The 2015 AOA North American traveling fellowship

The North American Traveling Fellowship (NATF) is one of the flagship tours of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). NATF is geared toward advancing the careers of young orthopaedic surgeons through the promotion of clinical, scientific, and social exchange. The 2015 tour had a major emphasis on the development of leadership in the field of orthopaedics through close interactions and meetings with departmental chairs and administrators, as well as with hospital and medical school leaders. The 2015 NATF tour was in the Midwest corridor of Canada and the United States. The 5 fellows included specialists in spine, trauma, sports medicine, and shoulder and elbow surgery. Lifelong friendships and collaborations were formed during the tour. We visited 14 centers, and each site/host made great efforts to make us feel welcome and also organized excellent academic and social programs. By the conclusion of the tour, it was clear to all of us that this was a once in a lifetime experience, and we were honored to have the privilege of participating in such an amazing opportunity. The exposure to high-caliber leaders in our profession allowed us to appreciate different ways of balancing the intricacies of academic and clinical life, and these lessons will remain with us throughout our careers.