Education and Balance at Its Best—The 2023 AANA Traveling Fellowship Was the Adventure of a Lifetime: Nothing Beats Having Fun
2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 39; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/j.arthro.2023.06.050
ISSN1526-3231
AutoresAlbert O. Gee, Catherine Hui, Theodore B. Shybut, Peter S. Vezeridis, Nicholas A. Sgaglione,
Tópico(s)Health and Medical Research Impacts
ResumoWe remain honored and humbled to have been 2023 Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) Traveling Fellows. To borrow a previous Traveling Fellow's tweet: "Every fellowship class thinks their year was the best… but ours was." Our godfather and past president of AANA, Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., appropriately from New York, was the quintessential godfather. Spanning the U.S. coast to coast and Canada, the fellowship class comprised of Albert Gee, M.D., Associate Professor and Chief of Sports Medicine at University of Washington in Seattle and Team Physician University of Washington; Catherine Hui, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor at University of Alberta and Knee Team lead at Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic; Theodore Shybut, M.D., faculty at Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Team Orthopedic Surgeon for College of the Canyons; and Peter S. Vezeridis, M.D., from Boston, attending surgeon at Excel Orthopaedic Specialists in Woburn, MA. Communications with AANA Traveling Fellows from past years were unanimous—it would be a professional high point and the adventure of a lifetime. On our prefellowship virtual meeting, Dr. Sgaglione made his first godfatherly decree—"nothing beats having fun" while learning and teaching. What better way to kick off a traveling fellowship than by going international. The team assembled in our hotel Monday evening, where previous AANA Traveling Fellow Dr. Diego Perez-Salazar's chariot (aka minivan) awaited. Dr. Sgaglione impressed on us that AANA was like family to him, and we experienced that immediately as we were warmly welcomed into our host's home, where we met his family and colleagues. Amicable conversation in his yard was fueled by our excitement at the adventures before us, Dr. Perez-Salazar's own fellowship experiences, and margaritas. A delicious meal of traditional Mexican dishes, bested only by the company at the table followed, where we learned that Dr. Pedro Iturbide-Siles's surgical mantra borrowed from the Mandalorian: "This is the way" (Fig 1). As we departed, our generous hosts surprised us with personalized fleece pullovers commemorating our AANA visit to ABC, with Dr. Sgaglione's fleece proclaiming the godfather to be a "goodfather." Tuesday morning, we were up early to catch a shuttle to ABC Medical Center (Fig 2). We had breakfast with chair Dr. Sergio Abush and multiple orthopaedic staff surgeons, then embarked for the operating room, where Dr. Iturbide-Siles and Dr. Perez-Salazar demonstrated techniques for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with both quadriceps autograft and allograft, and complex medial meniscus repair. In addition, Dr. Pedro Palaez performed an arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis. As we observed, we traded notes on our surgical preferences while the godfather shared his sage advice on the cases at hand. We quickly learned that in addition to his surgical expertise, our godfather was a movie buff: "Leave the gun, take the cannolis!" An early afternoon lunch was quickly followed with our first formal academic session of the trip (Fig 3). Dr. Perez-Salazar warmly welcomed us, and we gave knee and shoulder talks. Dr. Hui led off with Multicenter ACL Revision Study and ACL reconstruction evaluation followed by a technique presentation for meniscus root repair in conjunction with ACL reconstruction. Dr. Shybut presented ACL repair, "Back to the Future" (continuing the Hollywood theme), then Dr. Gee presented on ACL reconstruction and lateral extra-articular tenodesis followed by a talk on the University of Washington multiligament knee injury experience. Dr. Shybut presented a talk on augmentation of rotator cuff repairs, then Dr. Vezeridis hit cleanup presenting on lower trapezius transfer for irreparable rotator cuff tears followed by an update on the Latarjet procedure. Our hosts presented 2 shoulder cases: an arthroscopic bony Bankart repair and arthroscopic exploration and release of the brachial plexus. The talks were so well received and subsequent discussions so engaging that we ran well behind schedule and had to do a quick turnaround at the hotel before heading off for a delicious dinner at Carmela y Sal, where we tried the local delicacy, lechon. In addition, proving that AANA is a family-oriented organization and that he is worthy of both titles "goodfather" and "godfather," Dr. Sgaglione's daughter Caroline, who was visiting friends in Mexico City, joined us for dinner. Wednesday morning, Dr. Perez-Salazar kindly offered to take us running. Dr. Shybut and Dr. Vezeridis accompanied him to the Parque Mexicana, a beautiful oasis with rolling hills and the ubiquitous #CDMX