Our traveling fellowship through Europe began on April 29 in Amsterdam, where the group gathered at the Novotel near RAI Station after long international flights. Jet lag was quickly shaken off with an unforgettable evening e-bike tour of the city led by Dr. Daniel Haverkamp. We wound through Amsterdam’s canals and narrow streets in perfect spring weather, somehow managing to avoid collisions despite the heavy bicycle traffic. The evening ended with dinner at 't Vliegertje, where the ribs immediately set a high culinary standard for the trip.
PHOTO: Traveling fellows on bike tour of Amsterdam
The next morning began with a scenic ten-kilometer ride to Xpert Clinics. Over the next two days, we observed an extraordinary breadth of sports procedures with Dr. Daniel Haverkamp and Dr. Daniel Hoornenborg, including hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears, complex multiligament knee reconstructions, endoscopic FHL transfer, and other interesting knee and ankle cases. We were impressed by the strong teamwork and infrastructure that led to case turnovers of only 5 minutes - maximal OR efficiency! After cases each day, we navigated Amsterdam entirely by bicycle, stopping for sandwiches, beers, bitterballen, and dinners that showcased Dutch specialties—from gravy-covered beefsteak at Loetje to riverside lunches and neighborhood cafés. One afternoon, Dr. Haverkamp welcomed us into his home for coffee and conversation with his family before sending us off with stroopwafels and traditional Dutch candies.
PHOTO: The Xpert clinics operating room with Drs. Haverkamp and Hoornenborg.
One of the most memorable evenings in Amsterdam began at the historic bar De Sluyswacht, a canal-side establishment dating back to 1695. From there we boarded a dinner cruise that carried us through the canals and out toward the Amstel River. Champagne, appetizers, and a multi-course meal accompanied views of Amsterdam illuminated at night, including passing by the Anne Frank House. It was difficult to imagine a better introduction to the fellowship.
PHOTO: Riverboat cruise with faculty in Amsterdam.
On May 2, we flew north to Oslo, where we were welcomed by Dr. Berta Boe and settled into the Olympiatoppen Hotel. That evening included a walk around Lake Sognsvann before dinner at Dr. Boe’s home with members of the sports medicine faculty, where champagne and reindeer stew provided a distinctly Norwegian welcome. The following days balanced outdoor exploration with intensive surgical observation. We hiked to Vetakollen for sweeping views of the fjords and ski jumps, toured the waterfront MUNCH museum, plunged into icy fjord waters after sauna sessions, and wandered through Vigeland Park among Gustav Vigeland’s sculptures.
PHOTO: Sauna and fjord jumping in Oslo, Norway with our hosts.
At the hospital, the surgical experience was equally impressive. We observed advanced shoulder instability procedures including arthroscopic Latarjet, revision osteotomies, tibial tubercle transfers, and complex revision ACL surgery. An impressive scientific session by hosts and fellows followed our first operative day, leading to vibrant discussions of research techniques and outcomes. Before leaving Oslo, we attended additional cases ranging from reverse total shoulder arthroplasty to complex multiligament knee reconstructions, followed by a radiology case conference, before heading to the airport for our next destination.
PHOTO: Arthroscopic latarjet with Dr. Boe.
PHOTO: Group photo in Oslo after the scientific session.
In Berlin, Dr. Roland Becker and his chief resident Krzysztof welcomed us warmly and immersed us immediately in both surgery and German culture. We traveled to Brandenburg where early morning runs in the rain preceded fun days in the operating room observing MPFL reconstructions, revision ACL procedures, slope-correction osteotomies, and meniscal repairs.
PHOTOS: Surgical observation with Dr. Becker in Brandenburg, Germany, included an infratubercle slope-correction osteotomy with revision ACL reconstruction.
Beyond academic sessions and operative cases, our hosts guided us through Berlin’s layered history. We toured the Olympiastadion Berlin, walked through the Brandenburg Gate and former East Berlin, visited Checkpoint Charlie, and explored the area around the TV Tower, surrounded by churches, museums, and reminders of Prussian and Cold War history. Meals became another form of cultural exchange: currywurst from a street stand, schnitzel and blood sausage atop the rotating restaurant in the Fernsehturm, beers and schnapps in a local Irish pub, and a remarkable homemade dinner prepared by Dr. Becker’s wife, herself an orthopaedic surgeon. We had an engaging scientific session with research shared by both fellows and the host institution.
