Rotations In Orthopaedic Surgery

This is a vigorous and challenging program. The residents are expected to take charge of patient problems and are given considerable responsibility with constant involvement and supervision by full-time and part-time faculty. All residents come in contact with private patients throughout the program and are expected to be the primary surgeon in most of the operative cases. In general, the residents will find the faculty attending each of the clinics and operative procedures. The call schedule is demanding, especially in the UCIMC and Children’s Hospital of Orange County rotations.

PGY-I

The PGY-I year is an internship that provides a comprehensive background in areas considered basic to orthopaedic practice. Fourteen rotations include 5 months in general surgery, which will include one rotation each of trauma, plastics, surgical intensive care unit, vascular, and general surgery. The PGY-I resident will also be doing three rotations of internal medicine that will include one rotation each of medical intensive care unit, emergency medicine, and neurosurgery. The final three rotations will be orthopaedic surgery. Below is a template of an intern yearly rotation schedule that has been approved by the RRC.

The General Surgery internship year at UC Irvine can be rewarding and challenging at times. In general, your rotations will consist of 2 months of ortho at the VA in long beach, 1 month of ortho at UC Irvine Med Center, 1 month in the ER, 1 to 2 months in the ICU, 1 month of neurosurgery, 1 month of vascular surgery, 2 months of General Surgery Trauma, and a smattering of UC Irvine or VA general surgery rotations or sub-specialties likes Plastics, Neurosurgery, etc.

During your intern year, you become proficient in learning how to care for trauma patients and surgical patients in a systematic way. About six months into the year, you become very comfortable taking care of trauma and surgical patients and learning how to manage a service. As the intern, you have quite a bit responsibility within the team and this will prepare you well for orthopaedics. You also learn to navigate through the different computer systems, working with case managers for disposition and how to work within the walls of the hospital.

Be prepared to work around 80 hours per week on some rotations (less on others) and UCI follows the work hour rules of leaving post call at noon the following day. Also be ready to start learning orthopaedics early, especially during the 3 months of your orthopaedic rotations which usually are the best of the year. As an intern in orthopaedics, if you are able to manage the floor work, you are welcome to scrub on any cases (and be ready to operate when you are in the OR!!!).

Link to PGY-II and PGY- III
Link to PGY-IV and PGY- V

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