AO Grand Rounds answers demand for in-hospital training

Junior orthopedic trauma surgeons, residents, and general trauma surgeons in 2021 were the first in the world to take part in AO Grand Rounds, a new program comprising free, high-quality, module-based content for AO faculty to deliver at their own hospitals. The program—developed by AO Trauma—is a direct response to hospitals’ need to provide regular education.

In 2021, AO Grand Rounds modules on acute compartment syndrome, polytrauma, open fractures, geriatric fractures, and operating room practices were piloted to surgeons and residents at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. The highly interactive modules—each 90 minutes to a half-day long—enable AO faculty to successfully teach their hospital teams and meet their learning needs. Each module includes:
  • A pre-event assessment to identify the team’s educational needs
  • Prereading material
  • Didactic lectures
  • Clinical case discussions
  • Group discussions
  • Optional practical exercises
  • Post-event assessment and event reports to analyze the team`s increase in knowledge

Upon completion of the pre- and post-event assessments, participants receive certificates of attendance.

AO Grand Rounds—initiated by AO Trauma International Board (AO TIB) Chairperson Michael Baumgaertner, past AO TIB Chairperson Kodi Kojima, and past AO Trauma Education Commission (AO TEC) Chairperson Wa’el Taha—is targeted at orthopedic trauma departments. Some modules can be tailored to additionally meet the specific needs of operating room personnel (ORP), physical therapists, and other medical professionals.

“AO Grand Rounds is designed to feature AO faculty delivering relevant and recurring learning events at their own workplaces, to provide value for the entire clinical team,” Baumgaertner explains. “This should improve their patient outcomes while expanding the scope of the AO's high-quality educational offerings.”

The modules can be taught independently or together in any desired combination. They are accessible free of charge.

General rollout set for early summer 2022
The general rollout of AO Grand Rounds is planned for early summer 2022 and, since “grand rounds” is chiefly a North American term, will include a competition to choose a final name for the program.

In addition to the five modules piloted in 2021, AO Grand Rounds ultimately will include several other modules covering other topics such as intraoperative anatomy (proximal femur and distal radius), augmentation, intramedullary nailing, 3D imaging, infection, fracture basics, instrumentation, and soft tissue management.