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Orthopaedic Surgery Electives

Participation in any fourth year elective will be allowed on a space-available basis with University of Arizona medical students receiving priority placement in the elective until May. Currenlty, the fourth year electives are only offered at the Tucson Campus. When applying, please take note of this.

Non-LCME students (from foreign or osteopathic schools) must be sponsored by a faculty member who is familiar with the student and is an observation-only rotation. All paperwork for Non-LCME students goes directly through the department. No credit is given and there will be no grade through the University of Arizona.

Fourth year students considering applying for a residency in our program should try to schedule a rotation between the months of July and November although rotations can be scheduled year round. It is advisable to contact the course coordinator early as these electives fill up quickly.

Please follow this link for the elective application form and instructions for applying.

If you are an extern applying for this program, please apply online through VSAS. For opening date of application or for questions regarding the application process, please contact Student Affairs.

Course Coordinator: Cat Dutcher 520-626-8839/ cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu

ORTH 800A Orthopaedic Biomechanics/Biomaterials Research
Dr. J. Szivek
(Cat Dutcher 520-626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

6 wks minimum; offered August - May

Directly supervised/Non-patient care

Maximum enrollment of 1

Prerequisites: Completion of third-year clerkships. NOTE: Completion of ORTH 810A (Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery) is a requirement for UA students applying to the University of Arizona Orthopaedic Residency Program .

Goals: Allow students who wish to specialize in orthopaedic surgery or related disciplines to have hands-on exposure to the development of procedures and implants used in orthopaedics. Familiarize students with the research process and the transition of new developments from basic science research to clinical medicine.

Format: Students and faculty will jointly agree on a project the student can complete in the Orthopaedic Research lab at UMC during the course of the study. Students will be required to hand in a final report on the project results. Opportunities to attend weekly biomedical engineering seminars, basic science seminars, and clinical seminars will be made available. Outside reading may be a necessary component of the student's project.

Evaluation Method: The final report will be graded based on accomplishment of the goal(s) outlined at the beginning of the project.

ORTH 810A - Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr. G. DeSilva
(Cat Dutcher 520-626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

4 wks only ; offered year round (EXCEPT DECEMBER)

Directly supervised/Non-patient/Patient care

Maximum enrollment: 6

Prerequisites: Completion of third year clerkships. NOTE: Completion of ORTH 810A (Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery) is a requirement for UA students applying to the University of Arizona Orthopaedic Residency Program .

Goals: Students will have exposure to musculoskeletal problems in the outpatient and operating room settings. The focus will be on the orthopaedic history and physical examination for common orthopaedic surgical procedures in the subspecialty areas of trauma, adult reconstruction, sports medicine, and hand surgery. The student will have an opportunity to do basic orthopaedic splinting, casting, and non-operative management of fracture problems, and will participate as a member of the orthopaedic service team with the residents and faculty members.

Format: Clinical sub-internship

Evaluation Methods: Students will be evaluated by observation of faculty attendings of all performance areas covered by elective.

ORTH 815A Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine
Drs. W. Grana & L. Farrow
(Cat Dutcher 520-626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

4 wks; offered January - June

Directly supervised/Patient care

Maximum enrollment of 1

Prerequisites: Completion of third-year clerkships and ORTH 810A.

Goals: Clinical exposure to acute and chronic sports-related injuries. Familiarity with out-patient and surgical management, including appreciation for various surgical techniques, relevant terminology, injury prevention strategies, rehabilitation regimens, and the function of the athletic trainer and physical therapist in the recovery process.

Format: Students will spend time at UMC, University Physicians Hospital at Kino, and local out-patient clinics. Time spent with each faculty member will be schedule-dependent and will therefore vary throughout the year. The student will be taught and expected to perform the clinical musculoskeletal examination, with particular emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of the knee and shoulder. Students will also take trauma call at night with the residents, have full access to the rehabilitation and physical therapy department, and participate in emergency and elective operative procedures as either an observer or assistant. There will be opportunities to attend teaching seminars, basic science seminars, clinical conferences, bio skills labs, and a monthly reading club (outside reading will be necessary).

Evaluation Methods:

  1. Observation of physical diagnostic skills and questioning during course.
  2. A sports medicine topic will be decided upon by the student and faculty early in the elective and a presentation/discussion will be expected at the completion of the course.

ORTH 815B Orthopaedic Surgery of the Hand and Upper Extremity
Dr. J. Sheppard
(Cat Dutcher, 626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

4 wks; offered January - June

Directly supervised/Patient care

Maximum enrollment of 1

Prerequisites: Completion of third-year clerkships and ORTH 810A.