photo spots nestled into a population 23 million metropolis. We were quickly reminded that Mexico City is at 7,349 feet above sea level. Three lung-burning laps of the park down, we grabbed coffee, cleaned up, and the team including Caroline caught a shuttle into the downtown city center. Our guide art teacher, Maggie Loya, pointed out national government buildings and the Aztec ruins on which the city was built before we toured St. Mary's Cathedral. Exiting St. Mary's, we viewed more Aztec ruins, then walked through the city to the Palacio de Bellas Artes. We took our time here marveling at the juxtaposition of elegant art deco architecture of the museum itself against stunning large-scale murals by the likes of Diego Rivera, Siqueiros, and Orozco (Fig 4). Our bus took us to the Roma neighborhood for lunch at Casa Virginia. Maggie bid us farewell, and we tucked into a delicious meal including mussels and Ibérico ham accompanied with refreshing libations. We continued to trade thoughts on the previous day's talks and surgical cases while also trying to absorb as much of the Mexico City experience as we could. Dr. Perez-Salazar, truly a super-host, met us to ensure our day was successful, then we were off to the National Museum of Anthropology. Once again, the architecture alone was worth the price of admission. Inside we were treated to an amazing collection of Aztec relics, including the Sun Stone (Aztec Calendar) as well as a model of Tenochtitlan, the former Aztec capital. Feeling inspired by the local culture and our visit to Chapultapec (which translates roughly to "hill of the grasshopper") Park, Dr. Hui and Caroline Sgaglione and Dr. Shybut sampled dried crickets, which were definitely best with hot sauce. We made our way to the Polanco neighborhood, where our hosts met us at Lampuga for a festive final dinner discussing life balance, career mentorship, and the importance of being a member in AANA. We enjoyed great seafood and terrific company and shared farewell toasts, thanking our hosts many times over as we reflected on this special time we spent together in Mexico City. Inspired by our run the day before, Dr. Hui joined Dr. Shybut and Dr. Vezeridis Thursday for one more morning run at the Parque Mexicana before we all packed up for transport to the airport. Unfortunately, our departure was delayed, each time increment resulting in another souvenir purchase by Dr. Gee from the airport gift shops. Once on board, we were subject to pilot work-hour restrictions, so our plane was diverted to Dallas. The Godfather and co-fellows joked that Dr. Shybut missed Texas and so had arranged for a quick visit. We made up for the dinner we missed in Scottsdale as best we could. A quick bite with a round of beers, and finally a nap-laden flight led to a midnight landing in Phoenix, our second stop on the tour. Mexico City was marked by extraordinary organization and thoughtful planning, warm genuine hospitality, shared world-class innovative and state-of-the art clinical surgery and case presentations, as well as thoughtful discussions on academics, collegial experiences, and life balance. The privilege and unique honor and opportunity to meet with and share and learn from our expert Mexican colleagues was memorable. They all demonstrated team work at its best, and we were able to better understand their experiences and expertise in an international setting which was invaluable, eye-opening, and rewarding. We forged relationships and bonds that will last forever. After an unexpected detour through Dallas, we arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, to be greeted by Dr. Kostas Economopoulos, one of the 2021 AANA Traveling Fellows. He most graciously picked us all up with a smile on his face at 12:30 AM after waiting 8 hours for our delayed flight. We decided as a group to travel "light." Our Tetris skills were on full display as we piled our luggage into Mrs. Economopoulos' car and headed for some much-needed rest at the Hilton near the Mayo Clinic Campus. The next morning, AANA incoming President Dr. John Tokish and his fellow, Dr. Justin Makovicka, picked us up bright and early at the hotel, and we started our day with some breakfast burritos followed by an academic session in the laboratory. We watched Dr. Tokish masterfully perform an arthroscopic biceps tenodesis followed by his innovative "biceps smash" procedure with autogenous biceps patch for rotator cuff repair augmentation (Fig 5). We learned how he developed the technique, including how he tested the tendon remnant and found >85% tenocyte viability. He also demonstrated the new instrumentation for the technique along with some pearls for the augmentation. After the biceps smash, Drs. Tokish and Makovicka demonstrated how to perform an arthroscopic distal tibial allograft for shoulder instability. We were given the opportunity to discuss his idea development and were awed by his innovation and expertise. We grabbed some sandwiches at the laboratory and left to make our tee time at Wildfire Golf Club. Our afternoon session started with all our golf swings on display at the driving range, and eventually we established the format for