The AOA American-British-Canadian (ABC) Traveling Fellows tour orthopaedic centers in the spring of odd years for four-to-five weeks.

Applications Now Open: 2023 Tour

Apply for the 2023 ABC Traveling Fellowship. Deadline: January 31, 2022. 

Apply here.

2021 AOA American-British-Canadian Traveling Fellows Announced

Congratulations to the 2021 AOA American-British-Canadian Traveling Fellows!

  • Jonathan Dickens, MD, FAOA
  • William Eward, DVM, MD
  • Addisu Mesfin, MD, FAOA
  • Anna N. Miller, MD, FAOA
  • Themistocles S. Protopsaltis, MD

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must be:

  • Less than or equal to 12 years in practice
  • Qualified to practice orthopaedic surgery in the United States;
    • must be a United States citizen, or
    • a Permanent Resident with a full-time position at a hospital/institution in the United States
  • Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (written and oral examinations) at the time of application
  • Able to travel to the AOA Annual Leadership Meeting in the year prior to travel for finalist interviews.
    • The 2022 finalist interviews will take place in Providence, Rhode Island, June 14-18, 2022.
  • Able to participate in the tour dates.
  • Able to attend the 2023 AOA Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Note: Lengthy episodes of time away from practice (>6 months) may be noted by applicants and will be reviewed and given consideration by the selection committee on a case by case basis. This includes but is not exhaustive of illness, family/medical leave, maternity/paternity leave, military deployment, etc.

Information for British Fellows
Information for Canadian Fellows
Information for Australian Fellows
Information for New Zealand Fellows
Information for South African Fellows

Hosting Information

ABC hosts plan a unique and exciting experience that will allow the visiting fellows to grow in their leadership skills, research, and career goals. Hosts may also take advantage of any unique environments they may have either academically or historically.

Host Responsibilities

Hosts will be asked to:

  • Identify a key contact person at the host institution to liaise with AOA Headquarters.
  • Coordinate academic, leadership and, social programs.
  • Send the AOA a finalized, detailed itinerary six weeks prior to the tour.
  • Meet the ABC Fellows when they arrive in the local area. If the fellows fly in/out of the region, fellows must be transported to/from the airport to the designated hotel or meeting location.
  • Provide housing, meals, and ground transportation for the ABC Fellows, as well as covering the costs for these arrangements.

Group Hosting

The Traveling Fellowship Subcommittee also encourages members to “group host,” with several institutions in one area sharing the hosting duties and costs, thus adding to the diversity of the tour.

Become an ABC Host

If you are interested in hosting future ABC Fellows, please contact fellowships@aoassn.org.

ABC Alumni

Alumni Activities

ABC Alumni reunite at the following events:
  • ABC Fellowship alumni dinners, in odd years at AOA Annual Meetings
  • AOA Traveling Fellowship alumni receptions, during the AOA and AAOS Annual Meetings

ABC Alumni List

The American-British-Canadian Traveling Fellowship began in 1948. Since then, many of the AOA's past presidents have participated in this prestigious Fellowship:
Past President Presidential Year ABC Traveling Fellowship Year
Harlan C. Amstutz, MD, FAOA 1983 1970
Joseph A. Buckwalter, MD, FAOA 2001 1987
Sherman S. Coleman, MD, FAOA 1978 1959
Paul H. Curtiss, Jr., MD, FAOA 1982 1957
Douglas R. Dirschl, MD, FAOA 2012 2001
William F. Enneking, MD, FAOA 1984 1965
C. McCollister Evarts, MD, FAOA 1985 1971
John J. Fahey, MD, FAOA 1969 1949
Albert B. Ferguson, Jr., MD, FAOA 1976 1955
J. Leonard Goldner, MD, FAOA 1988 1955
Robert E. Leach, MD, FAOA 1994 1971
G. Dean MacEwen, MD, FAOA 1981 1967
Bernard F. Morrey, MD, FAOA 2003 1983
Regis J. O’Keefe, MD, FAOA 2017 1999
Michael A. Simon, MD, FAOA 2002 1983
Dan M. Spengler, MD, FAOA 2004 1981
Marc F. Swiontkowski, MD, FAOA 2006 1989
James R. Urbaniak, MD, FAOA 1995 1973
Andrew J. Weiland, MD, FAOA 1999 1981
Stuart L. Weinstein, MD, FAOA 1998 1985
Frank C. Wilson, MD, FAOA 1987 1969

Full Alumni Directory Coming Soon!

Follow the Traveling Fellows

Learn more about the ABC tour through the experiences of past ABC fellows. Visit the AOA Traveling Fellowships Blog.

Questions?

For questions regarding the ABC Traveling Fellowship, please contact fellowships@aoassn.org.