The 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting in Chicago promises to be an exciting mix of education, networking, and exhibits. The scientific program begins on Tuesday, March 19, and includes the following:

• 29 symposia on cutting-edge orthopaedic topics presented by leading experts
• 825 paper presentations and 578 posters on the latest orthopaedic research
• 216 instructional courses—including 11 surgical skills courses, the Orthopaedic Review course, and a course designed for those planning practice transitions
• more than 85 scientific exhibits on extended studies or complex procedures
• Specialty Day, featuring 14 orthopaedic specialty societies.

In addition, more than 550 technical exhibits will be on display Wednesday through Friday in the Exhibit Hall.

Symposia
“This year’s scientific program will cover all areas of orthopaedics. In addition to clinical topics, we are offering symposia on topics designed to inform attendees about issues of quality, compliance, and diversity,” said Steven L. Frick, MD, chair of the Central Program Committee. “Of special note is the Worldwide Perspective on Hip Instability after Total Hip Replacement symposium (March 19, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) organized by the 2013 Guest Nation, Canada.

Additional noteworthy symposia include the following:

• Women as Surgeons and Patients: Obstacles and Solutions for Increasing Diversity and Improving Care (March 22, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.)—Coordinated by the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, this symposium will look at communication differences, sex-specific medical and social issues, and ways to overcome gender disparity in the orthopaedic profession.
• Best of the AAOS (March 22, 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.)—Moderated by Annunziato Amendola, MD, and Brian J. Cole, MD, this interactive symposium will feature the best papers and posters in each classification as chosen by the Annual Meeting Program Committee chairs. “Plan to attend this symposium, especially if you’ve missed some of the paper sessions,” said Dr. Frick.
• Debates on the Use of BMP in Spine Surgery (March 21, 4 p.m.–6 p.m.)—An evidence-based update on the risks of using bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) in the spine, a review of the controversy in the literature regarding the reporting of adverse events, and a debate on the merits/indications of BMP usage in the spine will highlight this symposium.
• New Concepts Regarding Athletic Induced Mild Traumatic (Concussion) and Catastrophic Brain Injuries (March 22, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.)—Best practices, policies, and education will be discussed with particular attention paid to return-to-play guidelines.

New this year
Every AAOS Annual Meeting strives to bring attendees the latest in clinical and business topics, and the 2013 meeting is no exception. “We are excited to offer a new workshop that focuses on generalists who handle many different orthopaedic maladies along with running their practice,” said Robert A. Hart, MD, chair of the Central Instructional Course Committee.

Moderated by Dwight W. Burney III, MD, the Community Orthopaedist workshop (March 19, 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.) is geared toward the orthopaedic surgeon who handles a variety of conditions, whether in the emergency department or in the office. The session will educate orthopaedists on current “best practices” for commonly encountered orthopaedic conditions and include sessions on organizational issues associated with a general orthopaedic practice.

Returning favorites
Innovations introduced in 2012 will be even better this year, and participants will also be able to enjoy standard favorites of the Annual Meeting, many of which have been enhanced. For example, the Poster Awards Breakfast (March 22, 7 a.m.) will include a special ceremony honoring the winners of the best posters in each classification and the overall winner.

The Guided Poster Tours will also be back. “After last year’s very successful debut, we are increasing the number of tours offered this year,” said Dr. Frick. Participants include Kenneth E. DeHaven, MD, Franklin H. Sim, MD, and Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD. The schedule of tours will be available in the final program and at the Poster/Scientific Exhibit Help Desk in Academy Hall.

iPosters—electronic versions of posters or scientific exhibits that include narrative from the presenters—were a hit last year and are anticipated to be even more popular this year. The enhanced website offers a blog allowing the viewer to question the authors, creating an ongoing dialogue.

The Orthopaedic Video Theater features a wide array of peer-reviewed videos and multimedia programs. The unique environment of the Orthopaedic Video Theater enables participants to learn at their leisure.

Instructional courses
“The 11 surgical skills instructional courses offer a unique opportunity for small group learning as well as hands-on training on bone models. Among the topics covered in surgical skills courses are shoulder replacement, shoulder instability, and pediatric spinal deformities. The knee arthroplasty course uses a new knee model. And all surgical skills courses have a strong faculty to registrant ratio,” said Dr. Hart.

“In addition, we are offering a wide array of 2- and 3-hour instructional courses on topics ranging from assembling an orthopaedic team to hip replacement to bone tumors; there will certainly be something for everyone,” he noted.

The Top 10 Coding Errors Made by Practicing Orthopaedic Surgeons (March 19, 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.) is an especially noteworthy instructional course. This free offering is a chance for orthopaedic surgeons to update their knowledge of coding issues critical to their practice.

The Orthopaedic Review Course (March 22, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.) is an opportunity for attendees to update their knowledge and sharpen their skills. Early registration is encouraged.

The free Faculty Development series includes informal sessions that offer attendees an opportunity to improve their presentation skills. Session topics include how to write an abstract and how to improve PowerPoint presentations.

Planning for Life After Orthopaedics (March 19, 1:30 p.m.–6 p.m.) will focus on how to deal with life after surgery, how to prepare your practice (group or solo) for retirement, insurance needs and estate planning, and strategies for managing assets.

Physician assistants, nurses, and other allied health professionals may also be interested in the wide array of instructional courses available at the 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting. A full allied health program is offered, with courses organized by the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses and casting workshops conducted by the National Association of Orthopaedic Technologists.

For more information on the AAOS 2013 Annual Meeting, visit www.aaos.org/annualmeeting