Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
3471 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-605-3203
Fax: 412-687-0802
|
|
Residency Program
 |
| Jump To: |
| Residency Program Overview |
Core Curriculum |
| Clinical Rotations |
Divisions |
| Application Process |
| |
| Residency Program Overview |
Back to top |
| |
| |
| At the University of Pittsburgh, the Residency Program in Orthopaedic Surgery offers physicians the clinical and academic experience they will need to meet the challenges of 21st-centry orthopaedics. Through specialized clinical programs, the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of medicine's Department of Orthopaedics Surgery provide the full range of established therapies to a diverse population of patients while concurrently developing new treatments modalities. Since the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is a major referral center for Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, residents are exposed to both a broad range of musculoskeletal diseases and disorders and a number of clinically difficult cases. Currently, Pitt's orthopaedists are developing more effective approaches to joint replacement; better treatments for sports and performing art injuries; and a more complete understanding of bone growth, congenital deformities, and limb-length discrepancies. In a growing basic and clinical research program, department faculty are laying the foundation for new, biologically based approaches to the treatment and prevention of orthopaedic disorders. |
| |
| |
| Core Curriculum |
Back to top |
| |
| |
The core curriculum of the Residency Program in Orthopaedic Surgery consists of a one-year categorical surgery internship and four years in orthopaedic surgery. Eight positions are offered each year through the National Residency Matching Program. After completing the internship, four of the eight residents spend one year in orthopaedic research laboratories, where they participate in publishable, cutting-edge scientific investigation while learning the research process in-depth. The other four residents join the four completing the previous laboratory year and together they enter the clinical orthopaedic surgery curriculum. During this period, residents rotate through the affiliated hospitals, assuming increasing clinical responsibility as training progresses. All residents are expected to produce at least one clinical or basic science research publication during their training.
The curriculum also includes a recurring two-year cycle of core lectures, seminars, and presentation. Basic science lectures cover topics such as physiology, pathology, biomechanics, biomaterials, molecular biology, biochemistry, metabolism, and genetics. An anatomy course with cadaver dissection is held each summer for six weeks. Grand Rounds are held weekly, with at least one session per month featuring a distinguished professor. Weekly clinical lectures relate to subspecialty areas, including foot and ankle, spine, sports, adult reconstruction, hand, shoulder, trauma, oncology, and pediatrics. The chairman holds a special breakfast session with the residents to discus issues related to education, research, patient care, and the changing practice environment.
|
| |
| |
| Clinical Rotations |
Back to top |
| |
| |
During the four year clinical curriculum, residents rotate through all aspects and subspecialties of orthopaedic surgery at various owned and affiliated hospitals of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System.
Most of the first clinical orthopaedic year is spent at UPMC Presbyterian, with three months on the orthopaedic trauma service, and one and one-half months each in the sports medicine and spine services. An additional one and one-half months are spent on the adult reconstructive service at UPMC Shadyside. The remaining four and a half months of the first year are spent on the pediatric orthopaedic service at the internationally recognized Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which is physically attached to UPMC Presbyterian.
During the second and third clinical orthopaedic years, residents rotate back through all of the above services for additional experience. They also spend three months each on the foot/ankle and hand/upper extremity services, one and one-half months on the orthopaedic oncology service, three months at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and four and one-half months at UPMC St. Margaret doing adult reconstructive and general community orthopaedic surgery.
In the final clinical year, three-month rotations are spent on the adult reconstructive service, the orthopaedic trauma service, and the VA Medical Center service. The remaining three months are split between the spine and sports medicine services, with some flexibility for rotation trading among senior residents to meet individual interests and needs.
Residents who spend their second year of training in the laboratory serve as junior faculty in the department during their fourth clinical year, during which they conduct their own orthopaedic services at UPMC Presbyterian and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Students and house staff have access to all patients admitted to orthopaedic services. The house staff assigned to a specific service are responsible for patient evaluation and care; interns and residents work under the direction of the senior resident and attending physicians on each service. Fellows in the department's subspecialty programs - which include research, sports medicine, adult reconstructive surgery, spinal surgery, hand and upper extremities, foot and ankle surgery, and traumatology - participate in resident education. Although the fellows train separately from the residents, the two clinical experiences are well integrated. |
| |
| |
| Divisions |
Back to top |
| |
| |
| The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery contributes to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health System's stature through its eight subspecialty program. In turn, the interdisciplinary environment of the medical enter fosters the development of premier orthopaedic services and first-rate orthopaedic surgeons.
Founded in 1909 as a Division of General Surgery and subsequently named a separate department of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, this surgical specialty flourished initially under the direction of Drs. David Silver, Paul Steele, Albert Ferguson, and James Herndon. In 1998, Freddie H. Fu, MD was appointed chairman and awarded the David Silver Chair in orthopaedics.
Through the years, the department has attained a national and international reputation for teaching and developing recognized leaders in orthopaedics. Many important contributions to advanced understanding of orthopaedic diseases have emanated from the department. The department's research budget has grown steadily, covering diverse but interrelated areas such as arthritis; cartilage metabolism; the bio-mechanics of soft tissue, implants, joint, and bones; gene therapy; robotics and computer-assisted surgery; and spinal deformity.
The department also participates in many of the programs and centers that operate within UPMC, including the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, the Critical Care medicine Training Program, the Regional Hemophilia Program, the State Orthopaedic Clinics through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh NMR Center for Biomedical Research, and the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The department's offices are located at Montefiore University Hospital, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, the Center for Sports Medicine, Shadyside Medical Pavillon.
Today, under the leadership of Dr. Fu, a talented staff of established clinicians and scientist is furthering the department's international standing. The faculty is committed to providing excellence in clinical care, a focused education in various subspecialties, and cooperative participation in innovative research. Part-time faculty take a dynamic interest in teaching and providing clinical guidance in all orthopaedic areas and, in many instance, complement full-time faculty expertise in subspecialty areas. Continued expansion of the basic science faculty and development of a large facility for studying biomechanical and development aspects of musculoskeletal diseases have made this one of the premier programs in the country.
|
| |
| |
| Application Process |
Back to top |
| |
| |
Department of Orthopaedic Residency Program Application Process.
Application Process
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center accepts applications only through the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service). The application deadline is November 2nd of each year. The program does not require any additional support documentation other than the information required by ERAS. A fourth LOR is acceptable. All applications are reviewed and invitations to interview are sent via ERAS email. Interviews are routinely held the first Thursday and Friday of December each year.
|
| |
| Contact Information | Roberta Moenich
Academic Coordinator
412.605.3262
moenichrj@upmc.edu
University of Pittsburgh
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Kaufmann Medical Building, Suite 1011
3471 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 | | |
| Documents |
|
Application Process
|
| |
| |
|
| |
|
|
