It was with a sense of trepidation that I opted for this Netherlands Fellowship, during ISKSAA 2016, which was clearly allayed by Dr. Pushpinder Bajaj, Dr. Lalith Maini and Dr. Raju Easwaran. However, after completing the Fellowship, I like to mention that it was a very fruitful experience, enjoyed every bit and I wholeheartedly thank the whole team of ISKSAA and particularly Dr. Jaap Willems, who made us feel like, members of his family. I also was very lucky to have an young and energetic colleague in Dr.Rohith Nara from Rohtak.

After regular communication with my colleague, Dr. Rohith Nara, we booked accomodation in Amsterdam through AirBnb and got Schengen VISA. MRSA Culture and Hepatitis Vaccination formalities were conveyed as per requirement. We booked into our accomodation on 18-06-2017 and Dr.Jaap Willems picked us for an introduction and we had a lively evening welcome chat on 19-06-2017. We sat with Dr. Jaap Willems in the OPD on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while scrubbed up on Thursdays at the DC Lairesse Clinic. Dr. Willems is a towering personality, who is considered Father of Arthroscopy in Netherlands and 95% of his Patients come with specific and complicated Shoulder Problems. We were exposed to systematic and targeted clinical examination of the shoulder and Dr. Willems was able to show us almost all positive shoulder tests in a few OPD days. The Ultrasound Scan Room next to his chambers gave us an added perspective also. The Netherlands citizens respected our desire to learn and did never hesitate to get examined by us also. We did note that Dr. Willems gives a lot of stress on patient communication and keeps the atmosphere light and humorous in the Theatre. Some of the Cases we assisted included Multiple -Recurrent Rotator Cuff Repair, Hook plate for ACJoint Dislocation, Open Laterjet, Calcific Tendonitis, Ossified Coraco Clavicular Ligaments, Biceps Tenodesis / Tenotomy, Os Acromiale, Biceps Ganglion Cyst.

The icing on the cake was one Case of Superior Capsular Reconstruction for Irraparable Rotator Cuff Tear. Both of us picked up so many tricks and pearls during interaction with our Mentor. Fridays and Mondays, we scrubbed up in the Operation Theatres of DR. Derek Van Dervauz and Dr. Tzarco Alta at OLVG Hospitals of Hoofdorp, Sparne Gasthus and Harlem. As both of them are young and energetic, we could easily get along and picked up completely different steps of managing different cases of Rotator Cuff Tear, Bankart's repair, Reimplissage, Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Biceps tenodesis, Slap repair along with different InstrumentS and positions. All in all our hearts were filled up to the brim regarding shoulder, so much so, we used to discuss the need to cope up with the paucity of such environment back Home. Dr. Tzarco Alta took us to Almere Kamers on 27-06-2017, where Dr. Walch had a long talk on 3D Image Reconstruction for Total Shoulder Arthroplasty and We interacted with the team of Blue Print-Wright 3-D system.

Dr. Jaap Willems took us to Utrecht on 02-03-2017 for the Upper limb Cadaver Course, being conducted by him for the last 28 years. It is an Internationally acclaimed course where participants from different countries are exposed to Hand, Wrist, Elbow Arthroscopy on different days and two dedicated days for Shoulder Scopy and Plasty. Dr. Jaa Willems himself being a dedicated teacher has been able to comb up a set of impressive speakers and achievers in the speciality who were eager to interact with Delegates and pass on their hard earned skills. Apart from comprehensive perspective on Shoulder, I saw different aspects of European culture, lifestyle and enormously fit population. The most memorable event for me was the 6 hour ride with Dr. Jaap Willems in his Boat on the canals of Amsterdam. I would like to conclude that we put all our efforts sincerely to see that the Objective desired by Dr. Bajaj, Dr. Maini and Dr. Willems in instituting this Fellowship are achieved and decided to earnestly try to emulate them by taking active part in passing the skills to the keen younger generation at every chance.