Fellows in our program care for University of Missouri athletes from 19 sports who compete in the Division I Southeastern Conference (SEC), as well as athletes from the Division II level, intramural club sports and local high school programs. Fellows will learn and work in the fast-paced and high-volume sports medicine and shoulder/elbow surgery programs at Mid-Missouri's largest free standing musculoskeletal center.
Faculty experts in sports medicine and trauma, as well as shoulder-and-elbow specialists, provide mentoring and oversight to prepare fellows for their careers as orthopaedic sports surgeons.
Our program offers vast research opportunities in clinical and basic science. 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.
Goals
Our goal is to train sports medicine fellows to rise to their fullest potential and become future leaders who excel in all aspects of orthopaedic care. Surgeons completing this fellowship will be qualified to enter an academic or private-practice career.
Fellows will be a part of a multidisciplinary team collaborating with fellowship trained physicians, athletic trainers, nurses, therapists, technicians and social workers with the capability of providing total orthopaedic care to patients including athletes of all ages.
Exposure
Fellows experience approximately 500 cases with a variety of clinical, surgical and sports coverage scenarios, including:
- Complex knee surgery, including knee dislocations
- Multi-ligament knee reconstruction
- Meniscal transplantation
- ACL reconstruction
- Elbow arthroscopy
- UCL reconstruction
- Complex articular cartilage and joint preservation including single and multisurface biologic reconstruction
- Open shoulder reconstruction including total and reverse total arthroplasty
- Hip arthroscopy and complex hip labral/cartilage reconstruction
- Limb realignment including periarticular osteotomies
Time demands
During the week, fellows will split their time between the operating room and clinics. Fellows will also have dedicated research time to complete at least one research project and start one long-term project (either clinical or basic science) throughout their tenure.
In addition to the faculty they work with in their rotations, fellows receive treatment referrals from our department’s four non-operative, fellowship-trained sports physicians.
Conference curriculum
Grand Rounds: Twice a month
Sports Medicine Resident/Fellow Core Lectures: Twice a month
Sports Medicine Team Case Conference: Quarterly
Sports Medicine Team Journal Club: Quarterly
MSK MRI/Sports Medicine Combined Conference: Quarterly
M&M Conference: Monthly
Research
Fellows have ample opportunities to work with basic and clinical science research projects and are encouraged to participate in research and produce a manuscript at the end of the fellowship year.
A complete research team is available to the fellows. They will have access to 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, an institutional review board (IRB) coordinator, grants and contracts coordinator, research nurses, editors and a medical illustrator.
Meeting opportunities
Fellows will have the opportunity to attend and present their research at major regional and national orthopaedic meetings hosted by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Association of North America, AO Sports Medicine, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Leadership
Fellows are supervised by Keith Kenter, MD and other experienced and enthusiastic faculty. Many of the fellowship faculty serve as Official Team Physicians for the University of Missouri Tigers athletic programs including football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming, track, and other sports teams. Fellows will work alongside the faculty and learn how to lead a medical team.
Dr. Keith Kenter is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor who has more than 25 years of experience diagnosing and treating sports injuries. Dr. Kenter has held positions on several national committees including the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine, the American Orthopaedic Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and more. He is a reviewer for several orthopaedic journals and is on the editorial board for the American Journal of Sports Medicine and associate editor for the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. He has received several excellence in teaching awards and has been elected to the Herodicus Society.
