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How to Prepare for Orthopedic Surgery Residency While in Medical School

Authors: Emily Jagenburg, Bill Woodhams, Marquisha Myles MD, Alfred Bayaton, Drew Albert MD MBA Preparing for orthopedic surgery residency can seem overwhelming, especially when trying to find research opportunities and mentorship. Whether you’re an eager pre-medical student or a few months from applying, the following tips can help you build a strong orthopedic surgery application…

Ortho Acronyms

8/22/21: Orthopedic Surgery Mentorship

Thanks for reading our newsletter! This is a collection of the things happening around our community, news in the ortho, business and tech worlds, and other great things we are thinking about and learning! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out on Twitter or check out our website at orthoconditioning.com. Upcoming OrthoForge…

7/18/21 Newsletter: Unstable Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures

Thanks for reading our newsletter! This is a collection of the things happening around our community, news in the ortho, business and tech worlds, and other great things we are thinking about and learning! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out on Twitter or check out our website at orthoconditioning.com. Recent Posts Ortho Trauma Survival…

7/4/21 Newsletter: Tibial Plateau Fractures and Vascular Injury

Thanks for reading our newsletter! This document is a collection of the things happening around our community, news in the ortho, business and tech worlds, and other great things we are thinking about and learning! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out on Twitter or check out our website at orthoconditioning.com. Recent Posts Ortho Forge…

6/4/21 Newsletter: Humeral Shaft Fractures Discussion

The Ortho Rotation Handbook

Away rotations are an unforgiving test in emotional intelligence. Read the room, try to know the attendings and their research, and the residents. Be well prepared for the surgeries. Look at Hoppenfeld, Wiesel Operative Techniques, and the AO Surgery Reference. Look for those books at your university library. In my opinion, Netters is great,…

Femoral Neck Fracture Management

Femoral neck fractures are a common pathology within orthopedic trauma surgery. The surgical management is dictated by fracture location, as well as other factors such as stability. These indications are often a hot topic for pimping questions from attendings and residents. In this post, we’ll discuss the important workup and surgical options for femoral neck…

Ortho OR Instruments

Attached to this post are some helpful flash cards that will help you memorize important names of instruments commonly used in orthopedic surgeries, especially in trauma. The PDF version is also listed in case you don’t use Anki. Ortho OR Instruments Anki Deck & PDF

Ortho Trauma Supplies

Here is a list of ortho trauma supplies for some of the most frequently performed procedures. Having a bag or fanny pack might look funny, but having the supplies directly on hand can be really helpful to residents! Full item list for Fanny Pack or bag 10cc syringe 18 gauge needles Band aids Tape Chlorehexidine…

Need to Know Criteria and Classification Systems

There are many classification systems within orthopedics. Here are the systems that we have found are commonly discussed in fracture conference that would be good to be familiar with for your ortho trauma rotations. Gustillo-Anderson Classification (For Open Fractures) Type 1 Laceration <1cm in diameter Type 2 Laceration >1cm <10cm without signs of high energy…

Checklists: Admission, Pre-Op and Post-Op

How to Use Checklists: The Do-and-Verify Method Do all these pre-op or post-op tasks by memory. Then go through each point on a real checklist (phone or paper) to double check that you did it. Be systematic and consistent (This is how I was trained for doing pre-flight checks before flying). The safety in…

Describing Fractures

Format Say the views you are seeing and the laterality, if you are unsure of the view just say 1 or 2-view of a left or right “blank”. Look for open physes to say, “skeletally mature or immature individual”. Starting out this a good practice, when you are a resident it may not be necessary…

Gunshot Wound to Thigh

Credit: OrthoBoss “45M gangster presenting with gunshot wound (GSW) to the left thigh after drug deal gone wrong. No other injuries. Physical examination demonstrates small entry and exit wounds.” How would you describe this fracture? What was the velocity of the projectile, high or low? Any more imaging that you would want…

Basics of Orthopedic Trauma Fixation

Orthopedic Trauma Basic Principles Goals of orthopedic surgeons when fixing fractures Reduce fractures restoring length and alignment Fracture fixation with absolute or relative stability Preserving blood supply and soft tissue envelope No soft tissue envelope = little to no blood supply Must be careful to not expose more than absolutely necessary All for the sake…

Systematic Way to Read Foot Xrays

Here we go. Foot xrays. There are alot of details that could be discussed here. This is a good starting point. Commonly in three views. AP, oblique and lateral. Shown below in order. Remember: Say what views you are seeing. Look for open growth plates and say whether the image is skeletally mature or immature…

Distal Radius Case: Vet Fell Off His Bike

50 year old vet fell off his bike. What do you see? What would you do in the emergency room for this? Remember to use a system for reading your xrays. Read this post if you haven’t yet: System for reading wrist xrays Updates with answers coming later this week! Please comment below to weigh…

The Ortho Patient Interview Guide

Timing Timing is so important. Orthopedic residents must be time efficient when seeing consults because procedures can take so long and it is easy for your list to grow quickly. Aim for keeping your patient interview around <4 minutes and your whole interaction <8-10 minutes. Of course this will vary depending on this situation, but…

Case: Distal Radius Fracture

Case Objectives Distal radius fractures are simple and complex at the same time. Here are the practical things you need to know as a medical student (there’s more than this, but this is a good start): How do radial fractures classically present? How do you read the xrays? How do you reduce the fracture, and…

Clavicle Fractures: Non-op or Surgery?

Questions to ask the patient: Mechanism (story) Pain locations Numbness or tingling? I like to always ask the same ROS for billing purposes and picking up on the more dangerous things chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, fevers, chills. Add on pertinent ROS to injuries if you can think of them (You need a…

Video: System for Reading Hip Xrays and Femoral Neck Fractures

System for Reading Hip Xrays

System for reading hip Xrays Verify patient and laterality If you’re in conference Say what views you are seeing Skeletal maturity The most correct answer for what is going on Go back over the image in a systematic way Look at the acetabulum Then hip joint Review Shenton’s line, picture below Shenton’s line From proximal…

System for Reading Pediatric Elbow Xrays

System for Reading Pediatric Elbow Xrays Verify patient name and side Quality of views Follow cortices and medullary canals proximal to distal humerus, ulna, then radius Anterior humeral line Radiocapitellar line Assess joint line for varus valgus Assess Physes Soft tissue shadows Look closely at point of maximal tenderness (based off your physical exam) Assessing…

System for Reading Pelvis Xrays

As always, utilize whatever system works best for you! Here is one example. If you haven’t read, System for Reading Wrist Xrays, that is a good place to start! We follow the same approach: Say what views you are seeing, skeletal maturity, and what the most to-the-point correct description of the main problem going on.…

Antibiotic Choice in Open Fractures

The most important factor to preventing infection in open fractures is time to antibiotics, less than 1 hour from time of injury is ideal. Summary Chart: Injury Type Penicillin Allergic Type 1 and 2 Ancef Clinda or Vanc Type 3 Ancef or Ceftriaxone + Gent or Cipro Some institutions: Cefepime + Vanc Aztreonam + Vanc…

Shoulder Case #1

50 yo bicycle vs car going 55 mph, he was wearing a helmet, he is holding his right arm above his head and says he can’t move his shoulder. Numbness in hand, weakness with extensor pollicis longus (EPL). Otherwise, neurovascularly intact. No other injuries reported by the emergency physician. What’s going on? What would you…