Training. Treating. Transforming.AAOM's 2026 IROM Brigade Makes an Impact in Puerto Vallarta
The 2026 AAOM Interventional Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine (IROM) Training and Mission Brigade in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, was an extraordinary demonstration of what can happen when education, service, and a shared commitment to patient care come together.
Over just 3.5 days of patient care, the Brigade treated 657 patients and provided 758 Interventional Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine (IROM) treatments — an achievement made possible by an exceptional team of physicians, instructors, participants, volunteers, and local partners.
But the numbers tell only part of the story.
At the heart of the IROM Brigade is a dual mission: to provide physicians with an immersive, hands-on educational experience while delivering much-needed musculoskeletal care to patients in the local community.
For participating physicians, Puerto Vallarta became a living classroom. Working alongside experienced AAOM instructors, participants evaluated and diagnosed patients and gained extensive hands-on experience with IROM treatment techniques. The high-volume clinical environment offered something difficult to replicate in a traditional course: the opportunity to move from assessment and clinical decision-making to treatment while working with real patients under the direct guidance of experienced faculty.
The Brigade is designed around close interaction between learners and instructors, providing participants with significant opportunities for supervised, hands-on treatment and individualized instruction. The pace was demanding, but the experience demonstrated the remarkable impact that can be achieved when medical education and service are brought together around a common purpose.
More Than a Training Course
The IROM Brigade embodies AAOM’s mission to Train. Treat. Transform.™
We train physicians through immersive, hands-on education.
We treat patients who can benefit from access to IROM care.
And through both, we have an opportunity to transform practices, physicians, communities, and lives.
The success of the 2026 Puerto Vallarta Brigade belongs to everyone who contributed—the instructors who shared their knowledge and experience, the physicians who traveled to learn and serve, the local medical professionals and volunteers who kept the clinic moving, our partner in Mexico CUMDA, the partners who supported the mission, and the patients who placed their trust in the team.
