At the outset, I would like to thank Dr. Pushpinder Bajaj , Dr Lalit Maini and ISKSAA for considering me worthy of this prestigious opportunity to be a fellow at the ‘avant garde’ SPORTSMED CLINIC, Adelaide, SA. The programme was an enlightening experience for me. I went to the fellowship withDr Ajith Krishnamurthy from Andhra Pradesh in the month of March,2017.

I must express the value this fellowship brought to my life. It is inspirational because one gets to rub shoulders with the person who walks the talk- Dr Nicholas Wallwork, Nick, as he is fondly called, skilful, humble, passionate and excited to show you the way. What he teaches helps improve your skills not just during the course but beyond.

Nick welcomed us to a wonderful home away from home, at Majestic Old Lion apartments. All through the programme he would pick us up from the apartment in the morning for the clinic. After picturesque drive, we would start our day observing the scheduled surgeries and examine patients in the OPD as per the schedule.We would see the post operative protocols and learn patient dealing.

Sportsmed Clinic is a prime sports injury centre of South Australia catering to a wide spectrum of patients. We were fortunate to witness many Arthroscopic Shoulder Cuff repairs, Shoulder Instability cases, Arthroscopic SLAP repairs, Shoulder replacement,Carpal Tunnel release, Pectoralis major repairs , Bicep tendon repairs, Collateral ligament repairs, Four corner fusions for AVN Scaphoid, Interposition Arthroplasty in CMC joint, in total of around 60-65 surgeries.We also accompanied Dr Nick to MORPHETT VALE which is a peripheral OPD centre in the suburbs of South Australia once every week.

If upper limb is what you desire to specialise in, thenDr Nick is the best master one can possibly get. His passion for work showed throughout the course; each day was packed with pivotal lessons.We witnessed his expertise in shoulder arthroscopy. All our observation sessions were loaded with nuggets of wisdom from Nick’s personal experiences regarding patients’management.

We were also granted the opportunity to observe other eminent personalities of Sportsmed clinic – Dr Gregory Keene (Knee), Dr Roger Paterson (Hip and Knee), Dr Matthew Hutchinson (Lower Limb) and Dr Domenic Leonello (Upper Limb )who were all so welcoming and passionate teachers ,readily answering even basic questions with a smile. Dr Keene showed me my first uncemented TKR and his very own technique of ACL repair with Bone patellar tendon bone graft. Dr Matt showed us the Osteochondral Defect Management. Dr Domenic had shown us the arthroscopic Carpal tunnel release. Working with so many different surgeons made our experience rich and wholesome.Our interaction withthe highly specialized physiotherapy team of SPORTSMED was very rewarding and will definitely help in holistic treatment of our patients back home.

A super specialized panel of surgeons, dedicated team of assistants,cheerful staff, work environment promoting personal and professional growth for one and all – that is what Sportsmed clinic is all about- so true to its motto “Getting you back on track’’.This fellowship helps you cultivate good work culture habits and gives you an insight on how to manage your own practice efficiently.

It’s in the month of March when the otherwise quiet and calm Adelaide comes alive with full zeal and enthusiasm. Our week days were power packed with work and weekends were loaded with fun and frolic. We watched several theatrical, artistic performances at the Adelaide Fringe Festival over the weekend. Dr Nick also arranged tickets of the “AUSTRALIAN FOOTIE”game, which was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

On another weekend, me and my colleague drove to the picturesque Barrossa Valley, enjoyed the winery tours and the lovely Handhorf Hills. We watched movie in an open theatre on Gleneng beach and also enjoyed evening walks on Henley beach. Rundle Mall and Central market were places with great food and shopping joints that we visited frequently.

On the last day Nick and his family hosted a dinner for us at an Indian restaurant which was very touching! In conclusion, I would say that there is no quick fix, no secret and no shortcut to success.The format of Sportsmed clinic is humbling, inspiring and empowering for all to emulate. Thank you ISKSSA for the opportunity of personal growth and significant development of my surgical skills.I would recommend everyone to strive for the fellowship and if you want to specialise in upperlimb surgeries you can’t have someone better than DR NICHOLAS WALLWORK to guide you through.