Fellowships & Awards

ISAKOS invests more than $100,000 in traveling fellowships every two years, and another $100,000 in scholarships and mentorships associated with the biennial ISAKOS Congress, to benefit young orthopaedic surgeons from developing countries around the world—many of whom would not otherwise have this opportunity to travel, learn from global experts, and attend the premier international meeting of our specialty.

Global Traveling Fellowship - The ISAKOS Global Traveling Fellowship fosters the international exchange of knowledge and skills in the field of sports orthopaedic surgery. This fellowship provides the opportunity for young orthopaedic surgeons, ages 45 and under, from five different regions of the world to travel with an ISAKOS Godparent to the region of the next ISAKOS Congress. Selected fellows observe sports orthopaedic surgeries performed by highly respected surgeons, discuss the surgical procedures and all aspects of patient management, and discuss and share research experience.

Knee Arthroplasty Traveling Fellowship - Knee Arthroplasty Fellowships are available every other year to young orthopaedic surgeons ages 45 and under who are interested in the study and advancement of Knee Arthroplasty. The dual purpose of the fellowship is to improve knee arthroplasty in developing nations and to promote better understanding and communication amongst knee surgeons around the world.

Patellofemoral Traveling Fellowship - The Patellofemoral Traveling Fellowship was established in 2005 by the Patellofemoral Foundation and ISAKOS to promote better understanding and communication around the world regarding Patellofemoral pain. The Patellofemoral Traveling Fellowship is available on a competitive basis to up to two orthopaedic surgeons ages 45 and under who are interested in the study and advancement of understanding of the Patellofemoral joint.

Scholarships to Attend ISAKOS Congress – ISAKOS awards more than $50,000 worth of registration scholarships for each ISAKOS Biennial Congress. Two categories are available for applicants, providing registration support for an ISAKOS Congress. We encourage young professionals and individuals from countries with limited resources to apply for one of 100+ scholarships ISAKOS makes available for each ISAKOS Congress.

Young Investigator's Scholarship & Research Mentoring Program - The ISAKOS Young Investigator's Scholarship and Research Mentoring Program serves as a mentorship program for young investigators, with an emphasis on selecting those from countries with limited resources. ISAKOS invests more than $50,000 each term in the Young Investigator’s program, seeking to stimulate research and education in developing countries, foster international collaboration, provide researchers with mentors, and promote academic excellence in arthroscopy, knee surgery and orthopaedic sports medicine.

Free Membership (Student, Resident, Fellow, Retiree)

ISAKOS offers more than $400,000 in free memberships to the society, with select benefits, which are available to those in training (medical students, residents, fellows) and to long-term ISAKOS members who turn 70 years or older, and retire from active practice or employment in the field. This makes the resources, networking, research and education available through ISAKOS readily accessible to those who otherwise could not afford it. Upon the conclusion of an In-Training Membership (up to 5 years), young professionals have the option to upgrade to discounted Associate Membership, making it possible to retain their membership with ISAKOS while launching their new careers.

ISAKOS Awards

ISAKOS invests approximately $50,000 every two years to advance the research of authors who submit abstracts for the biennial ISAKOS Congress. Winning authors of these awards are presented with a framed certificate and cash honoraria at the Congress. Awarded manuscripts also are submitted for possible publication in the open access scientific journal, the Journal of ISAKOS, which increases exposure and access to this research beyond the 3,000+ attendees of the ISAKOS Congress.

Research Grants

The ISAKOS Research Grants program encourages quality research in the topic areas of knee surgery, sports medicine and arthroscopy. Awarded grants, which range from $10,000 to $50,000, provide members with a resource for funding the highest quality international research within these areas. ISAKOS Research Grants totaling $180,000 are offered every two years in the following categories, including a special emphasis on awarding grants to young researchers and those from countries with limited resources:

  • New Researcher - Four possible grants for eligible applications with scientific merit. New Researcher grant qualification: has not received external funding over $15k; no significant history of publication, presentations or research/ experiment participation
  • Translational Research - Four possible grants for eligible applications with scientific merit, designed to foster high quality clinical or translational research in early osteoarthritis and prevention, as well as treatment of osteoarthritis. Could include total knee replacement, osteotomy, meniscal transplant, etc.
  • Clinical Outcomes - One grant for an eligible project with scientific merit, designed to support outcomes research through well-designed clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of interventions in orthopaedic sports medicine
  • Countries with Limited Resources - Two possible grants for eligible applications with scientific merit, awarded to a finalist from a Country with Limited Resources as defined by the World Health Organization

Support Education Around the World

ISAKOS invests more than $75,000 each year to provide access to members and subscribers around the world who turn to ISAKOS for the latest state-of-the-art educational resources to advance their professional knowledge and benefit patient care. From the online Global Link portal to mentorships for female and young professional members, from an up-to-date directory of residency and fellowship programs to listings of ISAKOS Approved Courses and Teaching Centers, ISAKOS is a global leader in making this information readily available to all who need it.

International Meetings & Courses - ISAKOS organizes educational symposia, courses, and workshops to provide high quality education to young professional orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. Courses include hands-on cadaveric programs, virtual courses and in-person meetings led by world-renowned ISAKOS physician leaders. A special focus is given to education in countries with limited resources.

ISAKOS Webinar Series - ISAKOS presents a monthly webinar series with free registration to webinars led by international physician experts, covering an array of topics and content curated by ISAKOS clinical committees. Attendees may make a donation in support of ISAKOS webinars, while corporate partners are invited to learn more about ISAKOS webinar sponsorship.

ISAKOS Podcast Series - ISAKOS presents society and scientific Journal of ISAKOS podcasts hosted by international physician experts, discussing various topics, journal articles, and society news. The podcasts are made available at no cost to young professionals from developing countries around the world. Individuals and companies also may choose to become an ISAKOS podcast supporter.

JISAKOS Excellence in Authorship Program - ISAKOS invests up to $30,000 every two years to support JISAKOS's global initiative for Excellence in Authorship, with a goal to build capacity with researchers in low- to upper-middle-income countries (LMICs) to promote diversity, inclusion, and global perspectives for papers submitted and published with the journal. Launched in 2024, this program provides training and learning opportunities for researchers from developing countries, offering mentorship in areas of writing high-level manuscripts, navigating the peer-review process, and ultimately, publishing their work.

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