Goals: Clinical exposure to in-patient and out-patient care for traumatic, congenital, degenerative, and reconstructive disorders involving the hand and upper extremity. Examples of clinical cases in this area include the following: hand and upper extremity fractures, shoulder arthroplasty, elbow arthroscopy, free tissue transfer, rheumatoid arthritis, congenital deformities, vascular reconstruction, compression neuropathy, and soft tissue coverage.

Format: Students will spend time at UMC and local out-patient clinics. Time spent with each faculty member will be schedule-dependent and will therefore vary throughout the year. While on the service, students will be responsible to both the chief resident and attendings. Students will take histories, perform physical exams, contribute directly to inpatient and outpatient care, and participate in emergency and elective operative procedures as either an observer or assistant. Teaching conferences, basic science seminars, clinical conferences, and resident rounds will also be attended by students. Trauma call at night is an expectation of all course participants. However, call schedules may fluctuate depending on the student's interests. The shoulder, elbow, and hand musculoskeletal teaching modules (provided by the department) should be completed by the end of the first week. Other outside reading may be expected as well.

Evaluation Methods:
Observation of physical diagnostic skills and questioning during course. Additional grading criteria may apply.Please contact faculty before enrolling for current evaulation methods and requirements.

ORTH 815C General Orthopaedic Longitudinal Elective (Class of 2010 enrollment only)
Dr. W. Grana
(Cat Dutcher, 626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

Longitudinal, year round, 2 credits

Directly supervised/ Patient care

Maximum enrollment of 10, minimum enrollment 4

Prerequisites: Students must matriculate in College of Medicine class of 2010. They must have completed the first year of medical school and be a student in good standing.

Objectives:

  1. To provide the student with an opportunity to gain a basic understanding of Orthopaedic Surgery while focusing on
    the musculoskeletal system.
  2. The student will be introduced to various methods of diagnosing and managing common orthopaedic pathology.
  3. This elective is designed to increase the student's understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment (both medical
    and surgical) of musculoskeletal disease and trauma.

Format:
This course is a longitudinal elective that will encompass the student's MS II, MS III and MS IV years. The first year of the course will consist of weekly lectures at the Orthopaedic Department given by Dr. Grana. General Orthopaedic subjects will be covered through weekly assignments from "Essentials of Musculoskeletal Medicine". The weekly meetings will focus on introductory topics in Orthopaedic Surgery during the students MS II year. Assigned outside reading will be a necessary component of the student's participation. In the MS III and MS IV years students will be expected to attend 15 Grand Rounds, 15 Trauma Conferences or 15 Sports Medicine Conferences. The student will also be required each year to attend a mandatory seminar determined by Orthopaedic faculty and Dr. Grana.

Evaluation Methods:
Students will be evaluated by Dr. Grana based on their participation in the class and completion of assignments. A topic in Orthopaedic medicine will be decided upon by the student and Dr. Grana early in the elective and a presentation/ discussion will be expected at the completion of the course. The evaluation will be Pass/Fail with Honors possible if the student participates in all of the classes, attends 20 Grand Rounds, 20 Conferences and completes a (3-5 page) paper on their assigned topic.

ORTH 815D Introduction to Microsurgery
Dr. J. Sheppard
(Cat Dutcher, 626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

Offered year round: 3 wks

Directly supervised/ non-patient care

Min. enrollment 1; max enrollment 2

Prerequisites: Any surgical clerkship including general surgery clerkship or surgery sub-specialty

Objectives/Goals:
At the completion of the microsurgery elective, the student should be able perform the following:
1. Identify all microsurgical instruments and describe their function.
2. Operate the surgical microscope independently.
3. Accommodate to changing the focal depth.
4. Demonstrate competence in handling instruments and objects under the microscope.
5. Refine one's hand-eye coordination by completing a series of technical skill activities of progressive diffi culty.
6. Use the skills developed to perform a variety of suture techniques.
7. Acquire the skill to perform complex end-to-end anastamosis with catheter tubes (simulating vessels).
8. OPTIONAL: If desired, the student can obtain their animal certifi cation through the University's Institutional Animal
Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to use the above skills on in-vivo rat vessel anastamoses and neurrorhaphies.

Format:
This course is based in the Orthopaedic Surgery Microsurgery Lab and is a combined supervised and independent experience.
This elective is designed for students interested in surgical specialties (including but not limited to orthopaedic
surgery, plastic surgery, general surgery) to develop their technical skills using a surgical microscope. Students will learn
maneuvers under the microscope gaining the ability to move in three dimensions. They will be taught how to operate
a surgical microscope and perform a variety of tasks with the goal of improving hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and
speed with accuracy. The elective will take place in the Orthopaedic Surgery Microsurgery Lab combining the benefi ts of
a stress free environment with fl exibility in times and hours per day. After initial introduction and instruction the student
will work independently, and then complete a supervised fi nal evaluation. When possible, the student will attend a microsurgery
operation to observe how skills learned in the lab translate to surgery.
Students will also have selected reading assignments to enhance their learning experience.
Text: "A Laboratory Manual for Microvascular and Microtubal Surgery" by Brian Cooley, PhD (provided).
A student generated problem-specifi c reference list will be created and maintained by those individuals participating in
the elective.