the afternoon. Dr. Sgaglione would lead a team consisting of Dr. Shybut, Dr. Vezeridis, and Dr. Makovicka. Dr. Tokish would lead a team consisting of Dr. Hui and Dr. Gee (Fig 6). This team would have the opportunity to hit one extra ball per hole to make up for having one less player. The rules were set, and it was decided that the losing team would have to ride the mechanical bull later that evening. Dr. Makovicka showed off his long drives but that was not enough to defeat Dr. Tokish's team. We left the stunning views of North Phoenix from Wildfire Golf Club and headed off to freshen up for the evening festivities. Saturday morning in Arizona started with a drive to the hanger in Glendale, Arizona, where we met our pilots for the day's first adventure. Dr. Tokish had arranged for us to fly through the Grand Canyon in 2 Cessna 172 airplanes (Fig 7). We all had visions of Tom Cruise flying through the canyon in Top Gun Maverick. Dr. Hui and Dr. Gee watched videos on the internet on how to add the Top Gun theme song to the AANA Instagram post they made, and the Godfather was fueling up on Vitamin V while we waited for the pilots to prepare for our flight. We then loaded up with Drs. Gee, Shybut, and Economopoulos in one plane with Pilot Christine and Drs. Hui, Vezeridis, and Sgaglione in the other with Pilot Chris. We studied the flight plan, which first took us north towards the Grand Canyon—passing Sedona, Mount Humphrey, and Flagstaff (Fig 8). The weather was absolutely perfect, and we had views of the world's wonder that we could only imagine. We then looped around and headed south, landing in Sedona, our next stop. It was a spectacular flight that left our Godfather at a loss for words (Fig 9).Fig 8Cessna 172 flight plan for Saturday, April 29, 2023, flight over the Grand Canyon.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Fig 9Stunning views from above the red rock and evergreens of Sedona as we prepare for landing.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) Dr. Makovicka picked us up and drove us to the town of Sedona for lunch. After lunch, we had some time to explore the cute and charming town of Sedona surrounded by picturesque red-rock scenery before arriving at Pink Jeep Tours (Fig 10), where we met Dr. Tokish, who drove from Phoenix to meet us. We all packed into one Pink Jeep along with our driver, Ray. Ray was an interesting fellow who was an excellent driver. He took us off-roading on the jeep on some harrowing roads and up to several breathtaking viewpoints of Sedona. He was a wealth of knowledge regarding the history of Sedona, which was named after Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly, who was the wife of Theodore Carlton Schnebly, the city's first postmaster, to teaching us about the vortices in Sedona. We learned that a vortex is swirling center of energy that is conducive to healing, meditation, and self-exploration leading people to feel inspired, recharged, and uplifted after a visit (Fig 11). We arrived safely back to Sedona and drove back to our hotel in Scottsdale, where we had a pizza dinner at Pitch next to the hotel. Surprisingly, they had a great bourbon menu and we had an impromptu bourbon tasting led by Dr. Tokish and Dr. Shybut, who is a connoisseur as well. Our night finished with a bourbon nightcap and some farewell pictures with the team.Fig 11At one of the spectacular viewpoints overlooking Sedona. Pictured from left to right: Dr. Justin Makovicka, Dr. Peter Vezeridis, Dr. Albert Gee, The Godfather (Dr. Nicholas Sgaglione), Dr. Catherine Hui, Dr. Kostas Economopoulos, Dr. J.T. Tokish, and Dr. Theo Shybut.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) Sunday morning, we were driven to the airport by the ever-so-gracious Dr. Economopoulos and we departed to New Orleans with a quick stopover in Houston, where we had lunch at Little Purse Dumpling House. Dr. J.T. Tokish welcomed us with his incredibly legendary down-to-earth hospitality and energic spirit. He shared his enormous clinical and educational wealth. Dr. Tokish and his team make everything look easy in a fun and comfortable manner, teaching us some of his innovative approaches to complex shoulder problems. As the timing of our visit to Phoenix was over a weekend, we did not have a full academic schedule, but the ability to have mentorship discussions and shared philosophic insights about taking care of patients and many life lessons with an AANA legend over a whiskey was and will be incredibly memorable. We shared pearls, stories, and many laughs. Although none of us experienced the "vortex" that Ray described, we all felt inspired, recharged, and uplifted about becoming leaders in orthopaedic surgery after our visit in Phoenix. We arrived in New Orleans on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, greeted by live jazz in the airport lobby and a friendly driver. After checking in to the Hyatt Centric Hotel in the French Quarter, the Fellows enjoyed a run along the Mississippi River. Our evening consisted of exploring the very colorful French quarter. First stop was Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. This was followed by Pat O'Brien's