The Anica Bitenc Fellowship
Learning from colleagues abroad

Debbie Gates
Communications & Education Manager
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation

Every year, a young orthopaedic surgeon from Slovenia, Croatia or Serbia is sponsored by the Anica Bitenc Fellowship and the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation for a two-week fellowship.

Last year, Dr. Aleksandar Lesic, from Serbia and Montenegro, visited various orthopaedic centres across Canada, what Dr. Lesic called "the opportunity of a lifetime." As he observes, "Updates in the field of medicine, especially surgery, cannot be achieved only through books and journals, but require direct contact with colleagues and their work in other countries. It was extremely important for me to get a chance to see different kinds of treatment and orthopaedic techniques." Dr. Lesic's two-week tour of Canadian hospitals - St. Michael's in Toronto, Ottawa General and the Department of Orthopaedics at UBC - "not only provided me with insight into techniques and treatments used in Canada. I gained much more than I expected due to the kindness of my hosts, Dr. James Waddell, Dr. Geoffrey Dervin and Dr. Peter O'Brien, as I was also able to experience the culture and lifestyle of Canada."

Now retired, Dr. Igor Bitenc was born in Slovenia and came to Canada in 1953. The following year, he began his residency at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital and then elected to stay in Quebec to practice as an orthopaedic surgeon. It was in 1982 when he offered to sponsor an annual Travelling Fellowship for a young orthopaedic surgeon from Yugoslavia. "When I started the Travelling Fellowship," he recalls, "it was difficult for Fellows from Yugoslavia to travel and thus learn from colleagues in other countries. While that has changed in recent years, I believe it is still important to support and give surgeons in Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia an opportunity to learn from colleagues abroad."

After working out the administrative details for the Fellowship, the first Fellow, Dr. Ranko Bilic from Yugoslavia, completed his Canadian itinerary in 1985. Since then, 13 Fellows from Slovenia, Croatia or Serbia have participated in the programme. The Fellowship, named in memory of Dr. Bitenc's late mother, Mrs. Anica Bitenc, is funded by an annual endowment from Dr. Bitenc and managed by the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation. While the endowment excludes an honorarium, all travel, accommodations and meals are covered for the tour.

Dr. Bitenc has ensured the Fellowship will continue for many years to come by stipulating in his will an endowment of $300,000. "On behalf of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation I'd like to thank Dr. Bitenc for his generosity," says Dr. Paul Wright, Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors. "This is the single largest future gift known to the Foundation, and we're delighted to be a part of ensuring the continuation of such an important programme."

A Typical Itinerary
Every year, the orthopaedic association in one of the three Balkan countries selects a Fellow and informs the Canadian Orthopaedic Association of their choice. The Fellow learns of his/her selection about a year in advance. Along with the Exchange Fellowships Committee Chairman, the COA then builds an itinerary.

Typically, during their tours from late May to mid-June, visiting Fellows go to various orthopaedic centres across Canada and are invited to attend the COA Annual Meeting.

Sample based on Dr. Lesic's itinerary in 2006:

May 31 Arrive Toronto
June 1-4 Attend COA Annual Meeting, Toronto
June 5-7 Dr. James Waddell, St. Michael's Hospital
June 8 Travel to Ottawa
June 9-12 Dr. Geoffrey Dervin, Ottawa General Hospital
Attended Fifth Symposium of Joint Preserving and Minimally
Invasive Surgery of the Hip
June 13 Travel to Vancouver
June 14-17 Dr. Peter O'Brien, University of British Columbia, Dept.
of Orthopaedics
June 18 Travel day - return home

Anica Bitenc Fellows 1985-2006

1985 Dr. Ranko Bilic
1986 Dr. Goran Ercegan
1987 no fellows from Yugoslavia, Dr. Anquist and Dr. Shariff were not from Yugoslavia, and they are probably mistakenly included in this list.
1988 no fellows from Yugoslavia
1989 Dr. Rastko Stok and Dr. Zoran Blagojevic
1990 Dr. Miroslav Lazarov
1991 Dr. Davor Popovic
1992 indefinitely post-poned
.........
1997 Dr. Domagoj Delimar, Croatia
1998 Dr. Drago Dolinar, Slovenia
1999 Dr. Nenad Vladimir Atanasov, Macedonia
2000 Dr. Robert Kolundzic, Croatia
2001 Dr. Robert Kosak, Slovenia
2002 Dr. Hrvoje Klobucar, Croatia
2003 Dr. Dragan Savic, Serbia & Montenegro
2004 no fellows
2005 Dr. Borut Pompe, Slovenia and Dr. Goran Bicanic, Croatia
2006 Dr. Aleksandar Lesic, Serbia