The OTA-SOMOS Traveling Fellowship Program is preparing to identify institutions to participate in the program’s third year. The purpose of the program is to enhance military-civilian collaboration in an effort to continually improve trauma care within our respective trauma systems. Participants will be selected through a formal application process involving members of both OTA and the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS).
Although funding is being sought, at this time the program is not funded. Therefore, OTA and SOMOS seek institutions willing to provide funding to cover travel and lodging for the participants. The expectation is that up to two military fellows would spend up to one week at each of two to three different sites of their choice.
Responsibilities
OTA and SOMOS hope to secure a pool of programs willing to host, which will allow the fellows to tailor the experience to meet their needs. Participating sites may limit their number of participants to a single fellow.
It is anticipated that one week of hosting one fellow would cost between $1,000 and $1,500; if a fellow is local or stays at a host’s house, the expense would be less. Selected military surgeons would spend up to 1 week fully immersed in your program, either focusing on a specific technique or simply increasing their exposure to high acuity orthopaedic trauma. The participants will also be prepared to give a grand rounds style lecture to your program on a relevant military orthopaedic topic.
The expectation is that the program will be an observership; exposing the fellow to a high-volume trauma center where they can engage in the evaluation, decision making and pre-operative planning, without actually scrubbing into cases.
Timeline
OTA and SOMOS intend for the call for applications to open in Summer 2024 with a deadline in Fall 2024 (exact date TBD). The selection committee will meet and determine the fellowship awardees, and participants will be announced at the SOMOS Annual Meeting in December 2024. The expectation is that the fellows will complete the fellowship experience during the 2025 calendar year.
If your institution is interested in participating or learning more about the OTA-SOMOS Traveling Fellowship Program, please email LCDR Michelle Gosselin, MD (OTA Military Committee Representative) with the subject line "Military Traveling Fellowship Program."