for their signature "Hurricanes" and Preservation Hall to listen to some jazz. Dinner at Oceana Grill consisted of many delicious New Orleans specialties. An early Monday morning pickup brought us to Tulane University's Lakeside Hospital, arranged by Department Coordinator extraordinaire Maryann Walker. We were treated to a stimulating operating room day with American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and AANA Past President and master surgeon Buddy Savoie (Fig 12). We were also welcomed by his wonderful wife and operating room coordinator, Amy Savoie. Dr. Savoie's cases included a double-row rotator cuff repair with suprascapular nerve decompression and acromioclavicular joint resection, a massive rotator cuff repair with bioinductive scaffold augmentation and balloon spacer, and an anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty. In addition to lively discussions about his surgical techniques and approach, Dr. Savoie taught us about nutritional adjuncts that he employs to improve rotator cuff healing. After a quick lunch at Lakeside Hospital, we were treated to an afternoon swamp and alligator tour on airboats. Our captain, Miles, an eighth-generation colorful Cajun bayou expert, led us on a lively tour along with his 1-year-old pet alligator Louie (Fig 13). We saw beautiful wildlife, including purple gallinule birds and many alligators up close. Who knew alligators love snacking on marshmallows! On Monday night, Dr. Savoie and the sports service arranged for us to dine in a private room at the famous and classic New Orleans restaurant Antoine's. We were hosted by Dr. Savoie and his wife Amy, Dr. Michael O'Brien, Dr. Wendell Heard and his wife Asha Heard, M.D., chief resident Wendell (Cody) Cole, M.D., and sports fellow Reaves Crabtree, M.D. The meal's grand finale was a special AANA Baked Alaska, an exquisite dessert originating from Antoine's (Fig 14).Fig 13(A) In the afternoon, the team attends on a wonderful airboat tour of the bayous where they spot multiple alligators. Front row from left: Peter Vezeridis, M.D., Reaves Crabtree, M.D., and Catherine Hui, M.D. Second row from left: Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., and Theodore Shybut, M.D. Third row from left: Albert Gee, M.D., and Wendell (Cody) Cole, M.D. (B) The Traveling Fellows were able to hold baby alligator Louie during their airboat tour of the bayous.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Fig 14(A) In the evening, Felix H. Savoie III, M.D., former AANA Traveling Fellow Michael O'Brien, M.D., and their team treated the Traveling Fellows and Godfather to a spectacular meal at Antoine's Restaurant. From Left: Albert Gee, M.D., Theodore Shybut, M.D., Michael O'Brien, M.D., Catherine Hui, M.D., Peter Vezeridis, M.D., Wendell Heard, M.D., Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., Asha Heard, M.D., Felix Savoie III, M.D., Amy Savoie, M.D., Wendell (Cody) Heard, M.D., and Reaves Crabtree, M.D. (B) The meal's grand finale was a special AANA Baked Alaska. From left: Peter Vezeridis, M.D., Albert Gee, M.D., Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., Theodore Shybut, M.D., and Catherine Hui, M.D.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) Tuesday brought another enriching morning of surgery at Tulane's Lakeside Hospital. Dr. Michael O'Brien, who is an AANA Traveling Fellowship alumnus, had many interesting cases, including a revision double-row rotator cuff repair augmented with dermal allograft, an elbow dislocation treated with medial ulnar collateral ligament repair with suture augmentation and lateral stabilization, and a reverse shoulder arthroplasty using intraoperative navigation (Fig 15). The Fellows and Godfather thoroughly enjoyed the great demonstration of complex cases and innovative techniques. This was followed by a delicious lunch at Luke's Restaurant with amazing Cajun fare. In the afternoon, we experienced a fascinating tour of Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World (Fig 16). This exhibit is housed in a huge warehouse adjacent to the Mississippi River. We learned about the Mardi Gras traditions of New Orleans including the parades, krewes, and design and construction of the colorful and unique floats. In the evening, the Fellows each presented a lecture at Tulane's Department of Orthopaedics Grand Rounds, with a large group of faculty, fellows, residents, and medical students attending. Lively discussion followed each lecture. Following Grand Rounds, we stopped at the Bourbon House for old fashioneds and cigars. It was then on to dinner at the national historic landmark Napoleon House to enjoy their famous muffuletta sandwiches. Finally, we wandered through the French Quarter to Tropical Isle for their notorious hand grenades, per Dr. O'Brien's recommendation. The Fellows found themselves holding a 16-foot reticulated python for a unique experience and photo opportunity (Fig 17).Fig 16The Traveling Fellows experience a fascinating tour of Mardi Gras World, where they learned all about the float creation and Mardi Gras traditions of New Orleans. From left: Albert Gee, M.D., Catherine Hui, M.D., Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., Theodore Shybut, M.D., and Peter Vezeridis, M.D.