Because only one fellow is appointed annually, you are involved in a wide array of cases and in all aspects of patient care from the initial evaluation appointment to postoperative care. During the Adult Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, you gain the skills and experience necessary to evaluate and treat complex problems of the hip and knee.

You are involved one-on-one with the consultant, as well as the physician assistant, to provide care for patients. Service work is kept to a minimum, and the emphasis is strongly on education and clinical experience. As part of training, you perform preoperative consultations, actively participate in surgical procedures, and manage postoperative patients.

You learn the intricate anatomy and biomechanics of the hip and knee and gain the skills necessary to independently evaluate and treat:

• Complex primary hip and knee replacements
• Revision of failed hip and knee replacements
• Osteotomies of both the hip and knee
• Reconstruction following oncologic resection

For all patients, you:

• Perform an accurate history and physical examination in both routine and complex surgical reconstructive patients
• Present patient information to consultants
• Document all pertinent clinical information in the form of dictated clinical notes
• Rapidly assume surgical responsibilities
• Communicate with other specialists in other areas, including infectious diseases, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, physical therapy, and occupational therapy

Throughout training, you become more aware of the social and economic issues that affect the chronically ill orthopedic patient.

Rotations

You will rotate with each of the hip and knee orthopedic specialists.

Research training

You are encouraged to participate in ongoing or new research projects with the consulting staff. Opportunities are available for clinical projects, or laboratory and biomechanical-based projects.

You are expected to participate in the development of at least one manuscript suitable for presentation or publication in either a textbook or peer-reviewed journal.

Didactic training

Clinical conferences, seminars, small discussion groups, journal club, and one-on-one instruction are all an integral part of the Adult Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship.

You are expected to read extensively throughout the fellowship year, including pertinent articles in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and The Journal of Arthroplasty, as well as current texts and other pertinent periodicals. For the monthly journal club, you are responsible for organizing and distributing the article chosen.

In addition, orthopedic surgery Grand Rounds are held once monthly. For these, you are expected to prepare and present research interests, clinical or surgical techniques, or other relevant topics to residents, fellows, and consultants.

Teaching opportunities

Opportunities are available for you to teach rotating residents and medical students.

Evaluation

To ensure you acquire adequate knowledge and develop the appropriate technical skills to meet program expectations, your performance is monitored carefully during the Adult Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship. You are formally evaluated by your supervising faculty members after each rotation and meet with the program director to review these evaluations.

In addition, you regularly evaluate the faculty to confirm your educational needs are being met.