AO Davos Courses 2021 virtual weekend
Embracing the future with an interactive weekend
Following an engaging week of first-class, hands-on education and in-person networking, the AO global community were invited to our new AO Davos Courses 3D virtual environment to experience the future of surgical education for free.
From December 3-5, AO community members from around the world were teleported to the heart of where surgical history is made, to benefit from our specially curated educational content, watch surgical leaders in conversation on AO TV, and see them in action during live surgery sessions in the Shard. Engagement during the weekend was huge with 3,239 viewers from 113 countries watching 650 hours of AO TV while nearly 900 participants spent time in the virtual environment locations.
The virtual environment, designed to facilitate synchronous communication between users, took the participants on a virtual gondola over snowy Davos through a historical background of the AO, towards the virtual Davos Congress Centre, entering through the Davos Foyer (including AO and partner booths) where participants’ personalized avatars got the latest on innovation and research activities at the AO, as well as networked with peers. Here they also enjoyed sessions from the Shard's 360° view wetlab which gives a front-seat view of live surgery as if you were there in person.
Participants could then switch locations to the Panorama Lounge, where they could hang out and relax and talk with colleagues and experts from all over the world, watch streaming panel discussions, live surgery, keynote presentations, and more on AO TV.
Participants could then switch locations to the Panorama Lounge, where they could hang out and relax and talk with colleagues and experts from all over the world, watch streaming panel discussions, live surgery, keynote presentations, and more on AO TV.
Participants were able to maintain contact through the myAO app, to identify common areas of interest by browsing one another’s profiles, as well as get live updates on program changes, course assessments, meet-ups, and general information.
The AO Davos Courses virtual weekend offered five online courses and seminars (from AO Trauma, AO Spine, and AO CMF), as well as three webinars (from AO Spine, AO VET, and AO Recon) this year.
Faculty delivering the online courses, seminars and webinars commented:
"We had the ability to reach people worldwide and especially in areas that normally would not have access to the thought leaders" - Michael Sirkin, MD, Chair, AO Trauma Education Commission (AOTEC), AO North America
"Despite being apart, faculty and participants from around the world actively engaged and worked through complex cases together to further the AO education mission." - Brett Crist, MD, Chair, Education Committee, AO North America
"For the first time ever, an online course was able to give participants the experience of virtual hands-on practical exercises using software from Brainlab. This is unprecedented and a highlight of this year's course" (AO CMF online course – Computer Assisted Surgery in Facial Trauma and Orthognathic Cases) - Amir Elbarbary, MD, Chair, AO CMF Middle East & Northern Africa Board
"Very interactive sessions" - Rodrigo Pesantez, MD, Chair, AO Trauma Latin America Board
Due to the unpredictability of the pandemic situation and the rapidly changing restrictions beyond our control the AO leadership took the very difficult decision to cancel week two of the AO Davos Courses 2021 from December 5-10.
The AO Davos Courses virtual weekend offered five online courses and seminars (from AO Trauma, AO Spine, and AO CMF), as well as three webinars (from AO Spine, AO VET, and AO Recon) this year.
Faculty delivering the online courses, seminars and webinars commented:
"We had the ability to reach people worldwide and especially in areas that normally would not have access to the thought leaders" - Michael Sirkin, MD, Chair, AO Trauma Education Commission (AOTEC), AO North America
"Despite being apart, faculty and participants from around the world actively engaged and worked through complex cases together to further the AO education mission." - Brett Crist, MD, Chair, Education Committee, AO North America
"For the first time ever, an online course was able to give participants the experience of virtual hands-on practical exercises using software from Brainlab. This is unprecedented and a highlight of this year's course" (AO CMF online course – Computer Assisted Surgery in Facial Trauma and Orthognathic Cases) - Amir Elbarbary, MD, Chair, AO CMF Middle East & Northern Africa Board
"Very interactive sessions" - Rodrigo Pesantez, MD, Chair, AO Trauma Latin America Board
Due to the unpredictability of the pandemic situation and the rapidly changing restrictions beyond our control the AO leadership took the very difficult decision to cancel week two of the AO Davos Courses 2021 from December 5-10.