Serhat Akçaalan and Antoine Piercecchi, this year’s winners of the PCO Tour share their experience and learning during the last stage of their journey, the PCO 2026 ESSKA Pre-Course.
There are many educational courses in orthopaedics, but only a few truly succeed in transforming knowledge into surgical confidence. Following an unforgettable week of learning from some of France’s most respected surgeons during the PCO Tour, the ESSKA Pre-Course provided the perfect conclusion to that journey, transforming observation into confident hands-on practice within an exceptional educational environment.
Hosted at the Institut d’Anatomie et de Simulation Chirurgicale in Toulouse, every aspect of the programme reflected meticulous planning and a genuine passion for surgical education. Rather than separating lectures from practical sessions, each topic flowed seamlessly from concise, evidence-based presentations to immediate cadaveric application, allowing participants to discuss, refine, and perform every technique while the concepts were still fresh in mind.
What made the day particularly memorable was the extraordinary accessibility of the faculty. Despite being internationally recognised leaders in orthopaedic surgery, they remained constantly present in the laboratory, encouraging discussion, answering every question, and generously sharing the technical pearls and practical nuances that can only be gained through years of surgical experience.
Whether exchanging ideas with Prof. Etienne Cavaignac, discussing challenging clinical scenarios with Dr. Matthieu Ollivier, refining surgical techniques alongside Prof. Vincent Marot, or learning from Prof. Brian Devitt, Prof. David Dejour, Prof. Wolf Petersen, Prof. Romain Seil, Dr. Nicolas Bouguennec, and Dr. Jorge Chahla, every interaction became an invaluable opportunity to learn directly from the experts.
The atmosphere throughout the day was equally inspiring. Rather than simply reproducing surgical procedures, participants were encouraged to question indications, compare different strategies, and openly discuss the reasoning behind every decision. This continuous exchange transformed the cadaver laboratory into an environment that closely reflected the collaborative nature of modern orthopaedic practice.
For us, the experience carried an even deeper meaning. Throughout the previous week, we had the privilege of visiting leading orthopaedic centres in Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse, learning directly from many of the surgeons who later stood beside us again in the cadaver laboratory. The ESSKA Pre-Course therefore represented far more than the final event of the PCO Tour—it brought the entire journey full circle. Observations made in the operating theatre evolved into hands-on practice, technical discussions became practical solutions, and mentorship naturally translated into surgical confidence.
The course perfectly embodied the shared educational philosophy of ESSKA and PCO: excellence in surgery is built through curiosity, mentorship, open discussion, and deliberate hands-on practice. It was an inspiring conclusion to an extraordinary educational journey and an experience that will undoubtedly influence our daily clinical practice for years to come.
Reported by Serhat Akçaalan and Antoine Piercecchi.
