MENTORS

Medicine is an Art that is learned with individual and collective work, but to a great extent thanks to an endless number of mentors that one has throughout life. There are not enough words to express the enormous gratitude I feel towards each and every one of the people who have contributed, directly or indirectly, to my formation. I would not like to forget anyone, so I thank all the teaching staff of the universities where I have studied, and all the staff related to all the hospitals I have visited or worked with: medical students, residents, fellows, attending physicians, physiotherapists, nurses, auxiliaries, administrative staff, etc.

There are a number of people who have contributed very significantly to my training, and whom I consider my mentors. The word “mentor” conjures up the image of someone who guides, supports, and shares their wisdom with another person on their path of growth. It is a special bond, where the mentor not only offers knowledge, but also empathy and understanding.

A mentor is that light in times of uncertainty, someone who believes in you even when you doubt. It’s a travel companion that inspires you to overcome obstacles, celebrates your achievements, and helps you learn from your failures. The relationship is deeply human; It is built on trust and mutual respect, and can transform lives. In essence, a mentor is a beacon of hope and an emotional refuge, empowering you to be the best version of yourself.

SPAIN

My training in Spain meant the awakening of my interest in knee, shoulder and elbow surgery and the establishment of basic knowledge to later acquire greater diagnostic-therapeutic skills in the United States. Although most of my training in joint surgery comes from my formative stage in the United States, there are endless mentors and very important people in my career who belong to my National training stage and who should be remembered.

Ramón Cugat Bertomeu

Ramón Cugat Bertomeu is a renowned orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist, specializing in sports medicine, particularly knee surgery. He is known for his innovation in arthroscopic surgical techniques and for his focus on the functional recovery of athletes. Cugat has been a pioneer in the use of biological therapies (PRP or growth factors), the development of rehabilitation and injury prevention protocols, and his work has had a positive impact on sports performance, especially in the world of football. He has published numerous research papers in scientific journals and is a frequent speaker at international conferences. In addition, he has collaborated with elite teams, contributing to the care and treatment of professional athletes.

His office is a museum of thanks from celebrities and elite athletes treated in his practice. He is undoubtedly one of the best traumatologists I have ever met for his methodology, meticulousness, diagnostic accuracy, surgical skill and humane treatment of the patient. I met him when I was a student in 2005 and was quickly impressed by his way of doing things. He is currently the Director of the Cugat Institute, co-Director of the company Arthroscopia GC, SL, and President of the Medical Advisory Council of the Catalan Mutual Society of Footballers, among other positions.

Xavier Espiga Tugas

Dr. Xavier Espiga is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in elbow surgery. I met him at the Hospital del Mar i l’Esperança during my Specialty. He was my first mentor and the person who sparked my interest in elbow pathology. National and International expert in this articulation, Dr. Espiga taught me the diagnostic and surgical bases in elbow pathology in a first stage, and later more advanced diagnostic-therapeutic skills as I advanced in my Specialty. He is undoubtedly a very special person for me and one of those mentors that one always wishes to have throughout his career.

Carlos Torrens Cánovas

Dr. Carlos Torrens is a recognized and prestigious specialist in orthopedic surgery and shoulder traumatology nationally and internationally. I had the privilege of working with him during my Specialty. He was my first mentor in open shoulder surgery and from him I learned a lot about the diagnosis and surgical treatment of traumatic and degenerative shoulder pathology. He is one of the Spanish traumatologists with the highest volume of shoulder research, which has undoubtedly contributed significantly to my training as a researcher in this area.

Fernando Santana Pérez

Dr. Santana is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in open and arthroscopic shoulder surgery. He was a great mentor during the Specialty and the person who taught me the basics of shoulder arthroscopy. Dr. Santana is a great teacher and helped spark my interest in shoulder arthroscopy. Dr. Santana has been President of the Spanish Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (SECHC) and author of numerous scientific investigations related to the shoulder.

Joan Leal Blanquet

Dr. Leal is a traumatologist and orthopedic knee surgeon who works as Head of Service at the Altaia Foundation (Manresa) and Tres Torres Clinic. I had the privilege of meeting and working with this excellent surgeon and person during my time in the Specialty. I learned a lot from him in open knee surgery and he is undoubtedly a reference mentor. Currently, Dr. Leal is an important and very active person within the Spanish Society of Knee Surgery (SEROD), having recently been its President. His career includes training in prestigious centers and a solid experience in arthroscopic and reconstructive techniques. Leal has contributed to research on meniscal and ligamentous injuries as well as knee prostheses, publishing numerous articles in renowned scientific journals. He has participated in international conferences, sharing his innovations and rehabilitation protocols. Their commitment to education and training new specialists has been key in advancing the field.

EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES

Jón Karlsson

Dr. Karlsson is a professor and orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at the University of Gothenburg, where he has served as head of service. He has been Editor of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, and Arthroscopy (KSSTA) for many years, the most important sports traumatology journal in Europe and one of the best in the world. Dr. Karlsson has been the most important mentor for me in terms of research, and someone who has helped me a lot in my career.

Volker Musahl

Dr. Musahl is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at the University of Pittsburgh, and a disciple of Dr. Fu (EPD). He completed his fellowship in Sports Traumatology at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is the Medical Director of the University’s Rooney Sports Complex, Director of the Fellowship Program, co-Director of the University’s robotics laboratory, and co-head of medical services for the University’s Sports Department. He has been a great mentor to me in Sports Traumatology and is someone of whom I have one of my best memories of my time in the United States.

William E. Garrett

Dr. Garrett (EPD) was for more than 40 years an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at Duke University, past President of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, author of countless scientific articles, book chapters, and recipient of countless awards and recognitions. I met him during the year of accredited training I took in sports traumatology. Dr. Garrett is one of my most special mentors, as he was to many of my peers at Duke University. He is the person who taught me the most, along with Dr. John P. Albright, a good anamnesis, physical examination of the knee and treatment of the patient. Dr. Garrett always trusted me a lot when it came to teaching me knee surgery and he is one of the ones I have learned the most about the surgical treatment of knee injuries. He will always be someone very special to me.

Dean C. Taylor

Dr. Dean Taylor is an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and knee injuries. He has been for many years Director of the Fellowship Program in Sports Traumatology and also past President of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He was one of the people who bet on me to occupy one of the places in his accredited training program and, therefore, undoubtedly, someone very important in my career. I consider him one of the most skilled surgeons I have ever met and a great clinician and researcher. To me, Dr. Taylor is a true leader and someone very special in my career. It cannot be otherwise for someone who always opened the doors of his house to me.

Joaquín Sánchez-Sotelo

Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a shoulder and elbow specialist, and director of the Fellowship program for reconstructive shoulder and elbow surgery. Dr. Sánchez-Sotelo has been one of the most important people for me for two very clear reasons: 1) for trusting and betting on me for a place (among 50 candidates) of the fellowship accredited at the Mayo Clinic on reconstructive surgery of the shoulder and elbow; and 2) for his enormous teachings in complex cases of shoulder and elbow. I think he’s one of the smartest and wisest people I’ve ever met. He is truly one of my most important mentors and to whom I will be forever grateful.

Bassem T. Elhassan

Dr. Elhassan is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon, currently working at Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard University) but for many years at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He is mostly engaged in complex shoulder surgery. Apart from being a great person, Dr. Elhassan is a great surgeon and undoubtedly one of my references in shoulder pathology. I consider him to be one of my best mentors because of his personal treatment and teachings, and he is someone of whom I have a special memory and gratitude. I think he’s one of those people that every good man deserves to meet in life.