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Fig 17The Traveling Fellows hold a 16-foot reticulated python on Bourbon Street. From left: Catherine Hui, M.D., Theodore Shybut, M.D., Nicholas Sgaglione, M.D., Albert Gee, M.D., and Peter Vezeridis, M.D.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) On Wednesday morning, we were fortunate to have another amazing operative experience with Dr. Buddy Savoie. Fascinating cases included arthroscopic debridement of calcific tendinopathy and rotator cuff repair, elbow arthroscopy and distal ulnar collateral ligament repair in a javelin thrower, revision anterior labral repair with remplissage and interval closure, and revision rotator cuff repair with bioinductive scaffold, balloon spacer, and arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis. Dr. Savoie treated us to another masterful demonstration of his expertise in treating complex shoulder and elbow pathologies. In the afternoon, we toured the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine at Tulane's Yulman Stadium (Fig 18). Head physical therapist Andre Labbe was our gracious and engaging host. After lunch at the student athletes center, we visited the football stadium of the Tulane Green Wave, winners of the epic 2023 Cotton Bowl. Our tour also included the baseball stadium, training center, and Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine Clinic. An eye-opening, enjoyable, and interesting visit, we consistently saw pride, dedication, commitment, and excellence throughout the Tulane Department of Orthopaedics. The Tulane University leg of our journey completed an extraordinary trip through 2 countries and 3 department sites, encompassing strong academic and lively social experiences. Dr. Buddy Savoie and Dr. Mike O'Brien were extremely excited, welcoming, and invested hosts. Their commitment to the AANA Traveling Fellowship rewarded the Traveling Fellows and Godfather with a rich and balanced experience. We were treated to a vibrant academic program, highlighting their dedicated Tulane Department, and a one-of-a-kind immersive and memorable New Orleans visit. We are so grateful that we could see the city and its people at their best—vibrant, colorful, and very much alive. The end of the traveling fellowship dovetailed nicely with the 2023 AANA Annual Meeting, which was held in New Orleans. It was a nice change of pace, as we did not have to travel again, just move hotels. On Wednesday, the night before the official start of the meeting, we all attended the President's reception and were privileged to spend some time sharing a drink and some hors d'oeuvres with many emerging and established leaders of AANA, including our President, Dr. Jim Stone, and the Program Chair for the meeting, Dr. Brian Waterman. As the meeting was scheduled to start in full the next day, this evening represented the last official day of our tour as 2023 Fellows. To celebrate, the Godfather arranged for us to have one last dedicated dinner, which we enjoyed at a historical NOLA restaurant, The Court of the Two Sisters. The Godfather's lovely wife Ela had just arrived in town from New York City to join him for the meeting, and she honored us with her presence at dinner. It was nice to see Dr. Sgaglione sharing a small part of this great adventure with another one of his family. Seeing him with his loved ones made us all realize how wonderful a father, husband, and just all-around great human being he is and how fortunate the Traveling Fellows were to be able to call him our Godfather. We will all remember how his warm and friendly personality put everyone immediately at ease, which was invaluable as we traveled and met new colleagues. He was always calm and collected even under duress (see aforementioned Grand Canyon airplane tour). For such a busy man with an active clinical practice and the responsibilities of Chairman of a large department, never once during our time traveling did we see him distracted or stressed by his work back at home. He was always present in the moment for all of our undertakings, enjoying the experience and being grateful for the time we shared together. In this way, he was a shining example for the fellows, and we could reflect upon our time with the Godfather and strive to become more like him in our own lives balancing busy work and family schedules. The meeting started in full on Thursday morning, and we all started our day early with educational sessions covering various topics from shoulder to ankle. We each had some separate interests that drove us to different sessions. We reconvened in the afternoon on Thursday for the Award Presentations where we were formally recognized. The Godfather gave a summary of our adventures and then introduced us to the stage for our awards (Fig 19). This was followed by the Welcome Reception later that evening where we got to reunite with a number of our hosts from the various sites who had traveled to New Orleans for the meeting, including Drs. Perez Salazar, Iturbide-Siles, Tokish, Economopoulos, Savoie, and O'Brien. Friday was another busy