Residency Program Overview
“I chose UCSF for residency because as a 4th medical student rotating through several Orthopaedic programs, I felt that the chief residents at UCSF functioned at a very high level in terms of leading a ward team, having autonomy in the OR and being comfortable with office decision making. Now, as a graduating chief resident, I realize that this confidence in clinical practice comes from having been given a high level of graduated responsibility over the past five years at UCSF–the key here being truly graduated responsibility. Furthermore, I think UCSF residents benefit from training in a diversity of settings (tertiary care, ambulatory, level 1 trauma center, VA, community etc.) that fosters a well-balanced training and skill set. This program is not for everyone–if you don’t like bringing your A-game on a daily basis then you might be better off elsewhere–but for those who are willing to put in the work to forge their skills as a surgeon-in-training, I cannot imagine a better place to train.”
-Jaicharan Iyengar, M.D.
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery offers seven residency positions per year. Applicants are selected through the National Resident Matching Program. The program is five years in length.
Basic sciences instruction as related to orthopaedics is conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, and is integrated into the clinical teaching throughout the training program. Didactic teaching includes weekly grand rounds and core curriculum lectures from September through June. Anatomy sessions cover special topics and are conducted during the summer months in July and August. Lectures are taught by senior residents with the assistance of faculty specialty attendings.
Clinical research is encouraged throughout the training program, and facilities for research are available. It is a program requirement that a completed research paper be submitted for publication prior to graduation. One of six residents will participate in a laboratory year.
The program utilizes the orthopaedic services of the following hospitals for clinical rotations: the Medical Center of the University of California San Francisco, Mt. Zion Medical Center of UCSF, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, California Pacific Medical Center San Francisco, Shriners Hospital for Children Sacramento, and Children’s Hospital of Northern California Oakland.
Residents are assigned to two to four month rotations at each of these hospitals during the course of their training. Assignments are arranged to assure increasing responsibility and exposure to all aspects of orthopaedics, including adult and children’s orthopaedics and trauma, as specified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Residents’ assignments and the evaluation of their progress are performed by a departmental faculty committee. Residents are re-appointed annually contingent upon satisfactory performance.
Instruction and policies governing resident activities in each hospital are the responsibility of the Chief of the Orthopaedic Surgery Service of that hospital, who is a member of the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco.
Hubert Kim, MD
Director, Orthopaedic Residency
Clinical Rotations
- Orthopaedic Trauma
- Pediatric Orthopaedics
- Musculoskeletal Radiology (UCSF, SFGH)
- Plastics and Hand Surgery (VAMC)
- Neurosurgery (SFGH)
- Trauma and General Surgery (two months at SFGH)
- Vascular Surgery (UCSF or VAMC)
- Surgical ICU (UCSF or VAMC)
- Anesthesia (SFGH)
- Rehabilitation Medicine (SFGH and LHH)
- Spine (UCSF)
- Hand (UCSF)
- Orthopaedic Trauma (SFGH two rotations)
- Foot and Ankle (Mt Zion)
- Arthroplasty (UCSF)
- Sports and Shoulder Surgery (Mt Zion)
- Musculoskeletal Oncology (UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center)
- Spine (UCSF)
- Pediatrics (Children’s Hospital Oakland)
- Arthroplasty & General Orthopaedic Surgery (VAMC)
- Orthopaedic Trauma (SFGH two rotations) R4 Schedule- rotations are in eight week blocks
- Elective Orthopaedic Surgery (CPMC)
- Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery (Shriner?s Hospital Northern California)
- Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery (UCSF)
- Orthopaedic Trauma (SFGH two rotations)
- Sports and Shoulder Surgery (Mt Zion)
- Arthroplasty & General Orthopaedic Surgery (VAMC)
- General Orthopaedic Surgery (UCSF Administrative Chief Resident)
- Arthroplasty (UCSF)
- Orthopaedic Trauma (SFGH two rotations)
- Foot and Ankle Surgery, Sports and Shoulder Surgery (Mt Zion)
Core Curriculum
1. Grand Rounds and Basic Science/ Core Curriculum (every Wednesday, 7-10 am):
During the academic year, grand rounds are held every Wednesday morning. Residents, attendings, community surgeons, and visiting professors are invited to discuss topics and the forefront of orthopaedic surgery, including clinical advances, basic science research, and ethical, legal, and economic issues pertaining to orthopaedics. Recent visiting professors have included Ken Yamaguchi, Stuart Weinstein, James Hernden, Charles Saltzman and Peter Stern.
2. Anatomy:
The annual anatomy curriculum takes place during the months of July and August. Every Tuesday, the chief residents coordinate anatomy review sessions on a selected anatomic region. Prosections, embalmed cadavers, and fresh-frozen specimens are available for dissection and review of surgical approaches. The following Wednesday, both residents and attendings instruct on basic physical exam skills and anatomy.
3. Resident Research Day / Inman Abbott:
The annual LeRoy C. Abbott Scientific Program and Verne T. Inman Lectureship brings together members of the Abbott Society and faculty and residents of the UCSF Department of Orthopaedics in a collaborative presentation of recent advances and updates in the field of orthopaedics. Each year, two visiting professors are invited as guest speakers. Residents have the opportunity to present their research to the visiting professors. Awards are given for the best research projects and presentations manuscript.
4. Sub-specialty Conferences and Workshops:
The various sub-specialties within orthopaedics also have weekly conferences held each morning at UCSF and SFGH.
5. National Meetings:
The R2s or R3s attend an AO Basic Course. The R4s attend the AAOS Annual Meeting. In addition, there are many opportunities to attend and present at national meetings and conferences.
6. Orthopaedic Residents Book Fund:
This fund is made possible by generous donation. Each resident is given $1000 to purchase books and/or educational materials
7. Citywide Grand Rounds:
Citywide grand rounds are held quarterly to bring together the academic and community-based surgeons of the bay area.
