Global Connections: AANA’s Vision for Worldwide Orthopaedic Innovation”?
By: Mark R. Hutchinson, M.D., FAANA, Chair of AANA International Committee and Fernando Hernandez-Perez, M.D., FAANA, Member, AANA Communications and Technology Committee
AANA has played a central role in advancing arthroscopy and minimally invasive orthopaedic surgery in the United States and around the globe. Founded with a mission to improve patient care through the education and professional development of Orthopaedic Surgeons, AANA has become a globally respected organization and leader. As we move into a more interconnected world, the future and expanded influence of AANA on an international scale holds great promise, especially through collaboration with other professional societies around the world.
These partnerships broaden the scope and reach of arthroscopic education, research and technological innovation, as well as contributing significantly to the global advancement of orthopaedic care.
One of the central pillars of AANA’s influence is its commitment to education and training. By collaborating with partner societies, AANA expands its educational reach, making cutting-edge resources available to a broader audience of surgeons and healthcare professionals. Through shared conferences, webinars and workshops, members of worldwide societies can share training opportunities reaching a uniform global standard of care.
AANA supports smaller or emerging orthopaedic organizations by providing guidance and mentorship in research methodologies and scientific publication standards. This type of academic mentorship can help bring regional voices to the forefront of global orthopaedic literature and care, ensuring that findings from diverse contexts and populations are represented in influential medical journals.
In addition to research and education, building a strong global community of Orthopaedic Surgeons is central to AANA’s vision. By fostering stronger ties with worldwide societies, AANA creates platforms that encourage knowledge sharing and camaraderie among international professionals.
Some examples of AANA’s current efforts to lead, maintain and grow its influence and impact on a global scale include podium presentations, hands-on skills courses, webinars and scholarship programs. AANA has been proud to provide cutting-edge experts and leaders for international podium presentations with partner societies like ISHA, AGA, AEA, ISAKOS, SLARD, AMECRA as well as host countries like Egypt, Peru, Korea, Canada, Brazil and others.
Since 2019, AANA has hosted a series of international hands-on motor skills cadaveric courses. The first one, entitled “AANA Middle East Arthroscopy Master Course: Optimizing Skills in Knee and Shoulder Arthroscopy” was based at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center in Dubai – UAE on September 5–7, 2019, and included attendees and faculty from nearly 20 countries in the region. After a hiatus of live course secondary to pandemic delays, in April of 2023, AANA partnered with ISAKOS to hold a Knee and Shoulder skills course at the MARC Institute in Doral, Florida attended by surgeons from both North and South America. In November of 2023, AANA partnered with Aspetar in Doha, Qatar, to host “A World Cup of Arthroscopy” which offered cutting-edge techniques to attendees that once again represented a broad range of countries from the Middle East. In February 2025, AANA will once again focus on our Central and South America partners in hosting with both AMECRA and SLARD a hands-on course to optimize surgical skills in Naples, Florida.
A gift from the pandemic years was how much we learned to create distance learning opportunities which were not only cost-effective but a wonderfully engaging pathway to connect with colleagues around the world. AANA through both its International and Education Committees dove into the opportunity by creating web-based content and webinars in collaboration with countries and organizations around the world. Indeed, the content created remains available on the AANA website. Moving forward, these collaborative webinars have become one the most popular and cost-effective ways to maintain a close relationship with our international colleagues.
AANA’s investment in international opportunities has and continues to be present through its Foundation which continues to fund International scholarships to attend the annual meeting or travel to hands-on skills courses held at the Orthopaedic Learning Center in Rosemont, IL. AANA’s leadership is “all-in” regarding its support of international collaboration as well as service to the international community. AANA First Vice President, John D. Kelly IV, M.D., FAANA, in collaboration with AANA leadership and the International Committee has made it one of his leadership missions to take advantage of AANA’s capacity, knowledge and academic expertise to support the underserved around the world by expanding opportunities via education materials and distance learning for surgeons in these parts of the world.
AANA is clearly on a positive trajectory regarding expanding its mission on a global scale to broaden the scope and reach of arthroscopic education, research and technological innovation, as well as contributing significantly to the global advancement of orthopaedic care.