New AO Recon Shoulder Curriculum finalized
Course template and faculty support materials available for use in courses
Following approval by the AO Recon Education Forum, the AO Recon Shoulder Curriculum Task Force has finalized the course program and all the support materials for shoulder arthroplasty courses with anatomical specimens for full rollout globally.
Successful rollout of course at AO Davos Courses 2022
Participants came from around the world to meet the experts at the in the AO Recon Course— Comprehensive Shoulder Arthroplasty at the AO Davos Courses 2022 in December. Small group discussions and a full day in the anatomical specimen lab—focusing on anatomy, dissection, and key arthroplasty procedures—were the highlights of the course.
To ensure the highest quality educational event, chairpersons worked closely with faculty to prepare the course well in advance. The faculty pre-course was instrumental in the final preparation and enhancement of cases in order to adjust each case based on participant needs identified in the pre-course assessment.
The ideal educational setting for the course room is one large room with tables for each group of six to eight participants and two faculty per table. In the anatomical specimen lab, it is strongly recommended to have one master table with assigned practical lab directors for each exercises; additionally at each participant station having two participants and one faculty per station.
Resources
The Faculty Lounge provides the structure and starting point for each chairperson to run an effective event that meets the needs of the local audience and uses the collective input of many experts worldwide. A full library of cases and lectures is made available for use by all chairpersons and faculty.
For more details, please visit the Faculty Lounge here.
Course structure
The two-day standardized course program for AO Recon–Comprehensive Shoulder Arthroplasty comprises three modules on the first day:
- Primary glenohumeral arthritis
- Rotator cuff insufficiency
- Proximal humeral fractures
Each interactive module includes lectures and emphasizes building on that knowledge through focused time dedicated to small group case discussions. The cases are carefully selected, well-documented, and peer reviewed to ensure they deliver appropriate key messages and follow all AO principles. Lectures are used only to introduce each module’s topic and to summarize the evidence for current management.
The second full day is spent in an anatomical specimen lab performing the following exercises:
- Total shoulder arthroplasty without glenoid deformity
- Primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty for degenerative conditions without glenoid deformity
- Reverse shoulder arthroplasty with tuberosity fixation
Contributions
Since 2019, the curriculum work has been led by AO Recon Shoulder Curriculum Task Force members Paul Favorito (United States), Chunyan Jiang (China), Simon Lambert (United Kingdom), Stefaan Nijs (the Netherlands), and Markus Scheibel (Switzerland). More information on the curriculum task force can be found here.
Paul Favorito
(United States)
Chunyan Jiang
(China)
Simon Lambert
(United Kingdom)
Stefaan Nijs
(Netherlands)
Markus Scheibel
(Switzerland)
Feedback plays a key role
Feedback and suggestions for improvement from every 2023 event will be collected and analyzed. The task force will be involved in supporting curriculum implementation by helping the chairpersons to integrate the content and by being available as faculty. Faculty members’ support and involvement are essential to the longer-term success and continuous improvement of the curriculum.
Participants feedback:
- “Anatomical specimen lab was fantastic! Perfect exposure with time and anatomical structures, in the operating room (OR) I do not get to see this which helps me with decision making and improves dissection technique.”
- “Small group discussions were extremely helpful.”
- “Helpful to have different perspectives from faculty from across the world.”