Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
Where We Work: Affiliated Hospitals
University of Connecticut Health Center
The John Dempsey Hospital at the University
of Connecticut Health Center is a university teaching
hospital with a focus on patient care and clinical and basic
science research. All aspects of orthopaedic surgery and
spine surgery are treated
 at
the university hospital. In addition, the Farmington Surgery
Center, which is dedicated to outpatient surgery, is on
campus and in the same building as the New England
Musculoskeletal Institute. The UConn Health Center has many laboratories that are committed to various aspects
of musculoskeletal basic science research.
The
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has dedicated the Harry R. Gossling Library in memory of the first chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery. The library was recently renovated to be a state-of-the-art educational facility. These renovations
have been supported by a philanthropic support from the Gossling family. The library and resident resource center is located in the Medical Arts and Research Building (MARB).
 The MARB is a new addition to the UConn
campus and home of the New England Musculoskeletal Institute.
The New England Musculoskeletal Institute represents a
consortium of services including orthopaedic surgery, comprehensive
spine center, osteoporosis center and rheumatology. Dr. Jay R. Lieberman is
professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and director of the New
England Musculoskeletal Institute.
The building is committed entirely to musculoskeletal health care. Radiology and physical therapy are on the first floor, with the Farmington Surgery Center on the second, and patient care and
digital radiology on the third. The fourth floor is home to basic science research labs, academic offices, the Gossling Library, conference rooms, and the Bioskills Laboratory. The
state-of-the-art Bioskills Laboratory provides residents a unique educational opportunity for the residents.
At the
present time, seven residents either rotate full-time or part-time through the hospital.
Residents from other
rotations come to the hospital on specific days for
specialized training in orthopaedic oncology, sports medicine, hand
surgery and total joint arthroplasty. All residents gain experience in all adult surgical subspecialties at the university hospital. There are three physician
assistants and two nurse practitioners who participate in both inpatient
and outpatient care.
Hartford Hospital
 Hartford
Hospital is the region’s major Level 1 trauma center and site of LIFE
STAR, an air ambulance service that transports patients from throughout
the state. The trauma service is very active and provides the
residents exposure to all aspects of orthopaedic trauma.
There are three residents on the trauma service including a chief resident. There is also a chief resident on the adult reconstruction service. The ambulatory service resident (PGY-4) and the
hand surgery resident (PGY-2) rotate at both UConn and Hartford Hospital on specific days. However, all of the residents take call at
Hartford Hospital. This call system allows the residents to easily meet the 80 work week requirements.
There are physician assistants who help with day-to-day patient care, as well as with in-house night call.
Special attention has been paid to developing in-hospital coverage that
enhances the resident's operative experience.
Hartford Hospital is unique in that there is a dedicated trauma room that starts at noon each day. The previous day’s on-call
surgeon has first rights to the room and staff. Physician's assistants
take trauma calls Sunday through Thursday. This allows the residents to
have the opportunity to participate in these operative cases.
The residents cover every Friday through Sunday at 5 p.m. The PGY-2s and PGY-3s are on primary in-house call, while the PGY-4s and PGY-5s serve as backup.
Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
 Saint
Francis is Connecticut's third largest hospital and this rotation is a
valuable educational experience for the residents.
At Saint Francis, the three residents cover all general orthopaedics but with a major focus on arthroscopy. Each resident is in a mentor relationship with two or three specific attendings. An Emergency Medicine
resident rounds out the team. Saint Francis has three physician assistants who help with the day-to-day patient care, and cover call every Tuesday and
Thursday night. The residents take home call on the remaining weeknights
and on the weekends. The Emergency Medicine resident takes primary call with the PGY-4 as backup, while the PGY-2 and
PGY-3 take primary call alone.
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
 Connecticut
Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) is committed to the care of
pediatric medical care issues and the orthopaedic program has a large
referral base. For six months during the PGY-3 year, the residents are
exposed to all aspects of pediatric orthopaedic surgery including
trauma.
While at CCMC, each resident is in a mentor relationship with a single attending for one month at a time. A highly qualified staff of three full-time and two part-time pediatric orthopaedic
surgeons provide an excellent educational environment for the resident at CCMC. Weekly preoperative and postoperative conferences, journal club, and didactic lectures provide full immersion
in the pediatric orthopaedic experience. The residents learn the principles of orthopaedic surgery, surgical indications, and postoperative rehabilitations
as well as the art of
non-operative management. During the rotation, each resident will complete a research project which should produce a publishable presentation.
In addition, CCMC has a nationally renowned gait. This facility and its
full-time staff are available to the residents for learning and research
opportunities.
The Hospital of Central Connecticut
 During
the PGY-1 year, each orthopaedic resident will complete two rotations at The Hospital of Central Connecticut – one month in the medical/surgical intensive care unit, and two months on the
general surgery service.
While in the 20-bed ICU, the resident will work with a team comprised of internal medicine and other rotating residents to manage critically ill medical and surgical patients.
This opportunity affords the resident excellent experience in hemodynamic and multi-system organ management as well as multiple minor surgical
procedures, including central line placement and thoracocentesis.
The PGY-1 resident works with a PGY-4 and
PGY-3 resident. There is a high volume operative experience, and floor duties are quite
manageable with the help of full-time physician assistant staff. Call is in-house approximately every fourth or fifth night. Attending staff are very collegial and appreciate having
residents in the OR with them. Occasionally, when there are
no other general surgery duties to attend to, the resident
can request to assist one of orthopaedic attendings.
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