Shawn O’Driscoll

Dr. Shawn O’Driscoll has recently retired from his clinical and surgical practice as an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at the Mayo Clinic, maintaining teaching and research roles. He is a surgeon specializing in elbow surgery, from simpler to very complex cases. He is one of my best mentors in elbow pathology, and the most dedicated person to teaching I have ever met. Virtually everything I know about elbow arthroscopy in my early days has been thanks to him. He is another of the doctors of whom I have the most pleasant memory, and someone who will also occupy a special place in me forever, for the experiences and learnings being by his side. It cannot be otherwise for someone who always opened the doors of his house to me.

John W. Sperling

Dr. Sperling is an orthopedic surgeon and shoulder traumatologist who works at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He is a very effective, skilled surgeon who specializes in shoulder replacements. The greatest contribution in my training has undoubtedly been in terms of the implantation of these prostheses, both for their surgical quality and for their high volume. Dr. Sperling is a person who manages and optimizes his work time very well, and also in this aspect he was someone who marked me a lot. In addition, he always trusted me a lot in the operating room with his cases, both simple and complex. Without a doubt, someone very important in this area of my training.

Alison P. Toth

Dr. Toth is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist from Duke University, currently Deputy Executive Director of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology with whom I was fortunate to learn during my accredited formative year at Duke University. From her I learned a lot about the Diagnosis and Treatment of shoulder and knee injuries, thanks to her immense volume of patients, her patience, teaching skills, and great surgical prowess. In addition, he is a great person who always opened the doors of his house to me.

John P. Albright

Dr. Albright is a sports orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee surgery from the University of Iowa whom I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting during my time at the University of Iowa. He is one of the most important people in my formative stage as a student in the United States. He was a true mentor for his dedication to my training but also for being an example of a good doctor and surgeon, skilled and humane.

Dr. Edward G. McFarland

Dr. McFarland is a shoulder and elbow surgeon and professor at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Bartimore, Maryland. He is the Director of the Division of Shoulder Surgery and former Vice-Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology at the same university. He is undoubtedly one of the best shoulder and elbow experts on the East Coast of the United States and a mentor from whom I learned a lot when I was a student. Thanks to him I laid the foundations for a complete physical examination of the shoulder and I also learned many things in the operating room. He has been nominated among the best doctors in the United States.

OTHER VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY TRAINING

There are many people who have contributed in a very significant way to my training, and who deserve a very special thanks. They would be, in chronological order, the following doctors:

SPAIN

Paco Biosca Estella

Paco Biosca Estella is a leading specialist in orthopaedic surgery and traumatology, recognised for his contributions to sports medicine. He has played a pivotal role in the research and treatment of sports injuries, with a particular focus on knee and shoulder surgery. His career includes publications in scientific journals and presentation at international conferences, where he has shared his experience in advanced surgical techniques. In addition, he has collaborated with sports teams, improving rehabilitation and injury prevention. In particular, it is worth highlighting his relevant role in football teams as Head of Medical Services of U.E. Lleida, Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea FC. His commitment to the training of new professionals in the area has been key to the development of the specialty. Dr. Paco Biosca was my anatomy professor at the INEFC and one of the people who awakened in me an interest in medicine.

Xavier Peirau Terés

Dr. Peirau is a European Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, a Specialist in Physical Education and Sports Medicine, a Bachelor of Physical Education, a Trained “Medecine et Biologie du sport” and a Master in Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention in football. He has been a member of the faculty of the INEFC-Lleida for 30 years. He is currently Director of INEFC-Lleida, Director of the Sports Medicine Unit of the Montserrat Hospital, Lleida, and is responsible for Sports Medicine at the Institute of Regenerative Tissue Therapy. Dr. Peirau was my professor at the INEFC and a doctor who personally treated me for an injury during my time as an athlete. With him I got to know the European center for the rehabilitation and rehabilitation of athletes in Capbreton, France. Without a doubt, another important person in my training and in the path I would end up taking.

