During the program, fellows will be exposed to the following training:

  • Primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty
  • Implant design and rationale
  • Surgical templating and planning
  • Hip and knee arthritis care

The basis for a fellow's training and education will be through clinical training, conferences and didactics, and research opportunities.

Clinical Training

The Adult Reconstruction Fellowship Program includes a balance of clinical and surgical time with each of the total joint surgeons. This includes operating room and inpatient experiences at both the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center main campus and at Davie Medical Center. Clinical experience will take place at the total joint office at Davie Medical Center.

Supervision and Administration

The fellow's role in the operating room and clinic is based on a mentorship model where time is spent one-on-one with attendings. This allows for a progression of autonomy as your skills progress.

Fellows will attend outpatient clinic sessions approximately once per week and be expected to:

  • Evaluate and develop treatment plans for new patients
  • Understand appropriate indications for surgery
  • Develop a knowledge base for clinical indications of treatment

Conferences and Didactics

Conferences and educational opportunities are key components of the program.

Weekly Conference

Formal didactics take place weekly on Friday mornings. This meeting includes nurses, case managers, physician therapists, anesthetists and vendors. Upcoming cases are discussed in detail, and cases from the previous week are reviewed.

This conference will be followed by short didactic sessions or journal reviews led by fellows or attendings. As a fellow, it is your responsibility to work with other team members to prepare and review the case list for all upcoming cases.

Grand Rounds

Fellows are expected to attend weekly orthopaedic grand rounds, held at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Each fellow is responsible for presenting one grand rounds presentation near the end of the fellowship year.

Journal Club

Journal club is held once per quarter. Fellows are responsible for journal article selection.

Research Opportunities

Fellows typically have one day per week of protected research time. They are required to complete at least one project that results in a paper in publishable format.

Research Access

Fellows willl have full access to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Research Laboratory, a dedicated space of more than 1,500 square feet located in the medical school buildings. It includes:

  • An approved small animal surgical facility
  • An extremity laboratory
  • Access to animal housing facilities

In addition to two full-time PhD supervisors, the staff includes two full-time laboratory technicians, a research secretary, a research center administrator, a research intern and two clinical research data coordinators.

Significant computer support and orthopaedic operating room equipment is also available in the laboratory. An abundance of funded research is ongoing, and the personnel are available to help with new submissions for funding as well.