Residency

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Orthopedic Surgery Program encompasses the entire spectrum of clinical orthopedic problems. Since University Hospital is the major trauma center for the state, there is a rich experience in the management of all types of injuries to the musculoskeletal system. A 12-month Trauma Fellowship is ongoing. There is also an active Sports Medicine Clinic staffed by faculty surgeons and residents.

Elective orthopedic surgery cases include:

• reconstructive surgery / primarily total joint replacements
• malignant tumors of the bone and soft tissue -diseases of the spine
• Hand surgery (More than 3,000 patients were referred with hand problems in the last year)
• microvascular surgery
• reimplantation of digits and hands
• congenital
• arthritic
• microsurgery

RESIDENCY ENROLLMENT

There are 30 residents in Orthopedics receiving five years of training in this program. The five-year residency training requirement of the AmerIcan Board of Orthopedic Surgery is fulfilled through five years of post-graduate education.

TRAINING CENTERS

Training in Orthopedic Surgery is provided at University Hospital, the VA Medical Center, Children's Hospital, and Cooper Green Hospital. These hospitals provided an average daily orthopedic census of 90 patients and account for 4,000 operative procedures each year. Outpatient visits relating to orthopedics at these hospitals total over 60,000 including 10,000 Emergency Room visits.

Children's Hospital affords considerable and varied experience in all phases of pediatric orthopedics encountered with 6,000 patient visits and 8,000 operative procedures each year. The State Crippled Children's Service clinics provide 4,000 patient visits in 11 clinics. The Sports Medicine Clinic had 3,800 patient visits this past year.

The Spain Rehabilitation Center is a national center for spinal-injured patients and provides an excellent experience in problems relating to spine rehabilitation and management. There is an active orthopedic surgery service at the Children's Hospital that provides a rewarding experience in problems related to congenital and acquired bone disorders in children.

ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH

An active orthopedic research laboratory is involved with several ongoing research projects primarily concerning various aspects of biomaterials. A microsurgery training laboratory provides a regular rotation for residents and fellows. Residents are encouraged to participate in current projects, or to initiate projects of their own in the laboratory.