Case Western Reserve University offers a 5- or 6-year integrated orthopaedic residency program based at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. All residents utilize the staff and facilities of UH Case Medical Center, including Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital; the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center; MetroHealth Medical Center; and the outpatient facility, University Suburban Health Center.
Case Western Reserve University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to accept six categorical orthopaedic surgery candidates each year. They are chosen through the matching program.
The orthopaedic teaching staff consists of 31 full-time instructors distributed throughout the teaching institutions. In addition, 8 researchers, the Basic Science Faculty, collaborate as part of an active, closely integrated research program.
Clinical Rotations
Orthopaedic Rotations PGY-2 Through PGY-5
PGY-2
MetroHealth Medical Center: Adult Reconstruction/Trauma 4 months
MetroHealth Medical Center: Pediatric Orthopaedics 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Adult Spine 2 months
UH Case Medical Center (Rainbow): Pediatric Orthopaedics 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Trauma (Night Float) 2 months
PGY-3
VA Medical Center: Adult Reconstruction 4 months
UH Case Medical Center: Sports (Knee and Shoulder) 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Adult Foot/Ankle and Adult Reconstruction 2 months
MetroHealth Medical Center: Adult Reconstruction/Trauma 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Hand and Upper Extremity 2 months
PGY-4
UH Case Medical Center: Adult Spine 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Musculoskeletal Oncology/Basic Science 2 months
UH Case Medical Center (Rainbow): Pediatric Orthopaedics 4 months
MetroHealth Medical Center: Hand and Upper Extremity 2 months
UH Case Medical Center: Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement 2 months
PGY-5
UH Case Medical Center: Chief Resident 4 months
MetroHealth Medical Center: Chief Resident 4 months
VA Medical Center: Chief Resident 4 months
The orthopaedic residency is divided into an initial 12-month rotating surgical internship followed by 48 months of core orthopaedics, with an additional 12 months of dedicated research as an option (see below). Rotations during the 48-month core orthopaedic program are organized to provide progressive responsibility. During the last 24 months of the program, the graduate physician is the senior resident for each of the services through which he or she rotates. The resident experience includes: adult orthopaedics, pediatric orthopaedics, joint reconstruction, spine surgery, hand and upper extremity surgery, rehabilitation, sports medicine, foot and ankle, spinal cord injury and musculoskeletal oncology. `
In addition to clinical rotations, Case School of Medicine recognizes the need for continuing educational, leadership and research learning opportunities. The following unique programs are of special interest to residents:
Basic Orthopaedic Course
All PGY-2 residents participate in the Basic Orthopaedic Course during the summer, concordant with the musculoskeletal section of Case School of Medicine’s curriculum. The Basic Orthopaedic Course is designed to provide residents, early in their training, with a foundation in orthopaedics.
During the course, residents are relieved of all clinical responsibilities, and they serve as anatomy and pathology instructors for the 2nd year medical students. In addition, residents also attend many of the same lectures as students.
Principles of physical diagnosis, regional musculoskeletal examination, orthopaedic pathology, radiology and nuclear medicine are presented exclusively to residents in daily seminars, along with courses on the development of psychomotor skills, including traction techniques, use and care of hand and power instruments, and internal fixation methods. In addition, basic principles and concepts, as well as current techniques of in vitro and in vivo orthopaedic research, are presented by the basic science faculty of the department. This journal article-based course covers statistics, experimental design and the biology/physiology/biomechanics of soft and hard tissue.
Basic Science Rotation
During the PGY-4 year, each resident spends a 2-month rotation reviewing the basic science of orthopaedic pathology. Much of this time is spent learning the histology and radiology of musculoskeletal oncology and pathologic diseases. Simultaneously, the resident rotates on the musculoskeletal tumor service, providing clinical correlation.
Microsurgery Laboratory
During the PGY-3 hand rotation, residents participate once weekly in developing microsurgical skills at the VA microsurgery lab.
Research Year Option: The Allen Fellowship
The Department of Orthopaedics at Case School of Medicine is one of the pre-eminent centers in the world for groundbreaking discoveries in musculoskeletal research. Each academic year, two residents will be awarded Allen Research Fellowships, allowing them to spend 12 months in one of our nationally recognized musculoskeletal research laboratories. The basic-science research fellowship takes place following the 12 months of orthopaedic internship and before the 48 months of orthopaedic residency. Residents with a significant academic career interest in orthopaedic surgery are encouraged to seek the optional research year of the fellowship.
The Department is endowed with world-class researchers working on cartilage and bone biology, tissue engineering, biomechanics, functional anatomy, and functional electrical stimulation. The success of these endeavors is highlighted by the fact that many times the Department has been ranked number one in funding by the National Institutes of Health among all orthopaedic departments.
The content of the year for the Allen Fellow in our Department is determined primarily by the interests of the individual resident. Applicants are encouraged to note their interest for an Allen Research Fellowship during the residency application process. During the summer and fall of the internship year, the interested residents are invited to several dinners and seminars to become acquainted with the opportunities available in the Allen Fellowship program. Later in the internship year, the next Allen Fellows are announced.