Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program | MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

The MedStar Health—Georgetown University Hospital Residency Program in Orthopaedic Surgery

Faculty and chief residents wearing white lab coats from the Orthopedic Residency Program in Washington DC stand together outdoors for a group photo.

MedStar Health - Georgetown University Partnership MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is the sponsoring institution for graduate medical education programs as well as the principal clinical site for graduate medical education.

Our goal is to facilitate the ethical, professional, and personal development of residents and fellows, while ensuring safe and appropriate care for patients.

MedStar Georgetown is committed to assuring that it and the clinical programs it sponsors meet or surpass all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accreditation requirements.

The MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Orthopaedic Surgery Residency is a five-year, ACGME-accredited, training program that accepts four resident trainees per year.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center is the largest private hospital in the nation's capital. Like MedStar Georgetown, it is part of MedStar Health.

In addition to the three months spent during the PGY-1 year, residents rotate at MedStar Washington Hospital Center during the PGY-2 and PGY-5 years. In addition to two fellowship-trained orthopedic traumatologists, this rotation offers exposure to sports medicine and arthroscopy, total joint replacement, and hand and spine surgery.

PGY-1

The PGY-1 year includes six months of general orthopedics/orthopedic trauma split between MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Call at MedStar Washington Hospital Center is in-house and includes primary call responsibilities. The remainder of the year includes rotations in general and transplant surgery, trauma, SICU, surgical skills, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and musculoskeletal radiology as per the requirements of the ABOS/ACGME.
Orthopedic surgery residency training

Training years PGY-2 through -5 include a graded experience at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and affiliated training hospitals. Each resident spends 21 months at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, ranked the #1 hospital in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region by U.S. News & World Report, with rotations at the junior, senior, and Chief level.

Orthopaedic Surgery residents have ample exposure to orthopedic trauma on all rotations, in addition to a dedicated trauma rotation during the PGY-4 year. The three months each as a PGY-2 and PGY-3, in addition to the three months as a PGY-5, include additional exposure to sports medicine and arthroscopy, total joint replacement, foot and ankle, hand surgery, and pediatric orthopedics. Call is in-house and is every fifth night.
PGY-3, PGY-4, and PGY-5

During the PGY-3 year, each resident spends three months at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE (less than 2 hours from Washington, D.C., housing provided). This rotation provides an outstanding exposure to the subspecialty of pediatric orthopedics and was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the country's "Best Children's Hospitals" for pediatric orthopedics.

An additional three months of training in pediatric orthopedics is attained as a PGY-4 at Children's National Medical Center. Children's National is a 283-bed, Level I pediatric hospital in the heart of Washington, D.C., next to the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

In addition to these primary affiliate hospitals, each resident spends three months during the PGY-5 year at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital focusing on “community” orthopedics in preparation for post residency practice.

Didactic program

A formal didactic program complements the clinical experience. Protected time is dedicated to these conferences and all residents are expected to attend (except AI Dupont resident).
Outpatient experience

Critical to each resident's educational experience (although not always apparent to them at the time) is the exposure to the orthopedic outpatient. Not only is this an important part of orthopedic practice, but it also provides the resident with the much-needed opportunity to experience continuity of care, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care.

Each resident despite rotation location spends a half-day two times per week in an outpatient venue. The experiences are tightly structured to ensure that the resident sees patients he or she has seen in the hospital setting.

Rotations

Each rotation is under the guidance of fellowship-trained subspecialists. Rotations are three months in duration and include: foot and ankle (PGY-2), hand (PGY-3), spine (PGY-3), adult joint reconstruction (PGY-2 & -4), sports medicine (PGY-4), and general/pediatric orthopedics (PGY-5). Call at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is a home call.

PGY-1
MedStar Washington Hospital Center - General Orthopedics/Trauma: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - General Orthopedics: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/ MedStar Washington Hospital Center - ED, Surgical ICU, Plastic Surgery, Trauma Surgery, Radiology, Surgical Skills: 6 months
PGY-2
Inova Fairfax - General Orthopedics: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Adult Reconstruction: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Foot and Ankle Surgery: 3 months

MedStar Washington Hospital Center - General Orthopedics/Trauma: 3 months
PGY-3
Inova Fairfax - Pediatric Orthopedics: 3 months

Inova Mt. Vernon Hospital/Anderson Clinic - Community Sports: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Hand Surgery: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Spine Surgery: 3 months
PGY-4
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Adult Reconstruction/Research: 3 months

