Foundation with an international foundation board

The establishment of the AFOR foundation took place 1987 as Association for Orthopaedic Research with deed of foundation from February 24th 1988 in Solothurn. Initially Osteo AG acted as sole sponsor for the AFOR foundation. Only acknowledged orthopaedists and trauma tutors had been appointed to be part of the foundation board.

After OSTEO AG had been taken over by Stryker the AFOR foundation was reorganised. On the basis of the then valid company policy of Stryker, the AFOR foundation had been reduced to individual, German speaking courses once a year. However, after the acquisition of Howmedica by Stryker sponsors showed more interest in the concept of the AFOR foundation, especially in central Europe in terms of interdisciplinary orthopaedic and trauma training activities.

The original principle of having courses with a focus on orthopaedic and trauma surgery had been preserved. After the retirement of H. Mittelmeier courses were arranged predominantly by Prof. Dr. L. Zichner and later by Prof. Dr. H. Stürz as well as trauma surgical by Prof. Dr. V. Bühren.

From 2006 on workshops were set up more attractively and close fitting. Consequently longer discussions slots had been arranged. By introducing the TED assessment through seminar attendees AFOR courses became even more attractive. Meanwhile international 3-day courses had been introduced (f. ex. Vienna, Varese since 2006).

In light of the new, international compliance rules, the AFOR foundation had been reorganised to a state of complete self-dependence. In 2009 a new president (Prof. Dr. W. Mittelmeier) as well as managing director (Dr. W. Einars) had been elected according to new statues.

Over time more sponsors had been involved and strengthened the position of the foundation with the extension of the course programme.

Thereby preserving the idea of an interdisciplinary orientation of courses on orthopaedics and traumatology.

  

AFOR Courses

Initially AFOR courses had been organised successfully in German as well as in English language lasting usually one week. Detailed presentations, practical exchange of experience and extensive time slots for discussions were characteristic for AFOR courses from the beginning.

  

Sponsoring Science in Orthopaedics and Traumatology

The AFOR prize had been introduced to fund scientific activities. Initially it was highly endowed with 20.000 SFr and awarded once a year for comprehensive outstanding scientific works in the field of orthopaedics and trauma surgery.

The training programme has been complemented through several travel grants and up to five research grants a year, which serve as a funding for seminal clinical research. The assessment of all sponsoring and prize applications is carried out by a scientific expert board which is managed by Prof. Dr. V. Véscei since 2009.

Previous AFOR prize recipients were amongst others:

www.afor.org/en/scientific-sponsorship/scientific-prize/prize-recipients/

Members of the AFOR board since 1987 were the following orthopaedists or trauma surgeons:

Founding members:

•  Prof. Dr. Heinz Mittelmeier*, Homburg-Saar/ BRD

•  Prof. Dr. Emile Letournel*, France

•  Prof. Dr. Michele Merle*, France

•  Dr. Joel Motta*, MD., California, USA

•  Dr. Suang Man Rowe*, MD., South Korea

•  Prof. Dr. Adam Schreiber*, Zurich/ Switzerland

•  Prof. Dr. Ludwig Zichner*, Frankfurt/ BRD

•  Beat E. Leu*/ Switzerland/ OSTEO AG

•  Jean-Pierre Boucher */ Switzerland/ President

Subsequent members of the AFOR Board:

•  Prof. Dr. Volker Bühren, Murnau

•  PD. Dr. Ute Maronna*, Frankfurt

•  Prof. Dr. Henning Stürz*/ Gießen

•  Pat Beyer**

•  Mike Mogul**

•  Prof. Dr. Rainer Kotz*, Vienna

•  Prof. Dr. Vilmos Vécsei, Vienna

•  David Halliday**

•  Prof. Dr. Wolfram Mittelmeier, Rostock

•  Prof. Dr. Ingo Marzi, Frankfurt a. M.

•  Prof. Dr. Dr. Gunther O. Hofmann, Jena

•  Prof. Dr. Martin Krismer*, Innsbruck

•  Prof. Dr. Henning Windhagen, Hannover

•  Prof. Dr. Reinhard Windhager, Graz/ later Vienna

•  Prof. Dr. Claudio Dora, Zurich

•  Prof. Dr. Andreas Imhoff, Munich

•  Dr. Wolf Einars**

 

Every board member who is marked with (*) resigned from the board after their active work history according to the statutory. Each member who is marked with (**) resigned through a change of the sponsoring company or through restructuring of the AFOR board.