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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Orthopaedic Surgery
Find information on the Orthopaedic Clinical Elective in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, including course expectations and clinical duties.

Electives

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery offers a variety of electives for Indiana University School of Medicine students and guest students. Third-year students should have completed their surgery clerkship before selecting an advanced clinical elective. All electives are four weeks in duration.

As part of every elective, students are expected to prepare and give a brief presentation on an orthopaedic topic of their choosing. This gives students an opportunity to showcase their abilities in self-directed learning, teaching and presentation skills in front of department faculty.

See the medical school elective course descriptions for other opportunities in orthopaedics throughout the state.

The Orthopaedic Clinical Elective (93LA710) is a clinically oriented-rotation elective designed to introduce students to orthopaedic surgery as a specialty. Students work out of Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital in general orthopaedics and trauma; will be assigned to the resident orthopaedic staff for clinic, ward and surgical disciplines; attend conferences and formal hospital rounds; and serve periodic night duty in the emergency ward. Students are expected to gain a firm grasp of general orthopaedics from a clinical perspective. Emphasis is placed on clinical evaluation, diagnostic testing, diagnosis and treatment plan for patients presenting in a typical clinical setting.

This Musculoskeletal Surgical Oncology Elective (93LA740) rotation is designed to provide a broad exposure to the subspecialty of musculoskeletal surgical oncology. This experience is an excellent opportunity for medical students to join a team that manages a wide spectrum of both benign and malignant conditions of the musculoskeletal system in children and adults. Students should expect to work with a surgical team caring for patients with complex conditions often requiring a multidisciplinary team approach with abundant clinic and surgical responsibilities. Through this elective, students become familiar with interpretation of musculoskeletal imaging, surgical techniques, and gain experience in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumors. This elective is best suited for third- and- fourth-year medical students who are interested in radiology, pathology, surgery, pediatrics, orthopaedics or oncology as a career specialty.

The Orthopaedic Surgery Spine elective is an advanced clinical elective focusing on the management of patients sustaining spinal disorders related to degenerative disease, deformity, trauma, tumor and their sequelae. Students will be involved in all aspects of the continuum of care, including initial emergency management, non-operative and surgical treatment, inpatient care, and the outpatient management of patients with all spinal disorders. Students will work with faculty daily and are expected to have direct participation in all activities. On average one day per week will be in outpatient clinic. Two days of weekend call are anticipated. In addition to a strong clinical experience, there will be didactic lectures on essential Spine Surgery topics with associated readings. The application of basic science, anatomy, physiology, pathology, injury morphology and fundamental biomechanical principles will be emphasized as they relate to the treatment of spinal disorders and optimization of patient care.

The Orthopaedic Trauma Elective (93LA755) is an advanced clinical elective focusing on the management of patients sustaining major orthopaedic injuries and their sequelae. Students will be involved in all aspects of the continuum of care, including initial emergency management, non-operative and surgical treatment of injuries, inpatient care, and the outpatient management of patients sustaining fractures and dislocations of the extremities and pelvis. Students will work with faculty daily and are expected to have direct participation in all activities. On average, one day per week will be in outpatient clinic. Two days of weekend call are anticipated. The application of basic science foundations in anatomy, cell biology/systems physiology, and fundamental biomechanical principles will be emphasized as they relate to the treatment of fractures and optimizing fracture healing.

The Orthopaedic Trauma Elective (93LA755) is an advanced clinical elective focusing on the management of patients sustaining major orthopaedic injuries and their sequelae. Students will be involved in all aspects of the continuum of care, including initial emergency management, non-operative and surgical treatment of injuries, inpatient care, and the outpatient management of patients sustaining fractures and dislocations of the extremities and pelvis. Students will work with faculty daily and are expected to have direct participation in all activities. On average, one day per week will be in outpatient clinic. Two days of weekend call are anticipated. In addition to a strong clinical experience, there will be associated readings in CANVAS. The application of basic science foundations in anatomy, cell biology/systems physiology, and fundamental biomechanical principles will be emphasized as they relate to the treatment of fractures and optimizing fracture healing.