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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Orthopaedic Surgery

Curriculum

The residency training program offers two tracks of training: a five-year clinical track and a six-year research track. Each track is a separate match process and rank list. Applicants may apply to one or both tracks.

Clinical Track

The PGY 1 year includes rotations through a variety of surgical subspecialties and other related rotations as required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to prepare residents for specialty education in orthopaedic surgery.

Upon successful completion of the PGY 1 year, residents then enter and progress through four years of comprehensive orthopaedic training in full compliance with the requirements outlined by the ACGME for residency education in orthopaedic surgery.

Service rotations during the five years of clinical training are located at medical facilities in Indianapolis, including the Level I Trauma Centers at IU Health Methodist Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children, and the emergency departments at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and Eskenazi Health.

First-year residents complete six months of non-orthopaedic rotations that include general surgery trauma and surgical intensive care, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, musculoskeletal radiology and one month of surgical skills training; six months of orthopaedic rotations that include orthopaedic trauma; pediatric orthopaedics, sports medicine, oncology and orthopaedic night float.

Second-year residents increase their orthopaedic responsibilities to include rotations in adult reconstruction, pediatric orthopaedics, trauma, foot and ankle, spine as well as a rotation at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. The PGY2 resident begins taking in-house orthopaedic calls with the support of a more senior resident, a chief resident and department faculty. Primary responsibilities of residents in the second year of training include covering the Level I Trauma Center at Riley Hospital for Children, and the emergency departments at IU Health and the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. During their PGY2 year, residents also attend a comprehensive fracture course.

The third year of this residency program consists of a split between junior and senior responsibilities. Rotations include spine, trauma (Eskenazi Health and IU Health Methodist Hospital, hand and sports orthopaedics as well as a dedicated research block. Call is split between junior- and- senior-level call. Senior-level call responsibilities include advising junior residents and covering the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center at Eskenazi Health. During their PGY 3 year, residents attend a sports course.

Fourth-year residents are considered to be at the senior level. Rotations include general orthopaedics rotations, adult reconstruction, pediatric orthopaedics, oncology and trauma. Call is split between senior in-house call and home call.

Fifth-year residents, or chief residents, participate in a home-call rotation with duties to assist the in-house junior residents. Chief residents also have increasing administrative duties to assist the in-house junior residents. Chief residents also have increasing administrative duties and act as liaisons to the residency program director. The PGY 5 curriculum includes trauma, upper extremity, pediatric orthopedics, a rotation at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and an elective of their choice. During their PGY 5 year, residents are given the choice of attending the Academy’s annual meeting or a board review course.

Operative Experience

Residents are exposed to every orthopaedic subspecialty during their training.

They operate at various locations, including: the busiest Level 1 adult and children’s hospitals in the nation, a Level 1 county hospital, a VA hospital and multiple private practice locations.

With great opportunity for early and frequent autonomy, a variety of case complexity and different practice types, IU School of Medicine equips residents with the knowledge and skill needed to succeed.

Research Track

The research track resident will follow the same training as the five-year clinical track, but will spend one year after the PGY 2 year conducting research within the lab. The research track resident will resume as a PGY 3 clinical trainee after the research year.

During their research year, residents on the six-year track will conduct a major basic/translational musculoskeletal research project. The resident can select a mentor for the project from the list of faculty below. The project should be designed, with help from the mentor and the departmental Resident Research Committee, so that it likely can be completed and publishable within the 12 months. Residents on the six-year track are encouraged to consult with their research mentor to identify both an appropriate clinical mentor and clinical research project(s) that can also be conducted during the research year.

Faculty

Applicants applying to the six-year research track program can find information on the postdoctoral fellow position that takes place between PGY2 and PGY3 years below:

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