Photo Information

Karen van Zyl, the wife of the South African Orthopaedic Association president Dr. Adriaan van Zyl, flies a simulated mission under the Coronado Bridge while operating the F/A-18 Tactical Operational Flight Trainer at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., March 15. American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeon members and their spouses exchanged best medical practices with their counterparts and flew in four flight simulators while learning about the different aircraft with 3rd MAW. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. David Bickel/Released)

Photo by Sgt. David Bickel

Surgeons drop scrubs, take on simulators

16 Mar 2017 | Sgt. David Bickel Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

A group of fourteen civilian orthopaedic surgeons and their spouses took off their scrubs for a day to visit Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., and participate in a subject matter expert exchange with military medical professionals and pilots, March 15. 

The surgeons, who are visiting from seven different countries and hosted by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), got the opportunity to ex-change best practices with their counterparts and also fly in four flight simulators including the F/A-18 Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT), MV-22 Osprey Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD), CH-53E Helicopter Aircrew Procedures Trainer (APT), and the Marine Common Aircrew Trainer (MCAT) in CH-53E mode.

“During our annual conference, the host country generally provides a unique opportunity very local to their country,” said Dr. David Teuscher, the past president of the AAOS and former U.S. Army flight surgeon. “We were kindly extended an offer to be able to visit [MCAS] Miramar…so we could show these surgeons what we as a military do worldwide.”

 

This opportunity allowed the surgeons from AAOS to network with military pilots and medical professionals allowing them to experience a different aspect of the surgical field.

“This allows a lot of exposure for civilian orthopaedic surgeons to see what we do in the military,” expressed Lt. Cmdr. James Bailey, orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon and escort from Naval Medical Center San Diego. “A lot of the specialty training military orthopaedic surgeons get is in civilian hospitals and this allows us to give back to our civilian counterparts as well.”

Over the years, the AAOS has assisted the military in the development of different war injury treatments allowing for strong relationships with military medical personnel.

“We do a lot of training with the militaries from the countries these surgeons represent,” said Lt. Cmdr. Lucas McDonald, orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon and co-escort for the event. “We have a really great relationship with a lot of the militaries from these coun-tries and tying in the civilian side of everything is very important.”

This event not only gave insight into what aircraft the Marine Corps employs on a daily basis but also gave the surgeons more insight into the AAOS motto: “keeping the world in motion through the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.”

“If it’s zero-dark-thirty and you’re told to go downrange, you get geared up and say ‘yes sir,’” said Tuescher. “For us, it means if the ER calls at two in the morning, it doesn't matter if you’re tired…you get up, you go to work and you take care of it. That’s very similar to what the military does.”


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