From 13–15 August 2026, AMSIG partnered with Radiology Across Borders for a three-day MSK teaching programme in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Dr Matt Andrews, Dr Greg Cowderoy, Dr Paul O’Connell and Dr Rob Henderson delivered a combination of formal lectures, interactive case-based learning and practical ultrasound education across three hospitals, with approximately 100 radiologists, radiology residents and other clinicians attending.
AMSIG was particularly well represented, with all four faculty members being active AMSIG members, and Greg, Paul and Rob supported through AMSIG Educational Grants.
Day 1 — MNUMS and Mongolia-Japan Hospital
The opening day was held at the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS), the main medical school in Mongolia, and consisted of a full day of MSK lectures focused on pathology of the common joints.
A significant success was the use of real-time AI-assisted English–Mongolian translation, which enabled participants to follow the lectures and engage in discussion without a significant language barrier. The technology performed very effectively and allowed the faculty to interact directly with the audience.
The translation appeared as an overlaid box on the presentation slides, which is worth noting for any future programs using a similar system, as speakers would need to leave sufficient clear space on their slides.
The day concluded with a visit to the adjacent Mongolia-Japan Hospital, where the faculty were welcomed by Dr Tuvshinjargal Dashjamts, Head of Radiology. The visit provided an opportunity to tour the department, meet local radiologists and gain further insight into the local clinical and educational environment.
Day 2 — General Hospital for State Special Servants
Day 2 was hosted at the General Hospital for State Special Servants and placed greater emphasis on practical education.
In addition to lectures, the program included hands-on musculoskeletal ultrasound sessions. Participants rotated through four stations covering the shoulder, wrist, hip, knee and ankle. The speakers demonstrated scanning techniques, discussed relevant pathology and covered ultrasound-guided injection techniques.
The practical sessions generated considerable interaction, with extensive questions and discussion. The opportunity to scan real patients also provided exposure to interesting pathology and allowed the teaching to be adapted to cases encountered locally.
The day concluded with a dinner hosted by the local organising committee, providing an opportunity for further informal engagement with local radiologists and organisers. RAB and AMSIG are particularly grateful to Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lalla and Setunari Group for their hospitality and logistical support.
Day 3 — Intermed Hospital
The final day was hosted at Intermed Hospital, a relatively new private facility. The faculty were welcomed by Dr Undrakh-Erdene Erdenebold, Chief Medical Officer and neuroradiologist, who also provided a tour of the hospital.
The highlight of the final day was a panel-based case discussion session. Greg Cowderoy, Rob Henderson and Matt Andrews each presented a series of interesting and challenging cases. Rather than simply providing the diagnosis, each case was approached independently by the panel, with the faculty discussing their individual diagnostic reasoning and approach to reaching a final diagnosis.
This was particularly valuable as it provided an opportunity for participants to learn not only from the faculty but also from the different approaches and perspectives of experienced MSK radiologists.
A worthwhile journey
The Ulaanbaatar MSK Lecture Series was a highly successful collaboration between RAB, AMSIG and the Mongolian radiology community.
The program went beyond a traditional lecture-based course, incorporating formal lectures, practical ultrasound teaching, interactive case discussion and hospital visits. The strong participation and engagement from the local radiology community were particularly encouraging, with approximately 100 attendees across the three days.
The use of AI-assisted real-time translation was also a notable success; whilst most of the participants spoke good English, this allowed more complete understanding by all, and providing a potentially useful model for RAB educational programs in other non-English-speaking environments.
From an AMSIG perspective, the visit demonstrated the value of combining AMSIG’s specialist MSK expertise with RAB’s established international education and capacity-building framework. The AMSIG Educational Grants enabled Greg, Paul and Rob to participate, substantially strengthening the faculty and allowing the program to incorporate practical and panel-based teaching that would not have been possible with a smaller faculty.
The program also strengthened relationships with the Mongolian radiology community and provided an opportunity for Australian and New Zealand MSK radiologists to contribute directly to international radiology education.
I would like to thank the AMSIG Executive and members for supporting this initiative, and particularly for the Educational Grants that enabled Greg, Paul and Rob to participate. Their involvement was a major contributor to the success of the program.
Matt Andrews
August 2026
