World War, it has inspired and transformed careers, with many past Fellows going on to distinguished careers. The ABC Fellowship has facilitated the exchange of ideas, promoted leadership and created both personal and professional relationships that have endured a lifetime.  

The 2014 ABC Travelling Fellow recipients were Pramod Achan (London – Lower limb), William Aston (London – Tumour), Robert Ashford (Leicester – Tumour), Sanjeev Patil (Glasgow – Hip), Brendan Coleman (Auckland – Shoulder and Knee), Gregory Firth (Johannesburg – Paediatric) and myself (Melbourne – Hip). Selection is by each respective national orthopaedic organisation based on academia and leadership.

2014-ABC-Fellowship-Phong-Tran

Pictured: William Aston (UK), Gregory Firth (SA), Brendan Coleman (NZ), Pramod Achan (UK), Robert Ashton (UK), Phong Tran (AUS) and Sanjeev Patil (UK).

The ABC tour is now divided into three zones – eastern, central and western – with the 2014 tour visiting centres renowned for their excellence in clinical service, education and research from the eastern side of the US and Canada. The tour started with the traditional gathering in London, co-hosted by the Bone and Joint Journal and the British Orthopaedic Association, at the Royal Society of Medicine. This was a terrific opportunity to become acquainted with the other Fellows and receive pearls of wisdom from past ABC British Fellows.

We visited nine cities in the US, two in Canada and attended the combined American and Canadian Orthopaedic Association’s Annual Meeting in Montreal, spending two to three days in each city.

Each hosting centre would hold academic sessions, which would facilitate lively debate and exchange of ideas. In total, the ABC fellows gave 79 presentations. My presentations were on the hip arthroscopy, anterior approach hip replacement, eLearning, patient education and the Australian National Joint Replacement Registry.

We would also be treated to tours of the city, experience wonderful social and cultural events, and had the opportunity to pick the brains of the brightest minds in our profession in a very open and collegiate atmosphere. The immense generosity of each hosting institution, the friendships formed and the experiences they organised for us were truly remarkable.

Below are some highlights of each stop with the main hosts mentioned. Each stop, however, was supported by many members of the unit, whose contribution ensured that our fellowship was memorable:

Atlanta, Georgia

Our first stop was Atlanta, where we were billeted at the homes of the surgeons of the Emory University School of Medicine. This was our only billeted stop, which we found very personal and a wonderful way to start the trip. Our host was Scott Boden, President of the American Orthopaedic Association, whose unit had transitioned from a general hospital to a dedicated orthopaedic hospital, resulting in significant improvements in the quality of service and staff satisfaction. Our visit coincided with Memorial Day, and our first taste of baseball in VIP seats directly behind homebase.

Miami, Florida

Heading south, we toured the world-class facilities of the University of Miami Tissue Bank with Tom Temple and were fascinated by the tissue procurement procedures and the future potential of the Miami Cell. Frank Eismont was our host and treated us to wonderful local cuisine and an academic session.

Nashville, Tennessee

Our host was Ginger Holt, who runs an exceptional residency program at Vanderbilt University, where we discussed orthopaedic education and training, and healthcare provision. Our afternoon and night of country music and line dancing introduced us to the best of southern hospitality.

Memphis, Tennessee

A visit to Memphis would not be complete without listening to jazz on Beale Street, touring Graceland and staying at the iconic Peabody Hotel. James Beaty and Terry Canale, editors of Campbell’s Textbook, guided us in the development of the department framework that is needed to produce an academic and research centre of excellence.

Durham, North Carolina

The historical grounds and impressive sporting achievements of Duke University are also reflected in the clinical services and aspirations of the new Chair, Ben Alman, and his team. The spectacular Duke University golf course is well worth a visit.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Freddie Fu and his unit’s achievements at the University of Pittsburgh are truly inspirational. His personal attention to our visit was a clear example of the necessary qualities needed to build and maintain an impressive academic service. We had the pleasure of a black tie dinner, tours of the impressive sporting, research and academic facilities, baseball game and museum tours.

New York – Hospital for Joint Diseases

Our visit to New York was short but nonetheless memorable with Joe Zuckerman at the Hospital for Joint Disease – highlighted by a helicopter trip to marvel at the wonderful sites of The Big Apple.

Harvard, Massachusetts

Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University are renowned for education and academic achievements, with a proud history of excellence. We were honoured to present at the historic Ether Dome where the first public demonstration of the use of inhaled ether as a surgical anaesthetic was given on 16 October 1846. Tom Einhorn treated us to an absorbing insight into the workings of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery office. Harry Rubash, David Ring and Charles Day treated us to a Segway tour of Boston, a baseball game at the historic Fenway Park and a black tie dinner.

Hamilton, Ontario

Mohit Bhandari and McMaster University has built an international reputation behind evidence-based orthopaedics and multi-centre collaboration. Michelle Ghert treated us to a tour of Niagara Falls and the delights of Canadian ice wine.

Montreal, Quebec – 2014 AOA/COA Combined Meeting

The combined meeting of the American and Canadian Orthopaedic Associations focuses on leadership and training. Both countries, like many around the globe, are experiencing challenges with the rising cost of health care and the provision of high quality sustainable services in the face of rising patient expectations.

Toronto, Ontario

Albert Yee and Peter Ferguson facilitated visits to various Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network (TAHSN) hospitals, as well as a tour of the CN tower and the dangerous yet exciting activity of axe throwing.

Insights and perspectives gained from the ABC Travelling Fellowship

The training in orthopaedics varies significantly in the US in comparison to Australia, with trainees being accepted into orthopaedic training directly from medical school via the national match. The residents (registrars) complete their training at one institution rather than rotating between hospitals within the state. This leads to a close mentorship relationship between the trainees and consultant surgeons, with a resultant great pride in their institution and alumni association.

The academic units have an enviable university infrastructure, significant philanthropic trusts supporting their research and working relationships with many professional sporting bodies. Research forms an important part of their healthcare model and is highly integrated into clinical work. Translational research is an important collaborative concept that was highlighted in many centres.

Healthcare is undergoing transformation in the US, with significant uncertainty regarding the outcome, and the ramifications of such change. Many of those ramifications will undoubtedly be felt in Australia in years to come. Orthopaedics in the Carousel countries share many of the same challenges, and the ABC Fellowship continues to foster the global collegiality that was envisaged by R.I. Harris more than 66 years ago.

A Privilege and Honour

I was honoured to be the 2014 ABC fellow and I wish to express my gratitude firstly to AOA for awarding me this opportunity. I’d also like to thank the American and Canadian Orthopaedic Associations and the many hosts and departments for their overwhelmingly generous hospitality, shared wisdom and insights.

Five wonderful weeks of travel with a remarkable group of quick-witted surgeons will always remain a fond and inspirational memory. I feel privileged to become a member of this extraordinary club, and look forward to hosting the American and Canadian ABC Fellows in years to come, to continue the tradition and impart upon them the same experience that I was so fortunate to receive.