Honorary Harald Tscherne Lecture X

1960 – 1966
Elementary school “Stadsjongensschool” in Roeselare, Belgium

1966 – 1972
High school in Roeselare; latin and natural sciences

1972 – 1975
Medical studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, Department of Kortrijk (KULAK), Kortrijk, Belgium

1975 – 1979
Medical studies at the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven), Leuven. Belgium

June 30^th 1979
Degree of Medical doctor

1979 – 1984
Training in General Surgery at the Surgical Clinic of the University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. J.A. Gruwez)

Feb. 29^th 1984
Qualification of the American ECFMG-examination

1984 – 1986
Postgraduate Training in Traumatology in the Department of Traumatology of the University Hospitals of Essen (Germany) (Director: Prof. Dr. K.P. Schmit-Neuerburg)

July 19^th 1985
Acknowledgement as specialist in Surgery in Belgium

Sept. 10^th 1985
Acknowledgement as specialist in Surgery in Germany

Nov. 26^th 1986
Acknowledgement as specialist in Traumatology in Germany

Nov. 23^rd 1990
Doctor in the medical Sciences with the thesis: “The tibia shaft fracture with severe soft tissue damage”

Oct. 5^th 1995
Acknowledgement as specialist in Emergency Medicine in Belgium

March 2^nd 1998
Acknowledgement as specialist in Physical Therapy in Germany

Nov. 20^th 1999
European Board of Surgery Qualification in Traumatology

Nov. 6^th 2000
Acknowledgement as specialist in Emergency Medicine in Germany

May 24^th 2006
Acknowledgement as specialist in Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery in Germany

May 19^th 2007
Acknowledgement as specialist in Special Trauma Surgery in Germany

1986-1987
Resident at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. H. Delooz)

1987-198
Adjunct-Supervisor at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. H. Delooz)

1989-1990
Supervisor at the Department of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery at the University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. P.L. Broos)

1990-1994
Adjunct Surgeon-in-Chief at the Department of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery at the University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. P.L. Broos)

1995-1996
Surgeon in chief at the Department of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery at the University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven) (Director: Prof. Dr. P.L. Broos)

1989-1992
Lector at the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven)
Practical course anatomy (15 hours/semester)
Practical course first-aid (10 hours/semester)

1992-1996
Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven)
Anatomy (90 hours/year)
Practical course anatomy (15 hours/semester)
First-aid (15 hours/year)
Practical course first-aid (10 hours/semester)
Problems in rehabilitation of trauma patients (10 hours/year)

Starting March 1^st 1996: Ordinary Professor and Director of the Department of Traumatology.

Starting September 1^st 2008: Director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery.

Starting April 1^st. 2013: Director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology.

• Corresponding member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (USA)
• Corresponding member of the Swiss Society for Traumatology and medico-actuarial Science, 2001
• Corresponding member of the Chilean Society for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2003
• Member of honour of AIOD Section the Netherlands, 1997
• Member of honour of the Romanian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 1997
• Member of honour of the Argentinian “Associación del Trauma Ortopédico”, 2000
• Member of honour of “El Capitulo Argentino de la AO Alumni Association”, 2000
• Member of honour of “La Sociedad de Ortopedia y Traumatologia del Uruguay” 2000
• Member of honour (intl.) of “La Asociacion Argentina de Ortopedia y Traumatologia” 2004
• Member of honour of the Slovakian Society for Traumatologic Surgery, 2011
• Member of honour of the Küntscher Society, 2012
• Member of honour of the Serbian Trauma Association (STA), 2015
• Member of honour of the Czech Trauma Society, 2015
• Member of honour of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, 2017
• Member of honour of “La Asociacion Argentina de Ortopedia y Traumatologia” 2019
• Member of honour of AOTrauma Germany for outstanding merits and tireless dedication for AOTrauma Germany, 2021

Awards (continued)

• Fellow of the “International College of Surgeons” (ICS)
• Letter of appreciation of the Ministry of Health of Lithuania, 2003
• Visiting professor of the Orthopaedic Clinic at the University of Patras, Greece, 2003
• Visiting professor of the “Department of Orthopaedic Surgery”, Brooklyn, University of the State of New York, USA, 2004
• Yang Hsueh Chi Visiting Professor University of Hong-Kong, China, 2011
• Honorary doctor of the Faculty of Medicine of the University in Patras, Greece 2005
• Winner of the Jaques Kets Prize 1972 (scientific prize for the youth)
• Winner of the Jaques Duprez Prize 1989 (best publication in Acta chirurgica belgica)
• Winner of the Gerhard Küntscher Prize, 2003
• Winner of the Johann-Friedrich Dieffenbach Büste of the German Society of Trauma Surgery (DGU) for extra-ordinary achievements in Traumatology, October 2014
• Harald Tscherne Teaching Award, November 2016
• Otmar Trentz Lecture at the European Congress of Traumatology and Emergency Surgery (ECTES), Prague, 2018
• Leading AOTrauma Surgeon at the University Medical Center Mainz, 2019

1993-1997
Founding Member and First President of the Belgian Trauma Society

1997-2003
President of the Gerhard Küntscher Society

2003-2006
Treasurer of the European Trauma Society (ETS)

2006-2008
Vice-President of the European Trauma Society (ETS)

2008-2009
President–elect of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ES

2009-2010
President of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES)

2010-2011
Past President of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES), (2010 – 2011)

2011-2017
General Secretary of the European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ESTES)

1992
AO-fellowship for clinical and scientific research in pelvic and acetabular fracture surgery, Los Angeles (Prof. Dr. J. Matta)

2004-2012
AO Trustee

1998-2014
Member of the Pelvic Expert Group (PEEG) of the AO Technical Commission (AOTK)

2007-2010
Member of the AO Foundation Research Fund Commission

2017-2020
Chairperson of the Research Commission of the AOTrauma Europe and South Africa Board (AOTESA)

2020-2024
Chairperson of the AOTrauma Research Commission (AOTRC)

2020-2024
Member of the AOTrauma International Board (AOTIB)

2000-2020
Editor of European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (actual IF: 3.69)

Member of the Advisory Board of

• Acta Chirugica Belgica
• Der Unfallchirurg
• Chirurgische Praxis
• Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma
• Injury
• International Orthopaedics
• Zeitschrift für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie
• Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery
• Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
• BMC- muskuloskeletal disorders
• Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery (Hong Kong)
• Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research

Author and Co-author of more than 600 publications, 375 of which in Journals with Impact Factor (IF) and Citation Index (CI) (see Pubmed: Rommens P)

Google Scholar: Citations: 13890, h-index: 55

Editor of 7 printed books among them:

• Editor of the book “Intramedullary Nailing: A Comprehensive Guide” with Springer London. February 2015.
• Editor of the book: “Fragility Fractures of the Pelvis” with Springer International Publishing AG, February 2018