Interest in AO VET Fellowships soared last year, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: In 2020, AO VET Fellowship applications totaled 18—more than double the number of applications received in 2019.
The COVID-19 pandemic made it a difficult year in some respects, since many scheduled fellowships had to be postponed to 2021. The AO VET regional boards allowed all 2020 fellows the opportunity to complete their fellowships after the pandemic. Hosting surgeons at AO Fellowship Centers look forward to welcoming AO VET fellows in the second half of 2021, if circumstance will allow.
A high-value benefit for members who have completed AO VET’s principles and advanced courses, the AO VET Fellowship Program makes it possible for fellows to take advantage from experience abroad: The program allocates fellowships at various clinics and institutions around the world and fellows work under the guidance of expert AO VET host surgeons. Fellows receive a weekly stipend of CHF 500. Based on this amount and the respective CHF 5,000 budget per region, the length of the AO funded fellowship is usually between two to four weeks, though extensions can be possible. The total length of the fellowship must be agreed upon by the host surgeon and the fellowship application. Upon completion of the fellowship duration, the fellow receives the AO VET Fellowship certificate for her or his stay.
To streamline the application process and address applicants’ questions about “where to go and who to ask” in order to submit their fellowship applications, AO VET is now working to collect applications from host centers that in the past have welcomed AO VET Fellows or are interested in welcoming them in the future. AO VET invites host surgeons to complete the host application form and return it to oriana.sarman@aovet.org, who will collect the applications and make a list accessible online.
