The North American Traveling Fellowship (NATF) Tour is one of the AOA’s flagship tours. The NATF promotes significant clinical and scientific exchange and fellowship. The tour is an intense introduction to the diverse ways that leaders address challenges facing orthopaedics today.

The tour runs approximately five weeks in the fall of odd-numbered years and travels to regional orthopaedic centers in the US and Canada, rotating the region to be visited.

Upcoming Tour Information

Applications for the 2021 North American Traveling Fellowship are now closed.

Eligibility & Criteria

Applicant Criteria

2021 NATF Applicants must have completed:

  • Approved orthopaedic training (including residency and fellowships) on or after June 30, 2017.
  • Approved orthopaedic training on or after the June 30, 2016, if they subsequently entered into military service.
  • Must be qualified to practice orthopaedic surgery in the United States; must be a United States citizen OR a Permanent Resident with a full time position at a hospital/institution in the United States.
  • Able to attend the AOA Annual Leadership Meeting the year after their tour (2022 AOA Annual Leadership Meeting in Providence, RI)

All 2021 tour applicants must be able to take the tour in the fall of 2021. Exact dates will be determined. Selected candidates can work with the ABOS to comply with the Boards collection of cases if it conflicts with tour dates.

Hosting

Hosts are encouraged to use their creativity to plan a unique and exciting experience that will allow the visiting fellows to grow in their leadership skills, research, and career goals. Hosts may also take advantage of any unique environments that they may have either academically or historically.

Host Responsibilities

Hosts will be asked to:

  • Identify a key contact person at the host institution for the AOA
  • Coordinate academic, leadership and social programs
  • Send the AOA a finalized, detailed itinerary six weeks prior to the tour
  • Meet the NATF Fellows when they arrive in the local area. If the fellows fly in/out of the region, fellows must be transported to/from the airport to the designated hotel or meeting location
  • Provide housing, meals and ground transportation for the NATF Fellows, as well as covering the costs for these arrangements

Group Host

The Traveling Fellowship Subcommittee also encourages members to “group host,” with several institutions in one area sharing the hosting duties and costs, thus adding to the diversity of the tour.

Become a NATF Host

If you are interested in hosting future NATF Fellows, please contact fellowships@aoassn.org.

NATF Alumni

Fellowships Alumni Directory coming soon!

Follow the Traveling Fellows

Learn more about the NATF tour through the experience of past NATF fellows. Visit the AOA Traveling Fellowships Blog.

Questions?

Please e-mail fellowships@aoassn.org