Santiago Suso Vergara

Dr. Santiago Suso was my professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona (Hospital Clínic). Although Traumatology had been my passion for many years, he undoubtedly contributed to promoting my interest in this area of medicine. Dr. Suso was at that time Professor and Head of the Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Service of the Clinical Hospital, and later the Director of the Clinical Institute of Medical and Surgical Specialties (ICEMEQ).

Enric Cáceres Palou

Dr. Cáceres is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal surgery. He was Head of Service at the Hospital del Mar i l’Esperança when I started the Specialty, a stage in which he contributed to my training. He has also been Head of Service at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital and President of the Spanish Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SECOT) and President of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT). He is also Professor of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology at the Autonomous University of Catalonia. He has now retired.

Lluís Puig Verdié

Dr. Puig was Service Coordinator at the Hospital del Mar i l’Esperança for most of my Specialty stage. He is a surgeon specializing in knee and hip joint replacement and a great value from a surgical and research point of view. He always treated me very well while I was trained in that hospital, and he was someone important during that stage.

Xavier Pelfort López

Dr. Pelfort is an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee sports surgery. I had the opportunity to work with him during the Specialty and he is one of my first mentors in arthroscopic knee surgery. During the period of time I worked with him, I learned a lot about the surgical treatment of meniscus and ligament injuries of the knee. He is currently Head of Service at Parc Taulí in Sabadell. 

Pedro Hinarejos Gómez

Dr. Hinarejos is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee who works at the Hospital de l’Esperança, and whom I met during my time in Specialty. Dr. Hinarejos is a great surgeon and a very good person who treats really complex cases related to degenerative and prosthetic pathology of the knee. He is an active and important member of the Spanish Society of Knee Surgery (SEROD) and author of numerous publications in international journals on knee surgery.

Ferran Montserrat Ramón

Dr. Montserrat is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee surgery. He was a great teacher during the Specialty, and he is a surgeon from whom I learned many concepts and surgical skills, especially in relation to patellofemoral pathology. He is a tireless teacher and therefore deserves a special mention.

Joan Carles Monllau García

Dr. Monllau is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports traumatology. He is currently Head of Service at the Hospital del Mar i l’Esperança, a position he held when I was finishing my specialty. Dr. Monllau was a great Boss from all points of view, and at the same time a great teacher, a skilled surgeon from whom I also learned a lot despite meeting him only for a few months. Dr. Monllau is a prominent member of the European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, and Arthroscopy (ESSKA), current President, and author of numerous international publications in the best journals of the Specialty. 

Samuel Antuña Antuña

Dr. Antuña is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow surgery. He is currently Head of Unit at La Paz Hospital, where I was lucky and privileged to be able to rotate during my Specialty. Dr. Antuña is a true mentor and I consider him to be one of the people who has most influenced my shoulder and elbow training at the Spanish level. He is a former President of the Spanish Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (SECHC) and a member of the North American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery and the European Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

Raúl Barco Laakso

Dr. Barco is a traumatologist and orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow surgery. He works at the Hospital La Paz, Madrid, and I met him when I visited his hospital. Dr. Barco is a great surgeon and researcher and he, as well as Dr. Antuña, have contributed significantly in awakening my interest in shoulder and elbow surgery but also significantly to my training. Dr. Barco is a prominent member of the Spanish Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (SECHC) and past President. 

EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES

In the United States I spent a total of almost 3 years in which I laid the foundations and developed most of my current knowledge and skills in knee, shoulder and elbow surgery, without underestimating my very important training in Spain. In the United States I was lucky enough to visit and work in the best hospitals in the specialties of Sports Traumatology and Reconstructive Surgery of the Shoulder and Elbow.

Kristian Samuelsson

Dr. Samuelsson is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at the University of Gothenburg, where he also works as a professor and is one of the most active researchers. He is a specialist in sports traumatology and knee surgery. Dr. Musahl, Dr. Karlsson and he have been 3 important pillars for me in terms of research, sharing a multitude of research projects and collaborations. I consider that apart from being a good colleague, he is a friend.

