Fellows join seasoned hand surgeons in the operating room to work on unique and complex patient cases.

The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Surgery has launched a hand surgery fellowship to provide the next generation of board-eligible orthopedic and plastic surgeons with specialized skills and academic research experience. The first selected fellow will serve Aug. 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023. Two fellowship positions will be available starting in 2023.

The hand surgery fellowship is a multidisciplinary, comprehensive program that immerses fellows in both plastic surgery-based and orthopedic surgery-based hand services. The will be exposured to treating patients for myriad complex conditions, including traumatic injuries, brachial plexus injuries, tendonitis, vascular problems, amputation management, congenital conditions, tumors of the upper extremity and options for additional exposure to shoulder and elbow pathology.

Fellows will have the opportunity to experience the full cycle of care, from initial evaluation in the clinic to surgery to postoperative rehabilitation. They will also be expected to complete at least one publishable academic project on a clinical study during the year and should be prepared to present their project locally or at national meetings.

“Our hand surgery fellowship program is designed to offer surgeons an integrated, multidisciplinary curriculum that covers the full spectrum of the specialty,” said Dr. Joshua M. Adkinson, associate professor of surgery and the fellowship program director. “Fellows will be given increased responsibility throughout the year and the opportunity to teach residents and medical students. Those who complete our fellowship program will be armed with expertise in the full scope of hand surgery and will gain a network of colleagues, mentors and friends.”

The curriculum will encompass six core competencies outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: medical knowledge, patient care, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, systems-based practice, and professionalism. It will also cover a variety of topics in a series of weekly conferences held jointly by the plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery hand teams. A possible international surgical experience is also part of the programmatic planning for the fellowship.

The Hand Surgery Fellowship is one of 13 surgery fellowships offered by the Department of Surgery. For more information, contact Rhonda Gerding, program coordinator, at rgerding@iupui.edu.