Mission

The mission of Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program is to graduate highly competent, well-rounded Orthopaedic surgeons capable of providing world-class clinical care to our warfighters and their families, and to provide that care in any environment, including forward deployed, austere locations.

Vision

Our program aims to graduate highly competent, well-rounded Orthopaedic surgeons capable of providing excellent clinical care to military service members and their families. Graduates can adapt and thrive in a variety of clinical settings, including forward deployed, austere environments. We constantly continue to develop the skills and capabilities of its teaching faculty, both through a structured faculty development curriculum and by continuing to welcome the most challenging and complex Orthopaedic practice referrals in the military. We continue to develop our research capabilities in order to provide leading clinical, basic-science, and bio-mechanical research that will benefit the Orthopaedic community worldwide.

Aims

Our program believes in providing amazing opportunities, aims for excellence, thoughtfully considers wellness, and ensures a ready medical force. The aims of the Orthopaedic Surgery Program are the following:

• The program aims to continue to graduate highly competent, well-rounded Orthopaedic surgeons capable of providing excellent clinical care to military service members and their families. 
• The program aims to develop surgeons who can adapt and thrive in a variety of clinical settings, including forward-deployed, austere environments.
• The program aims to continue to develop the skills and capabilities of its teaching faculty, both through a structured faculty development curriculum and by continuing to welcome the most challenging and complex Orthopaedic practice referrals in the military.

The program aims to continue developing its research capabilities to provide leading clinical, basic-science, and biomechanical research that will benefit the Orthopaedic community worldwide.

Academics at Balboa consists of a combination of lectures, presentations, department-wide conferences, and hands-on cadaver sessions. Our department also meets approximately 10 times a year with UCSD's Orthopaedic Department for grand round talks, visiting professor sessions and participates in joint academic endeavors, conferences, and bio-skills training simulation events in the local San Diego area.

Wednesday NMCSD Academic Schedule:

• 12 - 2 p.m.: Bio-Skills Training (select academic days)
• 2 - 3 p.m.: Anatomy
• 3 - 4 p.m.: Fx Rounds
• 4 - 5 p.m.: Case Conference / Case Based Grand Rounds / Better Physician Series
• 5 - 6 p.m.: Resident led OITE academics (or journal club)

There is one PGY-5 combined NMCSD / Kaiser Foundation Hospital elective rotation in which residents participate in two days of dedicated pediatric orthopedic care at NMCSD and then three days of electives at Kaiser Foundational Hospital. 

• PGY-1s: There is no overnight or weekend call while on NMCSD Ortho rotations. PGY-1 residents will have some overnight and weekend call requirements on off-service rotations (ie. ICU, Trauma, etc).  
• PGY-2/3s: There is a dedicated 10-week Night Float system for weekday call.  Weekend and holiday junior call is divided up evenly between the PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents in the junior call pool.
• PGY-4/5s: Residents splint senior call.  Weekday senior call is covered by a single PGY-5 on the 10-week “Super-Chief” rotation.  Weekend and holiday call is split between the PGY-4 and PGY-5 residents.

Our academic year includes a ‘better physician series’ which covers aspects of patient care unique to life within the military orthopaedics community and leadership as a military officer.  Additionally chief residents complete a 2-day Combat Orthopaedic Trauma Course and receive funded travel to the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) conference each year.  All residents also complete Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).

Orthopedic Surgery Residents are required to maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification throughout their residency training.  In addition, Orthopedic Surgery Residents will complete the following:

• AO Trauma Basic Principles Course (PGY-2)
• Combat Ortho Trauma Surgery (COTS+) Course (PGY-5)
• Maine Ortho Board Review Course (PGY-5)
• Combat Casualty Care Course (C4) in San Antonio, TX or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) at NMCSD.

Our academic year includes a ‘better physician series’ which covers aspects of patient care unique to life within the military orthopaedics community and leadership as a military officer. PGY-5 residents hold chief resident leadership positions in Department Research, Administration, Bioskills, Call, and Academics. These positions interface with the residency program director and assistance program director and help lead the residency program. Each year, the residency hosts a “Professional Development Day” in which both on and off-site speakers are invited to NMCSD to discuss topics such as leadership, professional development, or career enhancement. Residents have the ability to attend the Navy’s Intermediate Leadership Course (ILC) – held monthly in San Diego.

