Orthopaedic Surgery Residency

Welcome Message from the Chairman

Welcome to the University of Connecticut Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program web site. I would like to inform you about some exciting new developments related to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the New England Musculoskeletal Institute.

I was recruited to UConn from UCLA to be Director of the New England Musculoskeletal Institute and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in October, 2006. The newly created New England Musculoskeletal Institute provides a unique paradigm for musculoskeletal health care. Orthopaedic surgery, a comprehensive spine center, an osteoporosis center and rheumatology are all housed in a new state-of-the-art facility. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is housed in the New England Musculoskeletal Institute which is a freestanding facility on the UConn Health Center Campus. The fact that we have our own building completely dedicated to musculoskeletal health care demonstrates the Health Center's commitment to our growth and success. There is an ambulatory surgery center on the second floor and 10,000 square feet of laboratory space on the fourth floor. The New England Musculoskeletal Institute offers patients the opportunity to have “one stop shopping” for all their musculoskeletal problems. Since all of the specialists will be working in close proximity to each other this will not only enhance patient care but stimulate both clinical and basic science research collaborations. Fortunately, the Health Center has provided us with the resources to accomplish these goals.

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is in a rapid growth phase. We are actively recruiting faculty in a number of orthopaedic subspecialties. We have hired six new faculty over the past few years. In addition, we are hiring staff to develop a new Clinical Research Outcomes Unit to support and foster clinical research initiatives and we are also recruiting basic research scientists.

Prior to moving to UConn, I ran the residency program at UCLA for 14 years and so I am truly committed to resident education. UConn has a tradition of having a strong residency program with a collegial working environment. Our plan is to continue to build on these strengths under the leadership of Bruce Browner, M.D., Program Director and Chairman Emeritus, and Gus Mazocca, M.D., Director of Resident Education. We have instituted a two-year core curriculum that is the foundation of our teaching initiatives. In addition, new weekly subspecialty-based conferences have been developed. We continue to examine all aspects of the residency program to further enhance both the patient care experience (operative and non-operative) and the didactic opportunities of the residents. Our Bioskills Laboratory sessions provide the residents with a unique opportunity to learn surgical techniques at their own pace and in a controlled environment. This has been a marvelous teaching tool for our residents.

Both the Clinical Outcomes Unit and the numerous research opportunities in the New England Musculoskeletal Institute will provide all residents with the opportunity to be actively involved in research projects and to attain the skills to be successful in an academic career.

In order to further enhance the resident research experience we will begin to offer one resident per year the opportunity to take a year out during the residency to do basic science research. The goal will be to foster this individual’s desire to pursue a career in academic medicine. I will be actively involved in this program. Please let us know if you are interested in this program.

We are committed to creating the finest resident educational program in the nation. Our ultimate goal is to produce excellent orthopaedic surgeons who can enhance the quality of lives of their patients. If you train at UConn, I guarantee that you will have the skill set to pursue any type of orthopaedic career that you desire. I strongly encourage you to come here and do a subinternship. This experience will enable us to get to know you better and should enhance your ability to attain a position in our residency program. It is an exciting time to be a resident at UConn.

Jay R. Lieberman, M.D.
Director, New England Musculoskeletal Institute
Professor and Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery