Our mission is to provide the foundation for a lifetime of learning and practice of orthopaedic surgery and to produce graduates who exemplify the highest ideals of our profession. It is our purpose to excel in research, education and clinical service, while maintaining the highest ethical standards and providing compassionate health care services.

Program Aims

Our primary aim is to produce safe, effective practicing general orthopaedic surgeons who can enter practices or be outstanding fellowship candidates upon graduation.

Additionally, we expect graduates to be able to:

• Be proficient in general orthopaedic procedures
• Conduct quality improvement and reflective practice
• Care for diverse patient populations
• Understand research methodology with regards to patient outcomes

Goals and Objectives

For the program as a whole, the objectives are based on this mission statement. That requires the best candidates for residency and the provision of an atmosphere conducive to learning.

• Basic Sciences: The curriculum covers all the appropriate basic sciences over a two-year period, with faculty providing lectures. Basic science principles are stressed in the clinical curriculum and specific basic science goals for individual clinical topics are identified in the syllabus.
• Clinical Topics: The curriculum covers all areas of clinical orthopaedics over a two-year period. Faculty will provide the majority of the lectures. For all lectures given by residents, the assigned faculty member reviews the outline with the resident prior to the presentation and supervises the resident presentation and adds commentary and explanation as needed.
• Lifelong Learning: An environment supportive of the development of habits of regular review of the literature is essential. Residents and faculty review journals every week. Critical analyses of the articles are required during the journal club discussion, with particular emphasis on the contribution the articles make to the fund of knowledge.
• Patient Care: Faculty ensure that skilled, compassionate care is provided to all patients. Residents are given progressive responsibility for the care of patients under the supervision of the faculty. Residents provide care to assigned patients throughout the course of care, while on service.
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Our curriculum and environment teach and stimulate the effective exchange of information among health care professionals and during the physician and patient interaction. Residents participate in the sharing of information during our various conferences. This promotes interaction with members from our own department, as well as with members from other departments. Two-way communication between faculty and residents during the clinical rotations further expands residents' communication skills in situations with patients, their families and other physicians.
• Ethics: Faculty and residents adhere to the code and principles of ethics in all their dealings with patients, staff, colleagues and the public. Professionalism is expected and evaluated.
• Systems-Based Practice: Residents are educated on the various resources our campus and community have to offer. They are taught to recognize and effectively respond to certain situations or conditions through referrals or other available methods.