Can you tell us a little more about what Bonebridge Education entails?
The program is set up to provide an exceptional educational experience exclusively focusing on orthopaedic trauma. The guiding theme will be “principles before implants”: We do believe that mastering the principles of fracture fixation is what matters most, and we want to make sure that this outstanding art and knowledge is being preserved.
What makes this program uniquely “Bonebridge” – how does it reflect our mission and values?
The program obviously focuses on simplicity in fracture care, which requires an in-depth understanding of the fundamental principles I mentioned. We are strongly convinced that we can foster this understanding by offering unique teaching and learning opportunities, room for discussion and also, very importantly, room for dissent. Bonebridge Education is built on three pillars: First off, there will be hands-on education focusing on work in the lab. The second pillar consists of a series of podcasts and webinars that center on case and expert discussions, with a few special episodes shedding light on the history of orthopaedic trauma – the time when “simplicity was king,” so to speak. Thirdly, the Orthopaedic Trauma Exchange Program will provide fully funded fellowships for surgeons from Switzerland, the USA, as well as Australia and New Zealand, with the clear goal of building bridges between these countries and facilitating learning across geographies.
Launching an education program isn’t exactly what most people expect from a startup. What gives you the confidence that now is the right time?
I think that we do have a unique setup here at Bonebridge: Although we’re still a very small company, we have been able to establish very close and strong relationships with world-renowned traumatologist across all our markets. I also think that we have been successful at building bridges between these markets. We now have the privilege to use this international network to elevate education. The dedicated focus on conceptional thinking is key, and I genuinely believe that strengthening principle-driven training within our growing community can raise the standard of care in the long term.
Can you tell us a bit about the setup of the program and who is involved in overseeing it?
We have set up a Bonebridge Education Governing Board, which ultimately makes the decisions on when and how we do what. The board is co-chaired by Dr. Philipp Stillhard from Kantonsspital Chur in Switzerland and Professor Mark Morrey from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Not only are they both very respected surgeons, but they are also dedicated medical teachers with a background in education. Furthermore, three other US surgeons as well as one other Swiss and one Australian surgeon are serving on that board. Obviously, we will let you know more about this down the road.
Where does the program stand today and what are the next key milestones we can expect in 2026 and beyond?
After almost a year of brainstorming, planning and organizing, the main elements are in place. We already welcomed our first Bonebridge Orthopaedic Trauma Fellow from the USA here in Switzerland and are currently in the process of setting up the next three fellowships. Furthermore, we are well advanced in the planning of our podcast and webinar series and are working on our first hands-on labs in Switzerland, the USA, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Want to know more? Follow us on LinkedIn for news on the Bonebridge Education program: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bonebridge