Participation in the Taiwan Orthopedic Association 2026

On October 23, 2025, I departed from Incheon and arrived at Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei after a flight of just over two hours. The autumn rain, which fell longer than usual, gave the city a clean and calm atmosphere.

The 88th Annual Meeting of the Taiwan Orthopedic Association (TOA) was held at the Marriott Hotel Taipei, located in the northern part of the city and near the National Palace Museum. The main program took place on October 25–26, with two floors dedicated to pre-congress sessions on October 24.

I attended this meeting at the invitation of Prof. Wei-Ren Su, Chairperson of the Taiwan Shoulder and Elbow Society. This was my first time participating in the TOA Annual Meeting. During the pre-congress session, I delivered a lecture titled “Computer-assisted surgery for shoulder arthroplasty”. The session was followed by an engaging discussion with many meaningful questions. I felt that computer-assisted surgery is not yet widely adopted in Taiwan, but there is substantial interest in the field.

 
That evening, a welcome dinner was held, where I had the pleasure of meeting Prof. Byung-Woo Min and Prof. Seung-Beom Han, the President and Secretary General of the Korean Orthopedic Association.

On Saturday, presentations were held from 9:00 to 17:30 across eight rooms. I was impressed—and admittedly a bit envious—to see that the course book listed 258 posters, reflecting the strong academic dedication and enthusiasm of the TOA community. Prof. Jae-Chul Yoo delivered a lecture titled “SLAP lesion management in professional athletes: return to sports after RTSA,” Prof. Yong-Min Noh presented as part of the Exchange Traveling Fellowship of the Korean Orthopedic Sports Medicine Society and Prof. Seong-Hun Kim presented as Fellowship of the Korean Orthopedic Association.

The gala dinner featured a lively atmosphere, with participants visiting tables by institution to offer toasts. On stage, attendees sang along to Karaoke instrument music, creating an enjoyable and friendly environment. It was evident that the members shared strong collegial connections.

The official program concluded around lunchtime on Sunday.

Given the close geographical distance between Korea and Taiwan, I believe that academic exchange between the two countries will continue to greatly benefit the Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society (KSES). I am also pleased that Prof. Wei-Ren Su has accepted our invitation to KSES 2027, which will provide an excellent opportunity for many KSES members to meet him.

I sincerely thank the Taiwan Shoulder and Elbow Society and the Taiwan Orthopedic Association for their warm invitation and hospitality.

Hyun Seok Song
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital
College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea