About the congress

Research and academia, education and advanced training, society and policy are the three pillars of the DKOU.

At the 4-day congress, around 250 meetings witness around 1,800 lectures. In addition to this, over 200 scientific posters are presented. Interested participants can take part in courses, seminars, abstract presentation and expert panels. Furthermore, interdisciplinary events are held where representatives from care professions, rescue services, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology can meet and exchange ideas.

Doctors can earn credit points in continuing education [Fortbildungspunkte] as part of their Continuing Medical Education (CME). Selected lectures will be broadcast live on the internet. All DKOU-abstracts are published to the web portal, “Opens external link in new window” German Medical Science (GMS).

The events of the DKOU are rounded off with evening events and a varied program of cultural events.
 

Day of Sections and Working Groups
On “Specialty Day” the sections, working groups and study groups of the 3 hosting societies present and discuss their activities.

Students' Day
The Student's Day is designed to get future generations of medical doctors interested in orthopaedics and trauma surgery and to show how worthwhile the field can be. The day is organised by the Young Forum of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU), which is actively involved in promoting young talent throughout the congress. Furthermore, the Young Forum annually awards travel grants.

Patients' Day
The Patients' Day is organised in cooperation with the Deutschen Rheuma-Liga Bundesverband. It deals with different topics of importance to rheumatism sufferers.

Satellite Programme
The Satellite Programme of the DKOU offers information of companies and professional societies.

Trade Exhibition
On approximately 6,000 square meter, around 250 companies present the latest developments in the field of medical technology, orthopaedic technology, pharmaceutics and medical services.

The first „Joint Congress Orthopedics – Traumatology” of the professional societies German Society of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery (DGOOC), German Society for Trauma Surgery (DGU) and the Professional Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (BVOU) took place in 2005. One year later the joint annual meeting was renamed in DKOU.

The DKOU is organised by Intercongress.

The aim of the Berlin Declaration is to intensify the exchange between the professional societies.

During the DKOU 2013 the Berlin Declaration was first signed by the representatives of the Chinese professional societies and the German hosts of the congress.

2015 the agreement with the Turkish Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (TOTBID) followed.