PHOTO: Dinner at Dr. Becker’s house.
From Germany we continued south into Italy, beginning the weekend in the stunning setting of Lake Como. Dr. Riccardo Compagnani, Dr. Pietro Randelli, and their residents welcomed us with wine tastings, lakeside dinners, and boat tours through villages and villas lining the shore. At Villa del Balbianello, we toured the famous grounds featured in films including Star Wars and Casino Royale. Long evenings featured Nebbiolo wine, seafood, risotto with lake perch, and conversations stretching late into the night beside the water.
PHOTO: Boat tour of Lake Como with our hosts, Drs. Compagnani and Randelli.
The fellowship then transitioned to Milan, where the pace intensified again. We explored the Duomo, the Galleria, and Sforzesco Castle before attending the AC Milan–Atalanta match, an electric atmosphere capped by a dramatic 3–2 finish. Operatively, Milan exposed us to another remarkable volume of advanced sports procedures: arthroscopic Bankart repairs with remplissage, hamstring ACL reconstructions, transseptal PCL reconstructions, open Latarjet procedures, revision instability surgery, and multiple combined ligament reconstructions. An incredible scientific session and discussions were held alongside cappuccinos and long dinners, including cocktails at the original Camparino and osso buco at Boeucc.
PHOTO: Outstanding scientific session with faculty and residents in Italy.
PHOTO: Traveling fellows assisting our hosts in surgery in Milan.
By May 13 we arrived in Barcelona, where the architecture and energy of the city was stunning. Our hosts Dr. Simone Perelli and Dr. Joan Carles Monllau were so welcoming, as were their teams. The fellowship there combined surgery, academics, food, and culture seamlessly. We began with a private tour of Sagrada Família before heading to the hospital to observe MPFL reconstructions, revision ACL surgery with ALL reconstruction, meniscal transplantation, and hip arthroscopy. The operative days routinely extended late into the evening, fitting for the typical dinner time in Barcelona.
PHOTO: Our host, Dr Perelli, with the AOSSM meniscus allograft transplant.
Academic presentations by hosts and fellows at the University of Barcelona were followed by a cadaver lab and then an excursion to the Recaredo winery, where we sampled multiple vintages of Corpinnat alongside lunch and toured the cellars. Evenings unfolded across the Gothic Quarter and the Barceloneta waterfront.
PHOTO: Cadaver lab in Barcelona
Outside the hospital, Barcelona offered moments of awe and celebration. We toured Casa Batlló, wandered La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter, and finished one evening with dancing after dinner overlooking the city. The combination of intense surgical education and immersive hospitality had by then become the defining rhythm of the fellowship.
PHOTO: Corpinnat tasting with our hosts.
The final stop brought us to Lyon, where we were hosted by Dr. David Dejour and colleagues that included Dr. Elvire Servien and Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet. Our first evening featured dinner at the legendary Paul Bocuse, complete with a tour of the kitchen. The following day, Dr. Dejour welcomed us to his country home for a barbecue and hiking before we explored Lyon’s streets and riverside neighborhoods.
PHOTO: Dinner with our hosts at Paul Bocuse.
The fellowship concluded with one final marathon operative day beginning before sunrise. We observed tibial tubercle osteotomies, MPFL reconstructions, revision ACL procedures combined with slope-correction osteotomies, trochleoplasty, hip arthroscopy, lateral facetectomies, and bilateral revision ACL reconstruction. Scientific sessions continued into the evening before a final celebratory dinner together.
PHOTO: Bilateral ACL reconstruction with Dr. Sonnery-Cottet.
PHOTO: Scientific session in Lyon with hosts Drs. Servien and Dejour.
By that point, the fellowship had become far more than a surgical observership. Across six countries and countless operating rooms, we experienced not only different techniques and philosophies in sports medicine, but also the generosity, friendship, and culture of every host who welcomed us into their hospitals, homes, and cities. The procedures and academic discussions were extraordinary, but what will remain longest are the shared meals, bicycle rides, hikes, late-night conversations, and the feeling of moving together through Europe in pursuit of learning and connection.
PHOTO: Conclusion of the fellowship at the ESSKA Congress in Prague. We are friends and colleagues for life!