About the Program

The goal of this program is to provide the necessary training and education to osteopathic and allopathic physicians who desire to prepare themselves for the practice of Orthopedic Surgery.  The program will provide the basic requirements towards eventual certification in Orthopedic Surgery by the American Osteopathic Association through the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery (http://www.aobos.org/) and the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (https://www.abos.org/) .  

The program is set up on a sixty (60) month basis. It is intended that the resident via summative, milestone driven, competency-based evaluation will demonstrate the knowledge, the skills, and behaviors necessary to enter autonomous practice of Orthopedic Surgery at the end of the residency training.

First Year

Suggested texts:

• Rockwood and Green’s Fractures in Adults and Children
• Surgical Exposures in Orthopedics; Stanley Hoppenfeld

Required courses:

• BCLS
• ACLS
• ATLS
• Attendance University of Michigan Pathology Day (November)
• MSU Research Modules titled “Research Training Course for Residents”

Second Year

Suggested texts:

• Campbell’s Operative Orthopedics
• Lovell & Winter’s Pediatric Orthopedics

Required Course:

• National recognized Basic Fracture course
• University of Michigan November  pathology course

Clinical experience will emphasize principles of emergency patient evaluation and stabilization of the acute trauma patient; principles and application of closed reduction of fractures with external (casting) immobilization; and principles and application of traction systems.  Additionally, education in techniques, indications, and interpretation of diagnostic imaging will be performed encompassing ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT, MRI, and x-rays.

They will acquire basic surgical information regarding:

• Wound Healing
• Bleeding and clotting
• Shock
• Surgical anatomy
• Surgical metabolism, nutrition, and endocrinology
• Specific problems in trauma (i.e., head, chest, etc.)
• Infection and antibiotics
• Anesthesia and respiratory care
• Surgical pathology
• Burns
• Grafting and transplantation
• Common surgical complications
• Clinical pharmacology
• Pre and postoperative care

They will attend a one week intensive Orthopedic Anatomy course with cadaver dissection at MSU COM emphasizing surgical approaches for common orthopedic procedures.  Surgical anatomy will be further enhanced by supervision of first year resident in house cadaver dissections, as well as, performing surgical approaches on the cadaver. 

Surgical skills will focus on basic suturing, tissue handling and competency as a surgical assistant. They will regularly complete assigned topic review and questions via Orthobullets PASS curriculum including 100% completion of periodic cumulative tests.

Active participation in scholarly activity will be required as outlined in the Scholarly Activity section of this Handbook.  The progression of competency in scholarly activity will be monitored by quarterly meetings with the program director and entry of data points in the AGH Research Tracking by Resident spreadsheet.

Third Year

Suggested texts:

• Green’s Operative Hand Surgery
• A major text in shoulder surgery, i.e., Rockwood or Innonotti or equivalent

Required Course:

• AOAO National spring or fall meeting
• UM Pathology day if they have not yet attended at least twice

Resident will be allowed increasing responsibility and independence for emergency and clinic patient care and performance of surgical procedures with appropriate supervision (as defined in  “Levels of Supervision”, ACGME Orthopedic CPR, VI.A.2.c).  The level of independence will be based on milestone driven level of competence.  This will be documented through submission of appropriate Orthobullets patient care milestones (MSE requests) to mentoring more senior residents and/or supervising physicians, as well as, faculty documentation in New Innovations at completion of rotations.

Orthopedic knowledge will continue to progress through SCS educational days, participating in and leading didactic conferences, and mentoring junior residents, as well students and resident rotators.  They will regularly complete assigned topic review and questions via Orthobullets PASS curriculum including 100% completion of periodic cumulative tests.

Active participation in scholarly activity will be required as outlined in the Scholarly Activity section of this Handbook.  The progression of competency in scholarly activity will be monitored by quarterly meetings with the program director and entry of data points in the AGH Research Tracking by Resident spreadsheet.  

Fourth Year

Required Course:

• AAOS Annual National meeting in 4th or 5th year

Fifth Year

Required Course:

• AAOS Annual National meeting in 4th or 5th year

Resident will be allowed increasing responsibility for emergency and clinic patient care.  They will be allowed increasing independence in the performance of minor and major surgical procedures with appropriate supervision based a combination of:

• milestone driven level of competence as documented through submission of appropriate Orthobullets MSEs to supervising physician
• faculty evaluations of performance
• end of rotation evaluations in New Innovations
• confirmation of exposure to a diverse spectrum of orthopedic conditions and procedures through review of case logs

Their surgical role will progress to performing more complex procedure independently with continued appropriate attending supervision (as defined in “Levels of Supervision”, ACGME Orthopedic CPR, VI.A.2.c).  At completion of their 5th year, they will have demonstrated ability to perform the gamut of orthopedic procedures required to function autonomously as an independent orthopedic surgeon without supervision.