Page 12 - SMU Winter 2020

SOCIETY NEWS

AOSSM and Industry—Redefining learning and smaller group dynamics
into more traditional educational forums.
Educational Collaboration With interactivity as a guiding light,
AOSSM is working with industry to form
think-tank round tables where residents
and fellows can benefit from surgeon-to-
BY ELIZABETH HOFHEINZ, MPH, MED
surgeon learning.
Equally as important is the role of
AOSSM in the life of manufacturers.
With its cadre of key opinion leaders,
AOSSM provides industry with access
to orthopaedic sports medicine
professionals who are well-positioned to
put their imprimatur on burgeoning new
Just as a quarterback and a running technologies and techniques that could

back have different roles but are united make a world of difference for patients.
Physicians don’t leave patients hanging
in a shared goal, AOSSM and its industry after surgery, and AOSSM doesn’t leave

partners have one overarching and surgeons hanging after a modicum of formal
education. For example, a notable number
convergent interest—serving the interests of of our member-surgeons have expressed
interest in additional education on
orthopaedic sports medicine professionals. nonoperative sports medicine treatments
as well as postoperative rehabilitation.
To paraphrase Thomas Edison, “There’s a better way—find it.” Not content Tim Thompson, PA-C,
to rest on their laurels, the AOSSM leadership has for years been at the MS, is the Medical Education
vanguard of soliciting input from industry professionals who are interested Manager for Sports Medicine
in providing world-class instruction on products and procedures. & Arthroplasty at Arthrex.
Indeed, the hallmark of a good partner is that they are open—they listen He commented, “Due
and reflect—thus, in the most earnest sense of the term, AOSSM is open to to the overabundance of
business. While some partners might ask, “How can we help?” AOSSM digs information coming at patients from every
deeper, encouraging its industry partners by asking, “How exactly can direction, they may have a difficult time
we be of more value to you?” interpreting it. In addition to our efforts
Marjorie Albohm, Director of Clinical Research & in surgeon education, we have been
Fellowships Bracing & Supports at Össur, commented, invested in educating patients on a large-
“In sports medicine, trust and relationship building are the scale for many years. Although access to
bedrocks of growth and innovation. That is why Össur works hands-on practical education is limited
with AOSSM at the elite sponsor level. Because we are able in many places around the globe, we have
to interact with the society’s leadership in small thinktank- successfully partnered with AOSSM and
like sessions, we are able to enhance and refine our understanding of what regional societies in different countries in
surgeons need and how we can help them learn. So when we do meet with an effort to standardize our global medical
the surgeons themselves, we have a more developed idea of what they are education program. Increasing access
seeking in the way of education and products.” to education in conjunction with AOSSM
Particularly within the exciting, but still undefined, realms of artificial and other societies on a massive scale for
intelligence and robotic surgery, AOSSM and industry have a unique all HCPs, including residents and fellows,
opportunity to work together to deliver an unprecedented level of peer- will help operating room efficiency and
reviewed surgeon education. improve patient outcomes.”
Not only are technologies and techniques in flux, but the ways in which Willing to recalibrate when thoughtful,
surgeons learn are changing. While lectures and cadaver labs are the tried- practical ideas are proposed, AOSSM
and-true methods of surgeon education, interest in other modes of learning and industry are united in their efforts
is surging. As such, AOSSM and its industry partners are following the to re-imagine sports medicine education.
interests of the 4,000-member strong organization, integrating hands-on Industry is well suited to participate

 10 SPORTS MEDICINE UPDATE | Winter 2020, Issue 1