ISKSAA KENT UK TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP 2022

Respected sir,

Firstly, I would like to thank DR. Pushpinder Bajaj Sir and Dr Lalit Maini Sir and the entire team of ISKSAA for this tremendous opportunity. I cannot have done any of it without the constant support, guidance and perseverance of these legendary doctors.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the international travelling Kent fellowship, UK. It has been an incredible experience, and I feel honoured to have been selected as a recipient of this prestigious fellowship.

Throughout my journey, I have had the chance to learn from world-renowned experts in the field of orthopaedics. To mention specially Dr.Sandeep Kohli Sir is a very humble person and guided me throughout my tenure. He has been always supportive from the time applying for fellowship till the end. I learned a lot of new techniques in arthroplasty as well as trauma surgeries from him and also how to manage and counsel patients. He had taken me to his place on the last day of my fellowship. We had lunch together and we had shared a lot of experiences of residency days while studying in a medical college in India.

Since he is also from New Delhi, we shared a great bond and it felt like I was at my home and not thousands of miles away. I could always lean on him for any problems and difficulties. He was just a text away for any help. I was having the mindset that I will not be allowed to touch the patient and there will be no hands-on experience but on the contrary I was given a lot of cases and I performed a few surgeries independently under supervision.

We also had a nice departmental dinner at an Indian restaurant in London in which the newer modalities of supra patellar femoral nailing techniques and the latest instrumentation by stryker were explained.
I was also sent to Orpington hospital where I saw many cases of arthroplasty and arthroscopy. It was a wonderful experience of hopping from one hospital to another hospital in a new country , doing cases , making new friends, learning new surgical techniques and what not. This was one of the most memorable days of my life. with so much learning that happens with dignity and respect.

Dr. Rajat Verma Sir learned uncemented UNI-knee replacements and his techniques in operating total knee replacement. Dr. Abhinav Gulihar Sir is a very dynamic person who learned upper limb surgeries including arthroscopy of elbow joint and different techniques of operating wrist arthritis. Dr. Joydeep Sinha also known as man of leather jacket technique in RC tear. Learnt shoulder arthroscopy techniques and also shoulder resurfacing, total shoulder and reverse shoulder replacements. Prof. Venu Kavarthapu taught step by step hip arthroscopy and MIS hip arthroplasty and he made it so easy to understand. He shared his works on hip arthroscopy and replacements. He also showed a few cases of Charcot joint and use of Cerament G/V which is still not available in India. Dr. Mohit Bansal taught a variety of periprosthetic fractures and their fixation techniques.

I made good friends with surgeons working in King’s college to mention a few Sam, Kevin, Kiran, Ashish, Farhaan, Siddhartha and Abhijeet. They were very cordial and welcoming. They helped me with the hospital acquaintance and how they work there so politely with every needs of patients.

The exposure to different techniques, technologies and practices has allowed me to broaden my knowledge and skills, which I can now apply in my own work. The diverse range of experiences that I had on this fellowship has given me a greater understanding of the challenges faced by orthopaedic surgeons across this part of the globe, and I am confident that this will make me a better surgeon in the years to come.

Once again I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Fellowship Committee, Pushpinder Sir, Lalit Sir and Kohli Sir for believing in my abilities and providing me with this invaluable opportunity. I am also deeply grateful to my hosts and mentors, who have been incredibly generous with their time and expertise, and have made me feel so welcome in their practices.

This fellowship has been an incredible learning experience, and I will always cherish the memories of this journey. Once again, thank you for your support, and I look forward for support from the ISKSAA team for giving me a chance for next year as well.

Yours sincerely,
Dr. Rohan Krishnan