The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery provides medical students with the opportunity to learn about diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal problems and injuries. Students will spend one month working closely with faculty and residents on one or two of the orthopedic services. All students will also attend the weekly educational lectures and conferences.

Prerequisite: Completion of third-year General Surgery Clerkship

Faculty: Robert Weinschenk, M.D., Assistant Professor

The educational goals for the Orthopedic Surgery Rotation include:

• To develop the ability to take an orthopedic history
• To gain proficiency in examination of extremities and spine
• To understand the appropriate use of orthopedic terminology
• To learn to describe X-ray findings accurately
• To gain a basic understanding of the principles of musculoskeletal care
• To gain a basic understanding of skeletal development
• To have an introduction to reconstructive joint surgery
• To gain the ability to recognize signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolus, fat embolus syndrome, compartment syndrome, infection
• To learn to perform minor procedures correctly (e.g. cast application, arthrocentesis, insertion of traction pins)

Application Notice

All requests for rotations must be submitted to the Medical Student Education Coordinator no later than the listed deadline for each rotation. Rotations will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students will be notified of the details of their rotation within two weeks of the deadline date.

Any questions should be directed to Michelle.Hughes@utsouthwestern.edu.

Students will be assigned to rotate on one or two of the seven orthopedic services in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center:

• Sports Medicine
• Adult Reconstruction
• Spine
• Hand Surgery
• Orthopedic Trauma
• Foot and Ankle
• Pediatrics

Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) will open on April 1, 2024 and all requests for rotations must be requested through VSLO. After reviewing each application you will be notified by Michelle Hughes, via email.

The following information will be requested of all applicants:

1. Requested rotation block. Please include your first, second, and third choice.
   
   

   Block	Date Range
   1	07/01/2024 - 07/26/2024
   2	07/29/2024 - 08/23/2024
   3	08/26/2024 - 09/20/2024
   4	09/23/2024 - 10/18/2024
   5	10/21/2024 - 11/15/2024
   6	11/18/2024 - 12/13/2024
   7	01/06/2025 - 01/31/2025
   8	02/03/2025 - 02/28/2025
   9	03/03/2025 - 03/28/2025
   10	04/14/2025 - 05/09/2025
   11	05/12/2025 - 06/06/2025
   12	06/09/2025 - 07/04/2025

2. USMLE Step 1 Score
3. Third-year medical school grades for Core Rotations (Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Ob/Gyn, Family Medicine, Neurology)