President's Message | APOA

    • Message from the President

      APOA President Prof Nicolaas C. Budhiparama

      Dear Colleagues and Friends,

      It is with deep gratitude and a profound sense of responsibility that I step into the role of President of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA). I am honored to lead this remarkable community of orthopaedic professionals, whose dedication and excellence continue to inspire progress across our vast region.

      First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jamal Ashraf for his visionary leadership and tireless commitment to APOA. His steady guidance has positioned us on firm footing, and I am grateful to follow in his footsteps as we enter this next chapter.

      As part of the presidential line, I have had the privilege of engaging in discussions with many of our APOA committee members, section heads, and national presidents, as well as dedicated vice presidents, Prof. Onder Aydingoz and Prof. Kenneth Cheung. These conversations have given me a deeper understanding of the heart of our association—its people—and a clearer view of the opportunities ahead.

      Our association has grown through strong relationships, but we must also recognize that APOA cannot rely solely on personal friendships for its long-term sustainability. The federation model, while foundational to our structure, is beginning to show areas that would benefit from reflection and renewal. We must respond to this with clarity and action.

      I am confident that APOA offers meaningful and tangible value to its members, though we must continue working to articulate and strengthen that value. From fellowships—short-term, long-term, and virtual—to opportunities for presenting scientific work, participating in educational initiatives, and gaining international exposure, the benefits are substantial. Our regional and global networks are a unique asset, and by communicating these offerings more clearly and expanding access to them, we can ensure that every member feels the impact and relevance of being part of APOA.

      To build on this foundation, we have an opportunity to further enrich our educational offerings through initiatives such as socializing and promoting the existing structured curricula for Asia Pacific, blended learning, expanded fellowship programs, and cross-disciplinary engagement. Notably, the development of the APOA Orthopaedics and Traumatology curriculum in 2024 is a step toward greater equality and equity in education and training across our diverse region.

      Education continues to be a shared priority—and one of APOA’s most powerful tools for uniting and uplifting our community. That includes ensuring our members are not left behind in the rapidly advancing world of technology. The future of orthopaedics will be increasingly defined by AI, robotics, and digital innovation, and we must strike a balance between embracing these technologies and ensuring their responsible and ethical implementation.

      One of the most important aspects of our future lies in engaging and empowering the next generation of surgeons. Their energy, ideas, and fresh perspectives are essential to the continued growth of our association. I believe we must actively create space for young surgeons within APOA—not only to learn but to lead. By involving them in committees, offering mentorship, and recognizing their contributions, we can nurture their development and ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for our organization. We’ve already seen the positive impact of their involvement through initiatives like the Newsletter and the Young Surgeon Forum, led with enthusiasm and innovation.

      To further empower our members, I recently established a Scientific Committee, which has been approved by the Council. This committee will work in synergy with the Education and Program Committees to create a unified “Think Tank”—a collaborative hub that welcomes broader participation and elevates APOA’s educational and scientific contributions.

      While our region consistently handles an exceptionally high volume of cases—including some of the most complex in the world—our presence in global research literature remains disproportionately limited. This imbalance must be addressed. The Asia Pacific region has much to offer the global orthopaedic community, and it is time our contributions reflect the depth of our clinical experience and expertise. We must actively promote, support, and scaffold the involvement of our members in research and academic publication. We must not only encourage writing and publishing among our members, but also provide mentorship, platforms, and support for them to do so. By doing this, we can elevate the region to the forefront of orthopaedic innovation, ensuring that Asia Pacific is not only recognized for its surgical capacity, but also for its intellectual and scientific leadership. The presence of top editors from high-impact orthopaedic journals in our events reflects our ambition to bridge this gap and give APOA surgeons the global stage they deserve.

      At the same time, we must acknowledge that many of our members face challenges in writing and presenting their work internationally. However, in today’s world, language should no longer be a barrier. With the advancement of AI tools and the widespread availability of translation software, we are presented with powerful means to overcome this hurdle. APOA will actively embrace these technologies and complement them with editorial support, writing workshops, and multilingual resources. Together, these efforts will significantly expand our members’ global reach and impact.

      We also recognize the need for a long-term vision and planning structure, and for this reason, we will hold an annual Strategic Planning Retreat. This will bring key leaders together to align our goals, sharpen our focus, and maintain the momentum needed for sustainable growth.

      As we strengthen our foundation, we are also expanding key operational areas. The Finance Committee will be reinforced by engaging some of our most experienced and influential members to ensure stability, lobbying, active fundraising, and strategic resource allocation.

      Another area that presents significant opportunity is the continued development of our subspecialty sections. These sections vary in their stage of growth and engagement. Some have matured with a high degree of independence, others are steadily progressing and would benefit from additional APOA support, and emerging groups are still in the early stages and may require a more tailored approach to thrive. We recognize that some sections are still exploring how best to align with APOA’s broader framework, and we are committed to working collaboratively to support their growth, strengthen their visibility, and ensure they feel fully integrated into the APOA family.

      Additionally, it is becoming apparent that not all activities under the APOA umbrella currently reflect the full breadth and diversity of the Asia Pacific region, and that participation can vary between countries. Moving forward, we aim to foster greater inclusivity and ensure broader regional representation in our initiatives. By encouraging more active engagement from all member societies, we can enhance collaboration, share expertise more effectively, and build a stronger, more unified APOA.

      We must not forget the immense potential of interdisciplinary collaboration and multicenter studies, which can enhance our knowledge and skills, elevate our academic influence, and broaden our clinical impact. Partnerships between orthopaedic societies, such as the AO Foundation and APOA, are instrumental in enabling shared research, fostering joint programs, and developing standardized protocols that benefit the region as a whole. We are proud to have entered an MoU with AO, with a shared commitment to support research and professional development across the Asia Pacific region.

      As part of this broader vision, we will also work to improve communication platforms, including a more engaging and useful APOA website, an enhanced Newsletter, and more active use of social media channels. These platforms will not only share updates but serve as educational tools and community hubs, helping members stay informed, connected, and involved.

      The strength of APOA lies in its people—in you, our members—who dedicate their lives to improving orthopaedic care. Together, we will shape the future of orthopaedics in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

      I look forward to working alongside each of you to make this vision a reality.
      THE EXCELLENCE WE ASPIRE TO TODAY WILL DEFINE THE APOA OF TOMORROW.

      Prof. Nicolaas C. Budhiparama, MD, PhD (LUMC,NL), PhD (UGM, ID)
      President of APOA

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