As the President of the Korean Society of Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Hand & Upper Limb Society, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Hand & Upper Limb Society (APOA HULS 2023) held at the Grand Ballroom, COEX, Seoul from June 30 to July 1, 2023. Your active participation and support were instrumental in making this event a success.
The Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA), Founded in 1962, is a prestigious international organization representing orthopaedic surgeons from 24 member countries and over 65,000 members across the Asia-Pacific region. Among them, the Hand & Upper Limb Society (HULS) was established in 2020 to focus on research and networking related to the hand, elbow, and shoulder.
The APOA HULS 2023, held as the first in-person event since the pandemic, provided a crucial opportunity for over 500 hand and upper limb experts from 19 Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, Japan, Singapore, and China, to gather and emphasize the importance and necessity of 'collective medical intelligence.' It was a valuable opportunity to align our efforts and advance our shared goals.
Looking ahead, our society aims to transcend the role of a traditional expert forum that merely exchanges knowledge and information. We aim to be a leading group of specialists, providing valuable experience, guidance, and insights gained through years of dedicated effort. In addition, we are committed to playing a social role by providing clear treatment information, clinical guidelines, and proper direction in healthcare, even amidst the flood of indiscriminate medical information.
We deeply appreciate your steadfast support and dedication, even amidst challenging times. As we move forward, we hope that 2024 will be a year of even greater progress and success.
Thank you.
Sincerely, In-ho Jeon
President of Korean Society of Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Hand & Upper Limb Society