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - Sports Medicine: 3 months

Inova Fairfax - Trauma: 3 months

Children's National Medical Center - Pediatric Orthopedics: 3 months
PGY-5 (Chief Rotations)
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital - General and Pediatric Orthopedics: 3 months

MedStar Washington Hospital Center - General Orthopedics/Trauma: 3 months

Inova Fairfax - General Orthopedics/Trauma: 3 months

Elective rotation: 3 month

Visiting students

Click here to learn more about visiting students.
Away rotations are coordinated through the Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) using the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program. Electives are offered to 4th-year medical students enrolled in U.S. LCME-accredited institutions and osteopathic students.

For international student inquiries Please contact Dr. Irma Frank, the Senior Associate Dean for International Programs, for further information. Dr. Frank can be reached at franki@georgetown.edu.

Diversity Scholarship – Apply Now!

The Orthopaedic Surgery Department at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is focused on creating a working environment that is diverse and equitable by supporting members of all ages, ethnicities, genders, races, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds pursuing Orthopaedics. This year, in conjunction with MedStar Health Academic Affairs, the department will be providing 3 scholarships to 4th year medical students who are applying to Orthopaedic surgery residency and wish to participate in a 4-week away rotation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

The scholarship provides a $1,500 stipend to help cover travel and housing costs associated with away rotations. Students of diverse backgrounds/under-represented in medicine (URM) are encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements:

Must be a rising 4th year medical student (domestic LCME-accredited medical school) applying to Orthopaedic Surgery residency the upcoming year

CV

Medical School transcript (unofficial)

Letter of recommendation

Personal Statement, 300 words or less, explaining how your background has led you to appreciate the difficulties faced by the medical underserved in Orthopaedic Surgery and how your participation in this program will enhance your professional interests and further your career goals.

Step 1 Score/Pass Report

How to Apply:

Please send an email to Patrick.j.burroughs@medstar.net with subject line “URM Scholarship Application, (Insert Name)”

Attach all required documents to the email

Overview of 2025 - 2026 visiting student policies and procedures:

Any visiting medical student to Georgetown SOM & MedStar Health must come through VSLO/VSAS for a defined (and approved) clinical rotation as posted in the VSAS course catalog (available early March).

Visiting students will be able to submit applications starting April 1, 2025.

Applications will be reviewed by departments starting April 1, 2025 and will be processed on a rolling basis. Decisions will be conveyed to applicants by the GUSOM via VSLO.

In-person Ortho visiting rotations will be offered only for rotations that begin on or after August 1, 2025, not prior.

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Department of Orthopaedic Surgery will NOT be offering a virtual course for credit during the 2025-26 academic year.

Please see the most current visiting student policy for more details and timeline for the 2025 - 2026 academic year; this policy is outlined, along with additional information, on the GUSOM visiting student website.

Elective rotation directors and administrators review applications and accept/deny students. Accepted students are onboarded through the Office of Medical Education and the MedStar Department/service line that is hosting the student.

Contacting the GUSOM or Department of Orthopaedic Surgery will not expedite the processing of your application. All visiting students will be notified by the Office of Medical Education (through VSLO) as to your application status. If you have specific questions that are not in regard to your application status please direct your inquiries to the Office of Medical Education at medicaleducationoffice@georgetown.edu.

As outlined above, the VSLO application portal will open April 1, 2025 for application submissions and we will begin reviewing applications at that time. Please do not call or e-mail the GUSOM or Orthopaedic Surgery department regarding the status of your application; once the placement of our students is complete, the GUSOM will begin notifying visiting students of application decisions on a block-by-block basis (no less than 30 days prior to the rotation start). Per the GUSOM, in-person visiting rotations will be offered only for rotations that begin on or after August 1st, 2025, not prior. Please see VSLO for the list of Orthopaedic Surgery elective rotation blocks available in 2025-2026 (available starting April 1, 2025).

If you are placed in an elective, you will be notified via VSLO email. You will receive further information from the course administrator/director closer to the rotation start date. If you have not heard from your elective administrator/director within one week prior to the start of your scheduled rotation date, please email the Office of Medical Education at medicaleducationoffice@georgetown.edu.

Please refer to the Policy on Visiting Students (Eligibility & Requirements) prior to applying through VSLO.

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