Fellows in our program have comprehensive exposure to the evaluation and treatment of patients with basic and complex hip and knee reconstruction needs.
The adult reconstruction team includes five fellowship-trained surgeons. Approximately 1,300 primary joint arthroplasty and 250 revision joint arthroplasty cases are performed each year.
Fellows have the opportunity to work in the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute (MOI), the largest freestanding and most comprehensive orthopaedic surgery center in the region. MOI is home to more than 25 orthopaedic surgeons. Equipped with clinics, operating rooms and private overnight patient rooms, along with some of the most progressive technology available, we are able to provide comprehensive orthopaedic care in one location.
Fellows live in a vibrant college town that provides the entertainment, sports and culture of a larger city while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and low-cost living that makes housing and transportation convenient and easy.
Exposure
Our comprehensive program focuses on caring for patients with arthritic and post-traumatic conditions affecting the hip and knee. Fellows will be part of a multidisciplinary team collaborating in the delivery of high-quality patient care from the outpatient clinic through surgical treatment and postoperative rehabilitation. Our fellows perform nearly 500 surgeries during their tenure — 20 percent of which are hip or knee revisions.
Fellows receive exposure to minimally invasive total hip replacement surgery using direct anterior, direct superior and posterolateral approaches. Fellows experience hip preservation surgery, including hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy. Knee reconstruction procedures include arthroscopy, partial knee replacement and total knee replacement using both conventional and minimally invasive approaches. Surgical procedures for the hip and knee cover the spectrum of treatment, including complex reconstruction for major structural bone loss. Fellows work with products from multiple implant companies.
Time demands
During the week, fellows spend four days in the operating room and one day in the outpatient clinic to enhance their understanding of patient assessment and surgical indications.
Fellows will participate in unreferred adult reconstruction service calls one out of every six weeks, with co-participation of one of the adult reconstruction attending faculty.
Curriculum
The adult reconstruction academic teaching program includes weekly case conferences and monthly journal clubs. Residents on the adult reconstruction and the VA rotation typically engage with our fellows in these academic opportunities. Fellows are encouraged to attend department grand rounds as well as visiting professor presentations.
Research
Fellows have ample opportunities to participate in clinical research during their fellowship year. Fellows are expected to present a study at a regional or national meeting and produce at least one publishable manuscript during their fellowship year.
A complete research infrastructure and laboratory space are available to fellows, including the Thompson Laboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics — a state-of-the art lab with internationally recognized faculty and staff. Fellows have access to a director of research, IRB coordinator, grants and contracts coordinator, research nurses, editors and a medical illustrator.
Meeting opportunities
Fellows are encouraged to attend the annual American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) meeting in November and will be sponsored to attend one surgical skills course or high impact meeting of their choice among courses occurring in the continental United States.
