Dr. Rynecki Baker Receives the ISHA NextGen Bursary Award

Posted on: October 21st, 2026 by Our Team

Dr. Nicole Rynecki Baker was selected as a 2026 recipient of the NextGen Bursary Award from ISHA – The Hip Preservation Society, the leading international organization dedicated to hip arthroscopy and hip preservation. The award brought Dr. Rynecki Baker to the Vail Hip Summit to learn alongside national and international leaders in hip preservation.

Learning from the Best in the Field

The Vail Hip Summit brings together thought leaders in hip preservation from around the world. Its program covers both open and arthroscopic surgery and the full spectrum of care, from deciding who needs surgery and refining surgical technique to postoperative rehabilitation.

“The programme brought together thought leaders in hip preservation across both open and arthroscopic approaches,” Dr. Rynecki Baker wrote in ISHA News. “Cutting-edge research was woven throughout, making it one of the most comprehensive and clinically relevant meetings I have attended.”

Hands-On Training in the Cadaver Lab

A central part of the summit was small-group cadaver laboratory training, where surgeons practice techniques on anatomical specimens under the guidance of experts. This kind of hands-on, intimate setting is rarely available at larger meetings, and it is one of the most effective ways for surgeons to refine their skills.

For Dr. Rynecki Baker, cadaver-based learning is not a one-time event. She continues to pursue this training to sharpen her technique and bring the latest approaches in hip arthroscopy and hip preservation to her patients.

Building a Network of Mentors

Dr. Rynecki Baker attended the summit looking to collaborate with colleagues on treating hip problems before they lead to arthritis. The connections she formed with established leaders in the field have since become a mentorship network that continues to shape her practice.

“I am deeply grateful to ISHA for the NextGen Bursary Award, which made this experience possible,” she wrote.

What It Means for Her Patients

Hip preservation is a rapidly evolving field, and the surgeons who stay closest to its leaders and its newest techniques are best positioned to help patients keep their natural hips. Dr. Rynecki Baker’s commitment to traveling to learn from national and international experts, and to continued hands-on training, means her patients benefit from that knowledge directly.