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Foot and ankle experience in orthopaedic residency
Michael S Pinzur1, David Mikolyzk, Michael S Aronow
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. mpinzu1@lumc.edu
Foot & Ankle International
|August 19, 2003
Summary
Orthopaedic surgery residency programs in the US lack consistent foot and ankle training. Many programs lack dedicated faculty and structured rotations, impacting surgeon preparedness in this specialty.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery Training
- Medical Education Research
- Foot and Ankle Specialization
Background:
- Dedicated foot and ankle orthopaedic training is crucial for developing well-rounded surgeons.
- Current residency guidelines lack specificity regarding required foot and ankle experience and proficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the commitment to foot and ankle education within American Orthopaedic Surgery residency programs.
- To identify variations in faculty dedication and structured rotations for foot and ankle training.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide survey of 148 orthopaedic surgery residency program directors was conducted.
- A one-page questionnaire focused on foot and ankle educational components was utilized.
Main Results:
- Over half of programs (54.1%) have dedicated foot and ankle faculty, but 14.2% lack such specialists.
- 64.9% offer dedicated rotations, yet 35.1% do not, with some programs allocating minimal time (e.g., <3 months).
- Training often occurs in the third postgraduate year (PGY3), with varied duration of dedicated rotations.
Conclusions:
- US orthopaedic residency programs do not universally mandate foot and ankle education.
- A significant number of programs lack dedicated faculty and structured educational time for foot and ankle orthopaedics.
- This variability may affect the preparedness of surgeons in foot and ankle care.