All residents are required to complete one research project (from IRB through manuscript submission) while in residency. All residents attend the Orthopaedic Research Education Foundation (OREF) meeting when held in San Diego. Additionally, residents attend the San Diego Orthopaedic Society (SDOS) meeting yearly. Residents are granted up to 10 TDY days per academic year to participate in conferences. Residents have numerous opportunities to complete research at NMCSD, or partner institutions such as Rady Children’s hospital, UCSD, San Diego Spine Foundation, Denver Hospital, or Kaiser. The research chief resident assists with ensuring resident have ample research opportunities and meet requirements.

Residents are required to complete one process improvement project during their PGY-3 and PGY-5 years while on the NMCSD Ortho Sports rotation. Other performance improvement projects are highly encouraged and completed throughout the year as residents see fit.

Each year, the residency hosts a “Professional Development Day” in which both on and off-site speakers are invited to NMCSD to discuss topics such as leadership, professional development, or career enhancement. Additionally, residents undergo ‘career development boards’ with a dedicated orthopaedic staff to prepare them for promotion and development as a naval officer. Our academic year includes a ‘better physician series’ which covers aspects of patient care unique to life within the military orthopaedics community and leadership as a military officer. Residents have the ability to attend the Navy’s Intermediate Leadership Course (ILC) – held monthly in San Diego.

• Denver Health Medical Center
• Kaiser Permanente Hospital
• Rady Children's Hospital
• Scripps Green Hospital (San Diego Spine Foundation)
• Scripps Mercy Hospital 
• Sharp Healthcare
• University of California San Diego 

Our program offers rotations to fourth-year medical students and third year students on a space available basis. Rotations are for those interested in applying to Orthopaedic Surgery. Rotations are four weeks (one block) long and include multiple clinical shifts, didactic opportunities, simulation experiences, and catered time for learning about the values and culture of the program.

Please visit our Medical Student Rotation informational page to see a listing of available medical student rotations offered at NMCSD.

If you would like to schedule an interview with our program, please email the Orthopedic Surgery Program at: dha.san-diego.San-Diego-NMC.list.nmcsd-ortho@health.mil

Immediately following graduation, program graduates take the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part I qualifying examination.  They then become board-eligible and begin case collection as a Staff Orthopaedic Surgeon.  Following case collection, they are allowed to sit for ABOS Part II Oral Boards.  Members must successfully pass both Part I and Part II to be considered board certified.  

Orthopedic Surgery program graduates must complete all pre-requisites required by the Orthopaedic Surgery by the ABOS by October 15^th. The specific board eligibility requirements and additional guidance is provided on the ABOS website.

Residents are expected to assume increasing levels of responsibility as teachers to their peers in the department throughout their time.

Residents are offered the opportunity to teach courses at local, regional, national, and international conferences.

• Ortho – Adult reconstruction
• Ortho – Foot & ankle
• Ortho – Hand & Upper Extremity
• Ortho - Oncology
• Ortho - Pediatrics
• Ortho - Spine
• Ortho - Sports Medicine
• Ortho - Trauma

Resident education is more than just medical knowledge and surgical skill acquisition. Teaching our protégé to be successful orthopaedic surgeons requires nurturing, leading, supporting, and providing a positive role model. In brief, it requires effective mentoring. As mentors, we should encourage our mentees, assist with identifying and remediating deficits, promote, and guide scholarly activity, provide naval officer and orthopaedic surgery career advice, and be supportive and empathetic.

Each year, residents and faculty commit to a mentee-mentor relationship. This relationship should be mutual and consistent, preferably lasting throughout the residency training program to foster longevity. Should the relationship be ineffective, mentors and mentees can be changed. Mentees should choose mentors who best match their personality and professional goals. All residents, PGY 1-5, will have a mentor. Mentees should meet with their mentors twice a year. Meetings can be as informal as getting a cup of coffee.

The program employs a range of departmental and institutional level resources to promote well-being among residents. The program has off-site Journal Clubs, 1st Friday social gatherings, and quarterly wellness activities. The objective is to promote comradery and give residents an opportunity to relax and have a good time.