School of Medicine

    Supervised by senior residents and the attending staff, junior residents take first call and are responsible for evaluating patients in the emergency room where they work closely with the trauma team in the care of polytrauma patients.

    During PGY-2 and -3 years, residents are exposed to the entire basic science and clinical conference schedule. They also have access to the resources of a complete orthopedic library and a computer system to enhance their orthopedic knowledge.

    The PGY-3 year consists of four rotations. The first rotation involves the busy spine service at the university hospital. The resident has exposure to all aspects of spine, including adult and pediatric and cervical spine. The second and third rotations are two months at Children's Mercy Hospital and two months on team I.

    The final rotation is a four month block devoted to research. Each resident is expected to complete one or more research project and bring it to a publishable form. Since a number of research projects are ongoing at all times in the laboratory, the resident is exposed to proper methods of scientific research. Statistical, audiovisual, and editing assistance are made available to the researchers. The resident on this rotation also assigns junior call, and prepares for x-ray and M&M conferences.

    The senior PGY-4 and -5 years involve four-month rotations through all the various teams at the university and Veterans hospitals, as well as two months at Children's Mercy Hospital. Responsibility levels are significantly increased during these years. Senior residents help supervise junior residents and have considerable authority in running the inpatient and outpatient services. They work closely with the trauma team in the care of polytrauma patients, and they also participate in the care of nonsurgical fracture patients in the emergency room. Senior residents are expected to perform major and complex orthopedic procedures with staff supervision. At the end of the PGY-5 year, each resident should be a capable and competent orthopedic surgeon. 		    Although PGY-4 and -5 residents are considered senior residents, the PGY-5 residents are considered chief residents and are on Team I and Team III at the university and Veteran's hospitals. The chief resident on Team III is considered the executive chief resident and is responsible for drawing up the resident call schedules and coordinating vacations.

    Both surgical and nonsurgical care is given equal importance throughout the program. In outpatient clinics, increasing responsibility is transferred to the resident. In the fifth year this culminates in the orthopedic evaluation clinic which is managed by the chief resident, with a staff physician assigned for consultation.

    During the senior years the residents revisit the entire orthopedic curriculum. Their accumulated knowledge should enable them to successfully pass the orthopedic board exam, and, more importantly, provide quality care to future patients. Each resident learns that education is an ongoing process not ending at the completion of the residency program. During their five years of study, they observe and are expected to develop a code of proper ethical conduct.

    The University of Kansas Medical Center House Staff Manual addresses issues of maximum work hours, dress code, due process, risk management, and moonlighting. The policies of the medical center are adhered to by the Department of Orthopedics. Residents are allowed three weeks of vacation per year, the times of which are coordinated by the chief resident and the chairman of the program. In compliance with the new 80-hour work week, junior residents take first call approximately one of every four nights at the university, with senior residents taking back-up call.

    The core resident teaching conferences are held at the university hospital. Because of the proximity of the three participating medical centers, each resident attends all primary teaching conferences presented weekly.

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