Educating medical academicians: a follow-up of the Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Training Grant

This study is the retrospective review of an orthopedic surgery training grant (USPHS Training Grant No. AM 05494) at Vanderbilt University that was funded from 1965 through 1969. This training grant was directed toward the production of academic orthopedic surgeons. The director of the training grant, J. William Hillman, MD, was an educator of acute insight who realized the need for highly motivated orthopedic educators. This need is still present. An examination of the rationale of career choices of those who participated in the grant reveals how little has changed over the years. At the same time, a large number of students who participated in the program now hold academic positions in their chosen specialties.