Left to right: Fellows John Skinner, Bill Donnelly, M.D., and Craig Ball, M.D., on a golf outing during their visit to Nashville.
Orthopaedics department hosts international exchange fellows
Left to right: Kurt Spindler, M.D., professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, with fellows Tahir Kahn and Dan Porter, M.D.
The department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation hosted six 2004 American British Canadian exchange fellows May 27-30. The fellows — from Great Britain, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand — traveled to approximately 10 centers over a five- to six-week tour.
On May 28, the group participated in a daylong academic session with the department’s faculty and residents.
The session included talks by each of the fellows on topics such as “Gunshot Injuries of the Spine,” and minimally-invasive hip surgery. The international problem of mine blast injuries to civilians in war-torn countries was also highlighted. Each session closed with a discussion among the visiting fellows and members of the department.
Faculty and residents gave presentations on oncology research and other topics.
“The fellows represent the best of the best orthopaedic surgeons from their respective countries, said Dan Spengler, M.D., professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation and chair of the department. “They have been academically productive and they are excellent ambassadors.”
Spengler and Kurt Spindler, M.D., professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation and director of the division of Sports Medicine, have both served as ABC fellows in past years.
“The individuals selected represent good ambassadors for their respective countries as well as top level highly productive — both academically and clinically — orthopaedic surgeons,” Spengler said.
During their three-day visit to Vanderbilt, the fellows toured the Medical Center and Nashville. Spengler hosted a reception at his residence.
The American British Canadian Exchange Fellowship (ABC) was created by the American Orthopaedic Association and encourages international exposure to orthopaedic surgery. A small number of centers are chosen by the ABC to host fellows, based on their excellence in their residency program and faculty, according to Spengler.
“Since this is the first time Vanderbilt has ever been chosen to host the fellows, we are greatly pleased to be recognized as a center of excellence in Orthopaedics by our peers,” Spengler said.
The fellows were Craig Ball, M.D., Bill Donnelly, M.D., Robert N. Dunn, M.D., John A. Skinner, Daniel E. Porter, M.D., and Muhammed Tahir Khan.