The UNMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation welcomed the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery’s executive director, its associate executive director and a consultant to the organization during a special seminar this summer.
The seminar was held in the Lauritzen Outpatient Center’s auditorium and drew a capacity crowd of faculty, residents and medical students.
The visiting professors were David Martin, MD, executive director of the ABOS, and Michael Bednar, MD, associate director of the ABOS and professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation and chief of hand surgery at Loyola University Medical Center Stritch School of Medicine. Also attending was John Harrast, chief executive officer Data Harbor Solutions, a consultant for the ABOS.
The visit educated the faculty and residents regarding the history and activities of the ABOS and allowed the ABOS leadership to visit and explore UNMC’s Davis Global Center as a possible site for surgical simulation and assessment of orthopaedic residents’ competence.
The group participated in a one-day seminar on June 19 with UNMC professors Joshua Mammen, MD, PhD, and Justin Siebler, MD. Dr. Mammen is the chair of the education and training committee of the American Board of Surgery.
“This is a unique opportunity for our department to have a front-row seat with the leadership who shape the exams for the ABOS and also to demonstrate our expertise in surgical simulation,” said Kevin Garvin, MD, the L. Thomas Hood, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation and chair of the department. He is a director for the ABOS, chair of the ABOS Oral Examination Committee and coordinated the seminar and served as host.
Dr. Martin, who has served as executive director since 2016, lectured on the history of the ABOS oral and written exams. Dr. Bednar lectured on “Surgical Simulation: Where is it Going and What’s Its Role?”
Following the seminar, attendees toured the Davis Global Center and iEXCEL program to participate in surgical simulations and virtual reality demonstrations directed by Dr. Siebler, who leads the orthopaedic surgery surgical simulation program.
Dr. Garvin said the tours showcased how UNMC’s facilities are at the forefront of surgical simulation and offered numerous possibilities for collaboration in the future across the field of orthopaedic surgery.