Learning from the Best in Davos

When it comes to surgeon education, I believe that the best way to learn is among peers who challenge you, inspire you, and help you grow. This is why it was such a thrill last week to travel to beautiful Switzerland to attend one of my favorite events of the year, the AO Davos Courses, joining more than 1,500 healthcare professionals from more than 80 countries around the world.

Doctors and educators gathered in Davos for this annual flagship educational event to learn new skills, share best practices, and strengthen bonds as colleagues and collaborators.  There’ s more to this picturesque town in the Swiss Alps than meets the eye as the days were filled with hands-on-exercises and discussions with some of the brightest minds in the industry. And a diverse range of courses covered key fields in trauma, spine and reconstructive surgery. 

If you’re not familiar with the AO Foundation, it’s a medically guided not-for-profit led by international surgeons who specialize in the treatment of trauma and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The AO fosters an incredible network of 20,000 surgeons, operating room personnel, and scientists in 100-plus countries. Every time I’ve had the opportunity to attend an AO learning event, I’m blown away by the size, scale, and lasting impact.

But there’s really something special about Davos. Perhaps my colleague Justin Gates, Depuy Synthes Trauma Lead for EMEA, put it best when he described it as a unique place in the history of innovative disruption -- to improve the way people are treated following orthopaedic trauma injuries.  

As I arrive back home in New Jersey, I feel grateful to have been able to experience Davos yet again and I’m even more energized about the future of surgery. I’m proud of our nearly 60 years of collaboration with the AO, working together to combine clinical education and training to create a history of insight-driven products and technologies to help advance surgical care and transform lives.