Evaluation Methods:
The student will perform and present a series of exercises completed during the rotation to be evaluated. In addition, the
student will demonstrate skills acquired during the rotation in a final exam consisting of a technical skills performance
using the operative microscope, observed and graded by an attending surgeon. The course will be graded on a pass/fail/
honors system. In addition to the usual criteria the student will be expected to complete a research paper/project if they
wish to be considered for honors. Please contact attending physician for additional grading criteria for honors eligibility.

ORTH 816A General Orthopaedic Elective I
Dr. W. Grana
(Cat Dutcher, 626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

Offered: August through April 26 weeks
Directly supervised/ non-patient care
Min. enrollment 5; max enrollment 24

Prerequisite(s): 2nd-year medical students only. Must have prior approval from department before registering.

Objectives:
To provide the student with an opportunity to gain a basic understanding of Orthopaedic Surgery while focusing on the musculoskeletal system. This elective is designed to increase the student's understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment (both medical and surgical) of musculoskeletal disease and trauma.

Format:
This course is the prerequisite for a longitudinal elective that is run throughout MSIII and MSIV years. The course will consist of weekly lectures at the Orthopaedic Department given by Dr. Grana. General Orthopaedic subjects will be covered through weekly assignments from "Essentials of Musculoskeletal Medicine". The weekly meetings will focus on introductory topics in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Evaluation Methods:
Students will be evaluated by Dr. Grana based on their participation in the class and completion of assignments. A topic in Orthopaedic medicine will be decided upon by the student and Dr. Grana early in the elective and a presentation/ discussion will be expected at the completion of the course. Medical grades are awarded for this course: S P F K.

ORTH 816B General Orthopaedic Elective II
Dr. W. Grana
(Cat Dutcher, 626-8839, cdutcher@emedicine.arizona.edu)

Offered: Year Round
Directly supervised/ non-patient care
Min. enrollment 5; max enrollment 24

Prerequisite(s): MSIII and MSIV medical students only. Must have taken ORTH 816A and have prior approval from department before registering.

Objectives/Goals:
To provide the student with an opportunity to gain a basic understanding of Orthopaedic Surgery while focusing on the musculoskeletal system. This elective is designed to increase the student's understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment (both medical and surgical) of musculoskeletal disease and trauma.

1. To continue understanding of orthopaedic musculoskeletal problems based on day-to-day clinical problems as presented in a conference setting. Appropriate operative and non-operative treatment will be presented and discussed with the evidence-based rationale for specific choices.

2. To be exposed to the key literature and utilization of research resources.

Format:
This course is an elective that will encompass the student's MSIII and MSIV years.

In the MS III year students will be expected to attend 10 Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds conferences in addition to reviewing 15 topics from the OKO website and providing outlines of each topic. The student will also be required to attend a mandatory visiting professor seminar. If attening seminar in the MSIII year, the student must attend the Annual Resident Graduation Research Day . If attending seminar in the MSIV year, the student must attend the Annual Ron Johnson Foot and Ankle Lecture. Assigned reading and written outlines will be a necessary component of the student's participation. Honors are available by attending 5 additional Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds conferences and 1 additional topic on OKO.

Evaluation Methods:
Students will be evaluated by Dr. Grana based on their participation in the class and completion of assignments. A topic in Orthopaedic medicine will be decided upon by the student and Dr. Grana early in the elective and a presentation/ discussion will be expected at the completion of the course. Medical grades are awarded for this course: S P F K.

 

ORTH 810Ap (sect 2) - Orthopaedics PLEASE CONTACT CAT DUTCHER 520-626-8839 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ELECTIVE CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

4 wks only ; offered year round
Directly supervised
Maximum enrollment of 4
Prerequisites: SURG 803
Goals: Upon successful completion of this elective, students will have been exposed to the orthopaedic subspecialties of sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, foot and ankle, surgery, spine surgery and musculoskeletal oncology. Students will learn the basics of the individual orthopaedic injuries and disease processes, methods of evaluation and methods of management. The focus will be on the orthopaedic history and physical examination for common orthopaedic surgical procedures.
Format: Students will participate in a very active practice including work at outpatient surgery centers as well as followup on hospitalized patients whose surgery requires more extended and intensive in-house care. It is a hands-on experience with one-on-one faculty contact.
Evaluation Methods: Clinical evaluations are based upon faculty observation and evaluation of student performance. No exam is given.
NOTE: This is the only Phoenix rotation that is affiliated with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Arizona.
Check for them HERE.