The orthopaedic surgery residency training program at IU School of Medicine offers two tracks of training: a five-year clinical track and a six-year research track.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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PGY 1 Year

First-year residents complete six months of non-orthopaedic rotations that include trauma surgery, surgical intensive care, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, musculoskeletal radiology, one month of surgical skills training, and six months of orthopaedic rotations that include orthopaedic trauma, pediatric orthopaedics, sports medicine, oncology/spine and orthopaedic night float.
PGY 2 Year

Second-year residents increase their orthopaedic responsibilities to include rotations in adult reconstruction, pediatric orthopaedics, trauma, foot and ankle, as well as a rotation at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. The PGY 2 resident begins taking in-house orthopaedic call 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. In addition, PGY 2 residents must attend a comprehensive fracture course.
PGY 3 Year

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), oncology and hand orthopaedics. 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. PGY 3 residents must attend a prosthetics and orthotics courses.
PGY 4 Year

Fourth-year residents are considered to be at the senior level. Rotations include general orthopaedics, adult reconstruction, sports medicine, pediatric orthopaedics and trauma. Call is split between senior in-house call and home call.
PGY 5 Year

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 and act as liaisons to the residency program director. The PGY 5 curriculum includes trauma, upper extremity, pediatric orthopaedics, a rotation at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and an elective. Chief residents are given the choice of attending the Academy 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.

Clinical Partners

Residents learn through clinical practice at nationally ranked teaching hospitals that record several million inpatient and outpatient visits each year.

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