Participation in the 2026 KSES – TSSES Travelling Fellowship program

I am deeply grateful to the Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society (KSES) for the honor of participating in the 2nd Korean-Turkey Traveling Fellowship. I was selected alongside Dr. Jung-Han Kim from Pusan Baik Hospital, though due to scheduling constraints at his hospital, he joined me later in Izmir.

Turkey is a country where East meets West — a land of breathtaking history, vibrant culture, and extraordinary warmth. From the majestic minarets of Istanbul to the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, every corner of the country left a lasting impression. What surprised me most, however, was not the scenery, but the people — and in particular, the remarkable surgeons who welcomed us so generously throughout our journey.

Our first week was spent in Istanbul, visiting six institutions. At Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Ali Erşen and Alper Şükrü Kendirci — the latter a former KSES traveling fellow to Korea — performed multiple procedures including Latarjet with impressive speed and precision, even under relatively resource-limited conditions. At Koç University, Prof. Mehmet Demirhan, a true Hoca of Turkish shoulder surgery, demonstrated not only his surgical mastery but also his dedication to developing and disseminating innovative solutions for complex fracture cases. Dinner at the Halat Restaurant inside the Rahmi M. Koç Museum was an experience in itself. At Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, we were struck by the sheer scale of the institution and were honored by the gracious reception of its dean, Prof. Nuri Aydın. The remaining three days were spent visiting the Acıbadem group hospitals — private facilities comparable in standard to leading Korean medical centers. A particularly memorable moment was witnessing Prof. Ata Can Atalar's creative use of an allograft femoral head to address humeral bone deficiency in a revision reverse TSA — a testament to innovation under constraint. It was also a great pleasure to reunite with our KSES brothers Arel Gereli and Kerem Bilsel, whose passion for research continues to inspire. Prof. Umut Akgün's genuine dedication to education was equally impressive — and his thoughtful gift of a traditional teapot and çay leaves was a gesture I will not forget. On a free Sunday, we visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapı Palace — a humbling encounter with centuries of history layered within a single city.

From Istanbul, we flew to Izmir, a beautiful coastal city whose relaxed pace and stunning seaside scenery made it a place I would love to return to. At Dokuz Eylül University, Prof. Mustafa Özkan and the motorcycle-enthusiast Dr. Onur Başçı showed us excellent surgical work, and an evening dinner of Tuzda Balık with local shoulder surgeons — including Emre Bilgin, another former KSES fellow — was a highlight of the trip. The following day, Dr. Kim finally arrived from Korea and joined us. After exploring the ancient ruins of Ephesus, we concluded the day at a winery with our hosts, perhaps a little too enthusiastically — boarding our flight to Ankara in a distinctly festive state.

In Ankara, we visited three institutions across several days. At Ankara University, the legendary Prof. Mehmet Demirtaş — now in private practice after retirement — exemplified the lifelong pursuit of surgical excellence. At Gazi University, Prof. Ulunay Kanatlı stood out as perhaps the most prolific researcher we encountered; his residents were astonishing, with each having authored three to four papers and one third-year resident having written fourteen. His annual international symposia and multiple arthroscopy textbooks speak for themselves. At Bilkent City Hospital, the sheer scale of the public institution — large enough to require electric carts for internal transport — was a spectacle in its own right. A visit to the Atatürk Mausoleum offered a moving glimpse into the deep reverence Turkish people hold for the founder of their nation. We then traveled an hour west to Eskişehir, where Prof. Taner Güneş, President of the Turkish Shoulder and Elbow Society, welcomed us. A true surgical Hoca, surgeons from across the country travel to learn from him — and it is easy to see why. His surgical skill was matched only by his commanding presence and generous spirit. After a full day in the OR, we adjourned to his office for whisky, followed by beer, followed by dinner — a thoroughly memorable evening. Our final hospital visit brought us to the small city of Kırşehir, where Prof. Çağdaş Basat delivered what was perhaps the most surprising experience of the fellowship. Watching him perform an arthroscopic pectoralis minor release and an arthroscopic Latarjet procedure with remarkable speed and confidence — in a modest regional setting — was genuinely astonishing.

Before heading to our final destination, the Turkish Shoulder and Elbow Society arranged a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia as a closing gift. Rising before dawn, drifting silently above the otherworldly rock formations at sunrise — it was an experience that words struggle to capture. We then traveled to Adana for the 14th Turkish National Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, where we had the joy of reuniting with nearly every surgeon we had visited over the preceding weeks. The presence of Korean colleagues — including Prof. Sang-Jin Shin and KSES President Prof. Hyun-Seok Song — made the occasion all the more meaningful. Beyond the hospitals, Turkey captivated us at every turn. Football is a national passion — every man supports Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, or Beşiktaş, and match days bring the streets to a standstill. The food culture was endlessly fascinating: the seemingly infinite variety of meze, the dangerously addictive desserts — baklava, lokum, kadayıf — and a world of kebabs far richer and more diverse than anything we had imagined. Turkish coffee and çay became daily rituals I will genuinely miss.

I extend my sincerest gratitude to the KSES for this extraordinary opportunity, and to every member of the Turkish Shoulder and Elbow Society who planned, hosted, and cared for us with such warmth and generosity throughout the three weeks. If I may offer one thought for the future: the openness, curiosity, and energy of the Turkish colleagues we met were truly inspiring. I believe younger, active members of the KSES — with fresh perspectives and an eagerness to learn — would benefit enormously from this fellowship, and would bring even more to the exchange. I sincerely hope this wonderful partnership between our two societies continues to grow for many years to come.

Kyoung-Hwan Koh
Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea