Curriculum
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Throughout the five years of the orthopaedic surgery residency, residents communicate and collaborate with the faculty at all times. Through this intimate working relationship, the practice of orthopaedics is conducted in a competent, compassionate, transcultural and ethical manner. This is done by example, repetition, and adherence to the principle of serving our patients.
Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY 1)
During the first year, orthopaedic residents remain under the direction of the orthopaedic department but learn basic orthopaedic and general trauma care by working closely within the special areas of medicine involved in orthopaedic care, as indicated below. Orthopaedic interns take orthopaedic call while on the orthopaedic service as well as during their months on plastic surgery, vascular surgery, anesthesia, and rehabilitation.
Rotation
Duration
Plastic Surgery
1 month
Introduction to Orthopaedics
2 months
General Trauma Service
2 months
Medical Intensive Care
1 month
Peds Ortho
1 month
Radiology/Anesthesia
1 month
Rehabilitation/Prosthetics
1 month
Surgical ICU
1 month
Vascular Surgery
1 month
VA Hospital Surgery
1 month
Post Graduate Year 2 (PGY 2)
During this year, the resident works in the specialty areas of orthopaedics. Second year residents are active members of the operative team and work on developing their surgical skills on a continuous basis. All clinical decisions are made under the close supervision of attending staff, in concert with the senior residents.
Rotation
Duration
Hand and Upper Extremity
2 months
General Orthopaedics – VA
3 months
Sports Medicine
2 months
General Orthopaedics
2 months
Foot/Ankle
1 month
Joint Reconstruction
2 months
Post Graduate Year 3 (PGY 3)
During PGY3, the resident, while still considered a junior resident, assumes a more active role in surgery and decision making by working in partnership with a senior resident. The PGY3 residents also play an active role in the education of interns in emergency room orthopaedic management. Three months of the third year is spent at Palmetto Health Baptist campus on the spine rotation.
Rotation
Duration
Adult and Pediatric Trauma
2 months
General Orthopaedics – VA
3 months
Spine
3 months
Research/Elective
1 month
Foot/Ankle
2 months
Sports Medicine/Hand and Upper Extremity
1 month
Post Graduate Year 4 (PGY 4)
During PGY4, time is spent on the joint reconstruction service at Palmetto Health Richland, the pediatric service at the Shiners Hospitals for Children, Greenville, S.C., and as the chief resident at the VA. The resident experiences an increasing level of independence and decision-making autonomy, under the supervision of the faculty. Senior residents improve their instructional skills by creating and giving lectures to various medical groups.
Rotation
Duration
Joint Reconstruction
4 months
General Orthopaedics – VA Chief
2 months
Pediatric Orthopaedics – Shriners
4 months
Pediatric Orthopaedics – Palmetto Health Richland
2 months
Post Graduate Year 5 (PGY 5)
By the last year of orthopaedic residency, the resident is expected to have attained a high degree of competency in surgery and clinical evaluative skills. Residents are required to use these skills by showing independent clinical decision-making and surgical technique abilities. The chairman and faculty provide these residents a maximum amount of independence, as determined by each resident's level of surgical and clinical skill.
Rotation
Duration
Chief Resident – WJB Dorn VA Hospital
4 months
Chief Orthopaedic Resident – Palmetto Health Richland
8 months Including:
Hand (2 months)
Sports Medicine (2 months)
Research (1 month)
Adult and Pediatric Trauma (1 month)
Elective (2 months)
Throughout the five years of close contact between faculty and residents, the humanistic, thoughtful and ethical practice of medicine is stressed by example, by insistence and by awareness.
Sports Medicine
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Sports Medicine Center is a collaborative effort between the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sport Medicine. The Sports Medicine Center provides care for several universities including the University of South Carolina, as well as many local high schools, and the Columbia City Ballet. Residents are encouraged to become involved in the care of athletes of all ages and are given opportunities to care for his/her own high school. Each resident is sent to an arthroscopy course to strengthen their arthroscopic skills in addition to the up-to-date arthroscopic and Sports Medicine procedures performed by the University of South Carolina Sports Medicine faculty.