meeting day for all. In another reunion of sorts, Drs. Hui and Dr. Perez Salazar Marina (host from Mexico City), served as moderators for the session on meniscus preservation and was joined in the same session by our Godfather (Fig 20), who moderated the case panel. The Godfather had another session to rush off to afterwards, as he was speaking on biologic augmentation, while Dr. Hui gave her presentation on ACL and meniscus root repair during the AANA/Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society Forum. Friday evening was the Don Johnson Traveling Fellowship Alumni Reception. It was a great gathering of all the alumni of the Fellowship from years past (Fig 21). Seeing and meeting the many fellows who had gone before us and their Godfathers, we realized what an amazing family of surgeons we had just been welcomed into and felt very honored. Saturday was the final day of the meeting, and the day started with a fun and informative session called "Battle Royal! Debate your Mentor." This session paired off 2 AANA faculty members who were mentor/mentee to debate a controversial topic, and the audience got to vote on who won the "battle." Dr. Gee presented in the afternoon session on the treatment of degenerative meniscus tears in the aging athlete. In what seemed to us like the blink of an eye, the educational part of the AANA meeting had come to a close. With the educational session of the meeting over, we were fast approaching the end of our time together as Fellows. The last event on our agenda before the dreaded end of our incredible trip, was the AANA President's Reception, which was to be held that evening at the National World War II Museum. However, there was a few hours of down time between the end of the meeting and the reception, so we set off into the French Quarter again for one last tour of some of the historic spots that we had not been able to visit yet. We made our way to Jackson Square and Café du Monde, where we drank chicory coffee and had our fill of their world-famous beignets. We explored the specialty shops in the Quarter to find genuine Creole spices and seasoning that Dr. Hui wanted to take back to Canada for some Cajun cooking. Lastly, we visited the Carousel Bar, which was inside the Hotel Monteleone and is famous for having a rotating carousel for a bar (Fig 22). The carousel has 25 seats and rotates once every 15 minutes. Another reason we wanted to visit the Carousel Bar was to try their famous cocktail, the Vieux Carré. This cocktail had been invented there and is made from rye whisky, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and Peychaud's bitters (for those who want to try and mix it at home!). The name Vieux Carré is French for "old square" in reference to the French Quarter. We ordered a round of them and then fortuitously, despite it being a busy Saturday afternoon, we were able to find seats together at this famed rotating bar. It also happened to be Kentucky Derby day, and by chance we were able to watch the famous race on TV while going around the carousel and enjoying our drinks. (The winner was a thoroughbred named Mage.) It was another unforgettable Fellows bonding experience, staying true to the mantra of our trip that "Nothing beats having fun!" We made it back to our hotel just in time to get ready for the President's Reception that evening. A short shuttle bus ride, and we arrived at the World War II Museum. The Museum campus is vast and expansive and filled with exhibits that provide an amazingly comprehensive accounting of World War II. The reception was held in the U.S. Freedom Pavilion, which housed an incredible display of fully restored planes flown during the war. It was a very moving place to have the closing event of this year's AANA meeting. We explored the various exhibits and went up onto a catwalk high in the air to get close-up views of the various planes suspended from the ceiling (Fig 23). We ate and drank and mingled and danced away the evening with all the AANA members still in town (a live DJ was there to keep the party live and the dance-floor full). The President's Reception this year was open to all AANA members that attended the meeting, and it was yet another example of how inclusive and generous AANA is as an organization. Once again, we were honored to be a part of the AANA family and felt tremendous gratitude for the Fellowship experience that AANA afforded us. Alas, the evening came to a close. We made our way back to the hotel and said our final farewells to one another and to our Godfather. We all got a bit choked up with emotion, and it was hard to say goodbye. We had shared a life-changing experience together, and it was sad to have to part ways. Thankfully, our Godfather left us with a comforting sentiment that this was not "goodbye" but rather "until next time" and that this was not the end but just the beginning of our friendship and fellowship. We all knew without saying that our connection as 2023 Traveling Fellows would be a bond we all would cherish for the rest of our lives. Download .pdf (.16 MB) Help with pdf files ICMJE author disclosure forms
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