Dear colleagues,

2019 was a year full of great challenges, changes in the education plan, and adaptation of courses according to the needs of the region. Young surgeons and a large number of experienced surgeons expect to increase the amount of practical training at our events. For this reason, the success of cadaveric courses, practice with simulation models, and live surgeries have a more and more prominent role model over traditional theoretical courses.

This, in turn, entails complex logistics for each of these events and the commitment of our Faculty group, local chapters, and office to ensure each of these courses has the success expected from AO Spine events. Moreover, the growth of online activities, which facilitates the access to members from all the countries in our region, is also in transformation. We are building a curriculum that will enable the sequencing of these activities, which aims to provide a progressive learning procession in the various areas of spinal pathologies.

Our presence at the transcongress seminars of the various societies of the spine, neurosurgery and orthopedics in the region makes a difference with the unique hallmark of the AO teaching model, and we expect to continue to have proximity with these activities. Hospital based seminars have increased exponentially, and this has allowed for our presence in regions of Latin America where holding a seminar is not easy, as well as to reinforce the knowledge in those regions where there is a tradition of AO Spine courses. We have been pioneers in simulation models in our region and are, therefore, at the forefront of cutting-edge teaching worldwide.

We continue to grow in research, and at the end of this year we created the study groups. Through this, we intend to promote the culture of research and publications in our region, which is still a major challenge, even though we are convinced that we will carry the region forward in this regard.

Finally, I would like to inform you that, in 2020, we will be launching a new curriculum regarding cadaveric courses and online education, hoping that our members will take notice of this change, and that it will be very useful for their educational aspirations.