Brian R. Wolff

Dr. Wolff is a sports orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee, shoulder and elbow surgery at the University of Iowa, Director of the Sports Medicine Unit and Chief of Medical Services for the University of Iowa’s varsity sports teams. She was the first person I met in the United States when I visited her University as a student in 2006. Dr. Wolff is a surgeon who is especially skilled in arthroscopic shoulder surgery and I learned a lot from him during my time at the University of Iowa.

Annunziato Amendola

Dr. Amendola is a sports orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee and ankle surgery who currently works at Duke University but worked at the University of Iowa when I was a student. He is a national reference in knee sports surgery and author of numerous publications in the best journals of the specialty. 

Ignacio Ponseti

Dr. Ignacio Ponseti (DEP) was an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Iowa, where he worked until he was 94 years old. He is known worldwide for his fundamental role in the understanding and treatment of clubfoot. He has been, quite simply, one of the best orthopedists that our country has produced, from which he emigrated many years ago. Dr. Ponseti contributed to my training when I was a student and visited him in 2016. 

William N. Levine

Dr. Levine is the Chief of the Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Service at Columbia University, professor and chief medical officer at Columbia University, and co-director of the training program in shoulder surgery, elbow and sports medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, which I visited in 2016. He is a shoulder, elbow and knee sports surgeon of recognized national and international prestige, and a disciple of Dr. Louis Bigliani. He is consistently on the list of America’s best doctors.

Scott S. Rodeo

Dr. Rodeo is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist specializing in sports traumatology at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery, in New York. This hospital is considered number 1 in the United States for the specialty of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology. Dr. Rodeo is probably one of the best researchers in basic sciences in the country and one of the most reputable traumatologists. He is the team physician for the New York Giants and the U.S. Olympic National Swimming Team. He is consistently on the list of America’s best doctors. I was lucky enough to rotate with him on 2 occasions at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

David L. Helfet

Dr. Helfet is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He is the chair of the traumatology department and a professor at Weill-Cornell University. He is among the best surgeons in New York and the United States. He was an excellent mentor to me for the surgical treatment of fractures when I was a student. 

Dr. Edward V. Craig

Dr. Craig is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist specializing in shoulder reconstructive surgery. I met him when he was working at the Hospital for Special Surgery, although he has now moved his practice to Minnesota. He is a national benchmark in shoulder reconstructive surgery, and author of numerous publications and book chapters. Dr. Craig is one of those skilled, precise, kind, approachable, and, above all, good person surgeons. I learned a lot from him in terms of surgical approaches but also in the treatment of the patient.

Dr. Freddie H. Fu

Dr. Fu (DEP) is an international eminence in sports traumatology, especially with regard to knee surgery. He is the service chief of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology at the University of Pittsburgh, and his resume is impossible to summarize in a few lines. He has been President of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS). He is possibly one of the most powerful researchers in the world. He has received more than 250 professional awards and recognitions, made around 1150 national and international presentations, written 173 book chapters, published more than 570 articles in indexed journals and edited 30 textbooks in the specialty. 

Brian J. Cole

Dr. Cole is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at Rush University in Chicago, a professor of orthopedic surgery and traumatology at the same university, and a physician for the Red Sox (professional baseball team) and Chicago Bulls (NBA team). He is also the associate chief of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology at the University, Chief of the Department of Surgery at Oak Park Hospital, section chief of the Cartilage Restoration Center at Rush University. Dr. Cole is one of the best surgeons and researchers I have ever met and one of the people who has influenced me the most in my career. 

Charles Bush-Joseph

Dr. Bush-Joseph is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist at Rush University and a professor at Rush University. He is a Red Sox physician and a major surgeon in Chicago. He is the author of numerous publications in international journals and chapters in the best textbooks in the specialty. Apart from being a great surgeon, he is someone who is excellent as a person and a great mentor.

