I would like to start off with a special thank you to Dr. Pushpinder Bajaj and Dr. Lalit Mani for giving me the opportunity to attend the Shoulder and Elbow fellowship and the centre for shoulder and elbow surgery at Ospedale de Cervesi, Italy. Nestled in the quaint, coastal town of Cattolica in North-east Italy, Dr. Paolo Paladini and his elite team of Shoulder and Elbow specialists have made the hospital the epicentre for high-volume, complex shoulder surgeries, and their skill shows. Journey to and fro the town was convenient with direct flight to Bologna and a 3-hour train to Cattolica.

Heartfelt thanks to Helga for making the entire documentation and travel formalities seamless. Airbnbs are easily available all over town and are walking distance from the Hospital. I received a warm welcome from Dr. Paladini himself, followed by Dr. Alberto guiding me around the OT complex. I had the privilege of attending interesting cases such as Total Anatomical Shoulder Arthroplasty, primary and revision Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, Latarjet Surgery, Arthroscopic procedures like bankart repair, Rotator cuff repair with and without augments, Remplisage, ORIF for humerus fractures, arthroscopic implant removal, and Biceps repair with an average of 7-8 surgeries per day, increasing to 15-16 on Wednesdays.

We were fortunate to watch experts like Dr. Paladini, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Marrota, Dr. Alberto, etc perform surgeries with extreme precision and they made sure that we understood each and every step. They obliged by patiently answering all our queries, however trivial.

We also discussed a variety of cases and had much more detailed learning of the subject. The OPD visits on Friday were also a good learning curve in the art of patient coomunication. The injection OPD also helped understand small tweaks that can improve patient management non-surgically.

On the off-days, one can take a stroll on the beach or see a game of football in Bologna, options are plentiful. In conclusion, it was a life-changing experience wherein we learned not only about complex shoulder pathology management but how a surgeon should carry himself, the ideal OT setting, and most importantly, life lessons on work-life balance. It is a must-visit if you get the privilege of being selected. I can not wait to hone my skills and improve upon my current practise. Looking forward to learning more. Lastly, a heartfelt thankyou to Dr. Bhupendra Khatri for being an excellent companion through the fellowship. A special mention again to Dr. Lalit Mani and Dr. Pushpinder Bajaj for giving even practising orthopaedic surgeons the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills.

ISKSAA has been a blessing! Thank you!