Orthopaedic Surgery Rotations

Designed to Prepare You for the Next Step of Your Career

At Vanderbilt, we’ve built an orthopaedic surgery program we’re proud of; a structured and graduated learning environment that gives you diverse operative experience — all under the guidance of supportive world-class faculty. 

As a Vanderbilt orthopaedic surgery resident, you can expect to spend your first year as an intern in general surgery. During the remaining four years of the program, you’ll then rotate through the same subspecialties twice; once as a junior resident and again as a senior resident. These subspecialties include:

  • Adult reconstruction
  • Foot and ankle
  • General
  • Hand and upper extremity
  • Oncology
  • Orthopedic trauma
  • Pediatric orthopedics
  • Research
  • Spine
  • Sports medicine
  • Veterans affairs 

During your rotations, you will be paired together as junior and senior residents. 

Our Facilities

With a goal of providing every Vanderbilt orthopaedic surgery resident a well-rounded experience, we created a residency program that spans multiple Vanderbilt and Nashville facilities. 

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital

Gain valuable pediatric experience at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, where we rank in 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties, including orthopaedics. Here, our four full-time pediatric orthopaedic surgeons and three non-operative physicians see more than 17,000 pediatric orthopedic outpatients each year.

Vanderbilt Orthopaedics

Further your medical training at Vanderbilt Orthopaedics, one of Tennessee’s leading providers for orthopaedic care. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to provide clinical and surgical care to a wide range of patients from professional athletes to active seniors. 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, you’ll gain hands-on experience treating a wide range of orthopaedic conditions, alongside a team of world-class providers. Here, we care for more than 3,000 orthopaedic patients a year, performing an average of 50 surgical cases per day.

Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Veterans Affairs Medical Center sits adjacent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One junior and senior resident and two full-time auxiliary faculty members staff the VAMC at all times. We treat 3,502 orthopaedic outpatients annually, performing more than 380 orthopedic procedures and caring for more than 280 orthopedic inpatients.

Rotation Schedule

  • As a year 1 intern, you’ll work at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, completing six blocks in general surgery and seven blocks in orthopedic surgery. Your year 1 training rotations will include:

    • Burn intensive care
    • Day call
    • Day call/Pediatric orthopedics
    • Emergency general surgery
    • Foot and ankle (2 consecutive blocks)
    • Oncology/Endocrine surgery
    • Orthopedic trauma
    • Pediatric orthopedics
    • Pediatric surgery
    • Skills month
    • VA surgical intensive care
    • Vascular surgery
  • Second year residents focus on gathering information and organizing appropriate treatment plans for a wide range of orthopedic problems. As a second-year resident, you’ll be exposed to:

    • Adult trauma
    • Hand surgery 
    • Oncologic/reconstructive surgery
    • Spine surgery
    • Sports medicine

    You’ll also work in the emergency departments at VUMC and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

  • Your third year of residency will emphasize adult orthopaedic disorders at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and provide an introduction to pediatric orthopedics at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital. As a third-year resident, you’ll rotate through:

    • Adult reconstruction
    • Foot/ankle surgery 
    • General and reconstructive orthopedics at the VA
    • Pediatric orthopedics
    • Research
  • In your fourth year of training, you’ll begin to work more independently. Your rotations will include:

    • Float
    • Orthopaedic oncology
    • Hand surgery
    • Spine surgery
    • Sports medicine
  • Fifth-year residents work at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, VUMC, and the VA. As you prove your ability to perform, you’ll enjoy increased independence and responsibility. Your rotations during your chief resident year will include: 

    • Adult reconstructive
    • Adult trauma
    • Float
    • General and reconstructive orthopedics at the VA
    • Pediatric orthopedics