Bernard R. Bach

Dr. Bach is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist, specializing in sports traumatology and knee surgery at Rush University. He is the Director of the Department of Sports Traumatology and the Fellowship program. He is a former President of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and one of the nation’s leading researchers. He is a recognized surgeon within the specialty of sports traumatology in the United States. Apart from being a great surgeon, he is a true gentleman and artist of wood and glass.

Michael R. Hausmann

Dr. Hausmann is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist, specializing in elbow surgery, hand surgery and microsurgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where he also serves as a professor at the University. He is also the head of the Department of Elbow and Hand Surgery at the hospital, and the author of numerous publications in the best journals in the United States. I was extremely fortunate to rotate in his service during my residency, and I was absolutely impressed by his skills as a surgeon and by his infinite human quality. Someone who will always be special in my career.

Claude T. Moorman

Dr. Moorman is an orthopedic surgeon and trauma surgeon at Atrium Health, and for many years a physician and surgeon at Duke Orthopedics and a team physician for the Duke Blue Devils. He is a specialist in shoulder and knee surgery. Some of the procedures I learned the most from him were anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using bone-tendon-bone technique, and double-row rotator cuff repair.

Grant E. Garrigues

Dr. Grant Garrigues is an orthopedic surgeon and trauma surgeon at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush. I met him while working at Duke University, doing shoulder surgery. Despite the short time I was able to be with him, I think I learned a lot about solving complex shoulder cases and, without a doubt, he was someone special because of the great treatment he always gave me.

Scott P. Steinmann

Dr. Steinmann is an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic surgeon specializing in elbow. He trained me while I was at the Mayo Clinic, for whom he worked for many years. I learned a lot from him about elbow pathology and can be considered a great teacher for his contribution in the academic field and patience with his teachings.

Mark E. Morrey

Mark Morrey, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon and trauma surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, where he has continued the legacy of his father Bernard F. Morrey. He is a great person and surgeon, dedicated to shoulder and elbow pathology. I think he is someone who has also contributed enormously to my training despite the short time with which I have had the privilege of working.

Pascal Boileau

Dr. Boileau is an orthopedic surgeon and traumatologist specializing in shoulder pathology, whom I had the privilege of visiting for a very short period of time to train in a very specific area of the shoulder. From him I learned the Latarjet technique and despite spending little time in Nice, what I learned with him has really been something of great use in my daily practice. In addition, he is someone that every shoulder surgeon should thank for his enormous contribution to the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder pathology.

Laurent Lafosse

Dr. Lafosse is an orthopedic surgeon and orthopedic shoulder orthopedic specialist who worked at the Annecy Alps Institute, before retiring. Like Dr. Boileau, I visited him for a short period of time but was able to learn more about Latarjet surgery for complex shoulder instability. He is a pioneer in complex arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

ESSKA TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP

The European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) offers the possibility of doing a Travelling Fellowship in different areas, including Europe, although only 3 doctors are selected at European level. I was lucky enough to enjoy this scholarship and visit 5 hospitals: Oslo University Hospital; ATOS Clinic, Munich; Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute, Milan; Hygeia Hospital, Athens; and Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Istanbul. These centers seemed to me to be leaders in many aspects of Sports Traumatology and, obviously, the Fellowship helped me a lot to learn interesting details, as well as different ways of coping, the diagnosis and treatment of different pathologies. I would therefore like to thank all the surgeons involved in making this Travelling Fellowship so enriching: Tom Clement Ludvigsen, Sverre Loeken, Ragnhild Stoen, Berte Boe, Lars Engebretsen, Frank Martetschläger, Mark Tauber, Peter Habermeyer, Ettore Taverna, Carlo Perfetti, Vincenzo Guarrella, Emmanouil Brilakis, Emmanouil Antonogianakis, Elias Mataragas, Anastasios Deligeorgis, Ioannis Chiotis, Mustafa Karahan, Baris Kocaoğlu,  Umut Akgün, Kerem Bilsel.