Orthopaedic trauma fellowship is a challenging but rewarding year-long program. The IU orthopaedic trauma fellowship prepares orthopaedic surgeons to tackle trauma independently. For Jason Chen, MD, that fellowship experience pays off daily.
Chen graduated from the fellowship in 2021, but he still remembers why he was initially interested in the program. “The interview process and the fellowship structure set IU apart,” Chen shared. “There were multiple lengthy one-on-one interviews with individual faculty during the interview day, and they were in close contact with many of my residency mentors. They took the time to make sure I was a good personality fit,” he shared.
After interviewing and learning more about the program, he knew it was the right fit. “The volume was high, and the ratio of attendings to fellows—8:2—is unmatched. There is little overlap with residents in cases. This maximizes individualized learning in the operating room for the fellow and reduces ‘competition’ with residents for cases.”
Fortunately, he matched into the program—and it prepared him for the exact career path he wanted. “This program was designed to prepare each fellow for a Level 1 academic trauma position. It prepared me to manage high-energy polytrauma and be an effective communicator and teacher for resident physicians,” Chen reflected. “Now, I am an attending orthopaedic trauma surgeon at Loma Linda University, an academic Level 1 urban trauma center in Southern California.”
Roman Natoli, MD, PhD, fellowship director, remembers Chen’s time in the fellowship fondly. “He was cerebral, a deep-thinker and quiet,” Natoli shared. “He was diligent in his case preparation and unwavering in his pursuit of improvement.”
Applying fellowship experiences to real-world practice
Chen took the lessons and skills he learned in fellowship to Loma Linda University, noting how crucial his training was in making him the surgeon he is today.
“The daily sign-out was the most valuable part of the fellowship. Every day, the fellows were expected to provide comprehensive operative and care plans for each patient,” Chen explained. “Multiple attendings were present each weekday and would provide constructive feedback and tips and tricks to achieve better patient outcomes. These discussions have greatly informed the way I operate and the way I educate residents.”
Natoli remembers this about Chen. “He was very responsive to feedback and had the ability to get up, shake it off and go another round. This grit made him very successful!”
Chen remembers the physicians who mentored him through fellowship. “I had great mentorship from each and every attending,” Chen shared. The 8:2 faculty to fellow ratio ensured that mentorship was personalized and advanced. “They taught me how to comprehensively manage traumatized patients—from initial workup and resuscitation to operative techniques and postoperative care.”
In addition to technical surgical skills, the physicians who mentored him taught Chen the art of teaching others. “They taught me how to think and approach each surgery thoughtfully and carefully. They also taught me how to be an educator and pass on the many lessons I learned.”
For Chen, mentorship extended far beyond the operating room. “Dr. Natoli, the program director, was a key mentor for me outside the operating room,” Chen reflected. “He was supportive when I was discouraged. He taught me how to maintain mental health in the face of daily human suffering. He also reminded me that complications happen frequently in orthopaedic trauma, but they should not define who we are as people if we tried our best for the patient.”
Looking back three years later while employed at a highly competitive academic health center, Chen knows the fellowship was crucial to achieving his goals—and the physicians who trained him shaped him profoundly. “Their mentorship formed the foundation of who I am as a surgeon today.”
Give now
You can ensure the next generation of orthopaedic trauma surgeons is supported by donating to the orthopaedic trauma fellowship. Your financial support helps fund fellows' travel to conferences, publication fees and more. Give now.
