Orthopaedic Residency and Education
Medical Student Clerkship Program
How to Arrange a Rotation or Interview
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Training Program
The Tripler Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
is fully accredited by the ACGME for 4 years of training, three residents at each level. This full
accreditation was granted following the site visit in May 2006. The PGY1 year meets the requirements
of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Categorical match occurs for the PGY 1- PGY 5 Orthopaedic
residency through the military match and ERAS
Program Strengths:
- Close working relationship between the attending staff and the housestaff with 1 to 1 ratio
- Easy attending staff accessibility
- Diverse patient population, over 250,000 active military population and family members, and other beneficiaries to include VA patients and retirees
- Wide spectrum of untreated, advanced stage orthopaedic problems from patient population from Pacific Island Health Care Project
- High degree of housestaff responsibility
- Top quality of attending staff, an excellent balance of experienced, senior surgeons and younger, recently fellowship-trained surgeons
- Specialty expertise in all areas of Orthopaedics represented
- High technology setting to include electronic medical records and prescriptions, telemedicine capabilities, and computerized radiology imaging retrieving system
- Active academic environment with residencies in medicine, pediatrics, ob/gyn, general surgery, urology, otolaryngology, psychiatry, and family practice.
- Outstanding support from the Tripler Army Medical Center Administration
- The opportunity to live and work in Paradise!
Program Overview:
Residents start at the PGY-2 level after a completion of an orthopaedic surgical internship. The year is dedicated to
learning general orthopaedics. During this year the residents operate one to one with the staff.
PGY-3 residents begin subspecialty training, covering Pediatric Orthopaedics, Foot and Ankle Surgery, and Local Trauma at Queen�s Hospital in a one on one setting with the attending surgeon. PGY-3 residents attend nationally recognized courses in fracture treatment, prosthetics and orthotics, and orthopaedic oncology.
PGY-4 residents train 8 months away from Tripler. The first rotation is Spine surgery at TAMC. The residents then proceed to Baltimore Shock Trauma rotation which provides concentrated level-1 trauma experience. Finally another excellent experience is obtain at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital/Dallas Children�s Hospital in Dallas.
PGY-5 (chief resident) year is spent at Tripler. Rotations include Adult Reconstruction, Sports Medicine, and Complex Hand Surgery. Additional responsibilities include teaching junior residents, leading academic sessions, and "running" the service. We hold the Chief Residents to the expectation level of fully trained orthopaedists. Opportunity exists for participating in medical readiness training exercises (MEDRETE), providing orthopaedic care in developing countries under supervision.
Educational Program/ weekly schedule:
2 OR days/2 clinic days/1 day of academics and research
Daily morning report at 6:30 am
Daily pre-operative conference at 7:00 am
Teaching conferences/lectures Wednesday mornings
Tuesday/Thursday evening academics at the discretion of the Chief Resident
Journal club monthly
Individual sessions as needed/requested
Performance on standardized examinations:
ABOS (American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery):
100 % board certified since 1960
100 % first time pass rate on part 1 of ABOS exam for the past 10 years
100% first time pass rate on part 2 of the ABOS exam for the past 20 years
Medical Student Rotation:
Many students rotate as subinterns in Orthopaedic surgery. Typical
rotations last from 4 to 8 weeks. Funding maybe available for HPSP students on
ADT. TDY
funding maybe available for USUHS students. Many come at their own expense.
The students will be assigned to a team, and will participate in the clinic, in the OR, and at the conferences. There are 3 weekly lectures given by the attendings specifically designed for interns and medical students. Taking call and giving a short talk is encouraged, but not required.
To arrange a rotation, contact:
Student Coordinator
Medical Education Office
Tripler Army Medical Center
Hawaii 96859-5000
(808)433-6992
To arrange an interview only, contact:
Resident Assistant
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
Tripler Army Medical Center Hawaii 96859-5000
(808)433-3557