81st COA Annual Meeting | 60th CORS Annual Meeting

2026 Program

Chaired by Dr. Nick Smith from Memorial University, the 2026 Annual Meeting program features comprehensive education across all of the orthopaedic subspecialties and showcases the best in research, innovation, and critical issues.

Meet the 2026 Annual Meeting Program Chair

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Nicholas Smith as the Program Chair for the 2026 Annual Meeting in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Dr. Smith is an orthopaedic surgeon at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he serves as the Clinical and Resident Research Director for the orthopaedic program. A graduate of the University of New Brunswick and Memorial’s medical school (Class of 2011), he completed his residency in 2016 before pursuing a Foot and Ankle Fellowship at the University of Toronto. His clinical and research interests include diabetic feet, operating room noise production, and resident evaluation methods. Dr. Smith is thrilled to welcome the Association back to Newfoundland in 2026 and looks forward to an engaging and collaborative meeting.

RI Harris Lecturer – Hon. Dr. Andrew Furey

On Thursday, June 11 at 9:00 a.m., Dr. Furey will be interviewed by COA President Dr. Sukhdeep Dulai.

Honourable Andrew Furey, MD, FRCSC, MSc., MSM., Dip. Org. Leadership
Experienced Executive, Physician, Humanitarian, and former Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador

This Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey is an accomplished executive, physician, humanitarian, and former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. During his tenure, he led several generational initiatives, including negotiations central to the Churchill Falls hydro‑electrical development, securing a $5.2‑billion federal rate‑mitigation agreement and a landmark $227‑billion memorandum of understanding with Quebec.

Guiding the province through the COVID‑19 pandemic, Dr. Furey applied his background in clinical epidemiology to inform evidence‑based decision‑making. He also oversaw pivotal negotiations that safeguarded the future of Newfoundland and Labrador’s oil and gas sector and launched a new clean‑energy industry centered on wind and hydrogen development. Under his leadership, strategic fiscal measures contributed to a significant credit‑rating upgrade for the province.

Dr. Furey has extensive experience in national policy discussions and intergovernmental collaboration, working closely with senior leaders—including Prime Minister Mark Carney—and serving twice as Chair of the Canadian Atlantic Premiers. He is recognized for his progressive, pragmatic approach and his ability to build strong relationships across the political spectrum.

Internationally, he has represented Newfoundland and Labrador on trade missions and played a key diplomatic role in the repatriation of the Unknown Newfoundland Soldier from France. As the founder of Team Broken Earth, Dr. Furey established and scaled a global humanitarian organization that deployed multidisciplinary teams to deliver critical medical aid in disaster and conflict zones. Under his leadership, the organization grew to more than 1,000 volunteers, developed global partnerships, and achieved charitable status and long‑term funding.

A respected orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Furey previously served as Chief of Orthopaedics at Eastern Health and as an Associate Professor at Memorial University. He completed a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the University of Maryland/Johns Hopkins. He is the author of Hope in the Balance (Penguin Random House, 2020) and the recipient of numerous honors, including Memorial University Alumnus of the Year (2012), the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year (2017), an Honorary Doctorate from Canadian University Dubai (2024), and the King’s Coronation Medal (2025).

Subspecialty Guest Speakers

COFAS

Dr. Eric Ferkel (USA)
Dr. Niek van Dijk (The Netherlands)

COAGS

Dr. Rishkard Juin (Haiti)
Dr. Valentyn Rohozynskyj (Ukraine)

CPOS

Dr. Alaric Aroojis (India)

Special Guests

Carousel

Dr. Annunziato (Ned) Amendola (AAOS)
Dr. Stephen Kates (AOA)
Dr. Mark Moroney (AuOA)
Mr. Fergal Monsell (BOA)
Dr. Olufemi Ayeni (COA)
Dr. Odette Koch (SAOA)
Mr. Chris Hoffman (NZOA)

ABC Fellows (2026)

Mr. Alexander Aarvold (BOA)
Mr. Sanjay Gupta (BOA)
Mr. Jeya Palan (BOA)
Prof. Geraint Thomas (BOA)
Dr. Tom Ward (AuOA)
Mr. Ryan Gau (NZOA)
Dr. Jurek Peitrzak (SAOA)

ABC Fellows (2025)

Dr. Bheeshma Ravi (Canada)
Dr. Prism Schneider (Canada)
Dr. John Scolaro (USA)

ABC Fellows (2019)

Dr. Sukhdeep Dulai (Canada)
Dr. Ruby Grewal (Canada)
Dr. Philipp Leucht (USA)
Dr. Michael Lee (USA)
Dr. Derek Kelly (USA)

Anica Bitenc Fellow

Dr. Mihovil Plecko (Croatia)

Submit Your Case for the Bull Session (June 10 – 4:30 pm NT)

Join for us the Bull Session – a dynamic, fast‑paced, and highly interactive learning experience – immediately following the Meeting Kick‑Off Session on Wednesday, in the Plenary Hall at the Delta Hotel.

A Bull Session is a rapid‑fire forum where presenters share challenging cases or innovative ideas, then engage in lively, unscripted Q&A with the audience. This energetic format – long a favourite of our east coast colleagues at the Atlantic Provinces Orthopaedic Society (APOS) – sparks real‑time discussion, collaborative problem‑solving, and memorable learning moments. We’re excited to bring this engaging experience to the Annual Meeting!

Want to present a case?

Submit your case by May 1 using this link and upload corresponding case files here.
For questions or to express your interest, please email education@canorth.org

Help shape an exciting, high‑energy session – submit your case today! We welcome submissions from all members.

Note: Please remove all patient identifiers from the submitted cases. We will be in touch by May 20 to confirm participation.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this conference, participants will be able to:

Review and evaluate the results of clinical advances in the diagnosis and management of common orthopaedic conditions in the areas of traumatology, arthroplasty, foot and ankle, upper extremity, hand and wrist, spine, sports medicine, paediatrics, and oncology.
Describe the importance of diversity in orthopaedics.
Update and expand their understanding of the advances in basic science research in musculoskeletal health and disease, and apply this understanding to current clinical challenges and the improvement of patient outcomes.
Establish strategies that balance both benefit and risk in the care of specific orthopaedic maladies and describe the expected patient outcomes.
Discuss innovative ideas with orthopaedic surgery thought leaders.
Communicate with colleagues from across the country thereby strengthening professional relationships.
Compare and evaluate the latest in orthopaedic equipment and services.
Describe the ways in which orthopaedic care is provided in different countries.

2026 Scientific Planning Committee – Conflict of Interest Disclosures

Aaron Bois: Membership on advisory boards or speakers’ bureaus: Co-Editor for Elsevier (The Shoulder, textbook)
Bernard Burgesson: To be added soon.
Isabelle Catelas: To be added soon.
Gurpreet Dhaliwal: No conflict of interest to report.
Robert Gill: To be added soon.
Eva Gusnowski: To be added soon.
Steve Mann: Membership on advisory boards or speakers’ bureaus: Speakers’ bureau for Stryker
Matthew Menon: Membership on advisory boards or speakers’ bureaus: Speakers’ bureau for Stryker; Direct financial payments including receipt of honoraria: Stryker; education consultant
Christopher Nielsen: No conflict of interest to report.
Laura Sims: To be added soon.
Kevin Smit: To be added soon.
Nicholas Smith: To be added soon.
Mark Sommerfeldt: No conflict of interest to report.
Allison Tucker: No conflict of interest to report.
David Wilson: No conflict of interest to report.