Mission

To select, develop and train exceptional orthopaedic surgeons who can provide state of the art orthopaedic care immediately upon graduation

Vision

Unrelenting pursuit of excellence as we train future Army Family Physicians to care for those we are privileged to serve. Anytime, Anywhere—Always.

Aims

• To train competent Orthopedic Surgeons who possess the leadership skills and technical proficiency to lead forward deployed surgical teams.
• To train Orthopedic Surgeons who are capable of the full scope of orthopedic surgery in garrison, to care for active duty service members and their families in order to maintain readiness of the military force.
• To train providers who will become the future educators for the military's Orthopedic Surgery residency program

Monday

• Fracture Rounds, 6:30 - 6:55 a.m.

Tuesday

• Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Article Review, 6:30 - 6:55 a.m.
• Journal Club (monthly), 6 - 7 p.m.

Wednesday

• Lecture Series or Combine ER (monthly), 7 - 8 a.m.
• Resident or Student Presentations, 8 - 9:30 a.m.
• Mortality and Morbidity Conference (monthly), 9 - 10 a.m.
• Laboratory Training (weekly in fall), 9 a.m. - 12 pm.
• Saw Bones Class (monthly) or Research Meeting (monthly), 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
• Orthopaedic In-Training Exam Review

Friday

• Indications Conference, 7 - 8 a.m.

Residents will be able to choose two blocks (8 weeks) for elective rotations during PGY-5.

• Walter Reed PGY-4: Every Tuesday Night Senior Call, x2 Saturdays a month
• Womack Cape Fear PGY-1: In house Tuesday Night and x2 Weekends a month (Friday Night, Sunday Day or Saturday)
• Womack Cape Fear PGY-2: In house Monday Night and Thursday Night and x2 Weekends a month (Friday Night, Sunday Day or Saturday)
• Family Medicine Day: Call Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
• Uniformed Services University 3rd Year Medical Student: Wednesday Night or Tuesday Night
• Visiting 4th Year Medical Students: In house week Night and x2 Weekends a month (Friday Night, Sunday Day or Saturday)
• PGY 1-3: In house call (Family Medicine Call Rooms 4th floor)
• PGY 4-5: Home call

The WAMC Orthopedics Residency offers a diverse core and adjunct faculty with a wide variety of operational experiences along with close partnerships with many operational units located on Fort Liberty.

Our military curriculum is integrated into every aspect of our residents’ clinical experiences, with unique opportunities to care for patients engaging in airborne operations/jump coverage, Expert Field Medical Badge, Expert Medical Badge, Special Operations selection and training, Holistic Health and Fitness, Tactical Human Optimization, Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning Program, and many other unique military experiences specific to the Fort Liberty area. We also have a dedicated 2-week rotation on operational medicine which includes a 1-week Capstone exercise that incorporates trauma training, Instructional Course Lectures, and a mass casualty situation test.

• Basic Life Support
• Advanced Life Support or Advanced Trauma Life Support
• Intern Boot Camp
• Association of Osteosynthesis Basic Course and Advanced Course

The simulation curriculum is an essential component of the WAMC Orthopedics Residency training. Both ACGME and Defense Health Agency require frequent simulation exercises and training to ensure competency in patient care, teamwork, communication, and procedural care. WAMC has a robust Simulation Department that is essential to the Residency’s academic curriculum

The Simulation Department offers high fidelity simulation experiences including interactive adult, neonatal, pediatric, obstetric, and trauma mannequins, dog mannequins for veterinary trauma education, virtual reality simulation, ultrasound trainers, and much more.

Our program does not have a formal leadership curriculum. However, we include didactic lectures during academics, some of which come from the GME leadership curriculum. Residents also have two weeks at the end of training dedicated to transition to practice which is dedicated to training them to lead as a medical director or battalion surgeon. Residents are also expected to assume increasing leadership roles as they progress in training.

Residents must publish two case reports, one review article and one clinical/benchtop Capstone Research project submitted for publication prior to graduation.

Residents are required to participate in one quality improvement project per year.

WAMC offers multiple avenues for pursing professional development. Because of our large operational presence, there are frequent opportunities for Leader Professional Development seminars related to the care of patients in deployed and operational settings. Similarly, the program prioritizes participation in the monthly Medical Corps LPD Series, Faculty Development seminars run by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and faculty-driven seminars, advising, mentorship, and sponsorship.

Womack Army Medical Center

Womack possesses sufficient specialties, services and technology to provide a superb Orthopedics residency experience. The hospital employs both military and civilian board-certified clinical staff who provide 24-hour supervision of residents. There are over 208,000 eligible beneficiaries in the catchment area. Over 90,000 of these patients are enrolled to the Department of Family Medicine with over 13,000 enrolled to the Family Medicine Residency Clinic (WFMRC). This large military patient base includes all demographic categories and provides tremendous volume for routine cases as well as opportunities to treat unusual global pathology. The Graduate Medical Education Department provides institutional-level guidance, support, and oversight.

Wake Forest Baptist Health

PGY 3: Pediatric Orthopedic surgery training at a site with a Pediatric residency program This site addresses requirement for an experience where our residents will work with Pediatric residents, increasing the breadth and diversity of other learners that our residents will train with.

Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte)

PGY 1, 2 & 4: Orthopedic Trauma PGY 5: Pediatric Orthopedic experience in a site with a Pediatric Residency Program. This site addresses the requirements for both trauma and pediatrics by providing a training location that has pediatric residents, increasing the breadth and diversity of other learners that our residents will train with. This site is an academic level 1 trauma center and high caliber research platform, where our residents will work with faculty who have established national reputations as leaders in their fields. We plan to take advantage of the robust research capacities of CMC to give the residents the opportunity to complete a scholarly project with that site, since rotations span the duration of the training program.

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center

This site provides exposure to the full scope of General Orthopedic Surgery, and Sports Medicine. This site is part of the joint program, through which we will train two civilian residents per year. Support (salary, benefits, funding for presentation of scholarly activity) for the civilian trainees will be provided through Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

(See Rotation Schedule Per Year for rotations at participating sites)

Medical students are encouraged to rotate with us!

USUHS 3rd year medical students may rotate with us as part of their elective option during their surgery clerkship. Sub-intern and elective rotations are available for 4th year medical students.

• If you are interviewing for one of our two military slots, please join us between June and September.
• If you are interested in one of our two civilian slots, pleased join us between August and December. 

The WAMC Orthopaedics Residency Program and Program Director comply with the criteria for resident eligibility as specified by the ACGME, the Womack Graduate Medical Education Institutional Resident Guidelines and U.S. Army standards. Half of the residents are members of the U.S. Army, half are civilian trainees.

Interviews

Prior to interviews, we ask for a copy of your Curriculum Vitae and personal statement. Interviews are conducted during your rotation with us, but we can coordinate a telephone interview if you cannot visit us. At a minimum, you will interview with the Program Director, Associate Program Director, and core faculty members. We look for a variety of characteristics in our applicants, including fund of knowledge, scholarship, and professional citizenship. We also listen closely to our residents’ experience with each applicant, especially their ability to work well within the team.

Interviews can be requested in person and virtually. Please contact our program coordinator to schedule.

Selection to the Program

The MODS system is used for selection of residents into the Military portion of the Orthopaedics program. Medical students and post-graduate year selectees are determined by the Joint Service Selection Board held mid-November of each year. Match results are typically published mid-December.

Program graduates take the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery exams after graduation. During residency, the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination is part of the preparation for this process. This ABOS exam is two parts. The first part is a written exam, offered annually, and performed within a few weeks of successful residency graduation. To become fully board certified, successful Part 1 applicants then proceed to Step 2. Step 2 is an oral in-person examination completed after a period of case collection (typically six months) and submission. This exam is completed approximately two years into practice. After successful completion of Steps 1 and 2, fully trained surgeons are ABOS board certified orthopaedic surgeons.

Residents receive formal teacher training at the beginning of each academic year through our medical student coordinator. They have many opportunities to teach medical students and junior residents throughout training. They also have the opportunity to apply for the USUHS Faculty Development Rotation which is a funded elective.

Residents receive formal teacher training at the beginning of each academic year through our medical student coordinator. They have many opportunities to teach medical students and junior residents throughout training. They also have the opportunity to apply for the USUHS Faculty Development Rotation which is a funded elective.

We have faculty trained in a diversity of Army Fellowships including Faculty Development, Hospitalist Medicine, Obstetrics, and Sports Medicine.

Mentorship and Sponsorship are key components to leader professional development in military medicine. While there is not a formalized curriculum for mentorship and sponsorship, the program prioritizes developing faculty within both academic and military medicine environments and pulls from our broad and extensive operational and academic medicine experiences to do so. Our goal is to help faculty identify areas of interest for career progression and help develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to succeed as military medical officers.

The WAMC has a Wellness Support Pathway. In addition, the Womack Orthopedics program and institution educates residents and faculty members on the professional responsibilities of physicians to appear for duty appropriately rested and fit to provide services required by their patients. The program is committed to promoting patient safety and resident well-being in a supportive educational environment.

Access to Food

Trainees have access to food via the hospital Dining Facility, which is open around the traditional day‐time hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Between meals there is a robust selection of vending machines.

Sleep Facilities

Trainees have dedicated, locked, badge‐accessible call room facilities, which are proximate to clinical care sites on 4S and 3N in the Mother Baby Unit lactation area.

Lactation Facilities

There are dedicated lactation rooms on the mother baby unit and in the Orthopedics Clinic.. There is a fridge dedication dedicated to breast milk storage in the Family Medicine Residency Clinic staff lounge.

Security and safety appropriate to the training site

WAMC is located on Fort Liberty, a military installation with controlled access, which is limited to personnel who have a valid DOD identification card. Within the hospital, access to clinical sites is controlled by badge‐access, with access limited based on provider type and scope of practice. There is 24/7 on site presence of security personnel. The GME Ombudsman is available to trainees and faculty who, as a conduit to raise safety concerns and direct them to the appropriate hospital committee.

Accommodations for residents with disabilities

WAMC is committed to providing an accessible educational experience to trainees who may also have injuries or disabilities.

Medical Care

There is sick call starting at 6:30 a.m. in the Family Medicine Residency Clinic. If you will be going to sick call and anticipate being home on quarters, you must call the provider call-out line at 910-907-7005 prior to 6:30 a.m. You must also notify either the Program Director or Associate Program Director.  

Psychological Support

Support services available to trainees are outlined in the ‘Wellness Support Pathways’ outlined below. Self‐care resources are introduced in Intern Orientation and updated annually. This past academic year, we have secured a dedicated Behavioral Health provider who serves as a point of contact to facilitate rapid and confidential entry into the Behavioral Health System.

Womack also has an Impaired Healthcare Provider Program to support healthcare providers whose patient care is at risk of being affected by a medical issue.