Indiana University School of Medicine offers a one-year fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery and Scoliosis. This fellowship offers a dynamic training experience that encompasses all aspects of orthopedics at Indiana’s only Pediatric Level I Trauma Center. Fellows receive an unmatched level of engagement from IU School of Medicine faculty orthopaedic surgeons to enhance surgical technique and skill through individually tailored and focused training. This program is accredited by the ACGME and POSNA (Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America).
Clinical Experience
We have a very busy surgical and clinical service. In 2022, we did over 1,600 surgical cases and had over 20,000 outpatient visits.
There are no level I pediatric trauma centers in Indiana outside of Indianapolis, so we effectively cover a population of 9 million people. There is a dedicated trauma room for orthopaedic surgery Monday through Friday, where we typically do 15-20 new cases a week. We typically fix close to 250 elbow fractures a year.
In addition to trauma, we cover the entire scope of pediatric orthopaedic surgery:
- We do well over 100 spinal fusions per year
- We take care of about 100 new clubfeet per year with the Ponseti technique, in addition to surgeries for recurrence and relapse.
- We have a busy pediatric sports service under the direction of Dr. Tysklind, where fellows get a broad experience in pediatric ACL reconstruction, meniscal repair, patellofemoral instability, and shoulder instability.
- There is also excellent exposure to hip reconstruction (DDH, neuromuscular), limb lengthening (frames, intramedullary lengthening), and limb deformity correction.
- Like most pediatric hospitals in this era, we treat a large number of musculoskeletal infections.
In short, you will get experience in virtually all areas of pediatric orthopaedics.
The fellowship is designed to allow the fellow to spend more time in their field of interest. There are three-month blocks where the fellow is assigned to two to three attendings. For the final three months, the fellow chooses the two or three attendings they would like to spend more time with. This allows the fellow to spend up to six months with the attending of their choosing.
There is no in house call for the fellow.
Professional Development
The fellow participates in the didactic teaching schedule and gives presentations at the weekly pediatric orthopaedic teaching conference for residents.
The fellow assists faculty members in teaching casting to junior residents and provides insight and teaching at ER follow-up conferences and weekly indications conferences, where each case is reviewed from presentation to treatment to outcome. Pertinent literature and faculty experience are included in the discussions.
Fellows are expected to complete a research project suitable for submission for publication or podium presentation by the end of the fellowship year.
Admissions
All applicants for the Pediatric Orthopaedics Surgery and Scoliosis Fellowship at IU School of Medicine must apply for open positions exclusively through the San Francisco Match. Registration and the match is administered by the San Francisco Matching Program (SF Match), designed to be a transparent, unbiased process in which applicants and programs are matched. The match takes place in April one year prior to active start date and after the application and interview process has ended and confidential rank lists are sent to the SF Match.
