Position Title: Clinical Research Fellow
Positions: 1
Duration: 1 year
Who: US medical students interested in Orthopedic Surgery
Where: UAB Orthopedic Surgery - Division of Orthopedic Trauma. Birmingham, AL
When: Beginning Approx. May (preferred) / Early June 2026 - June 2027
Salary: A monthly stipend is provided (total stipend of 25k/year)Match Rate: 7/8 over last five years
The division of orthopedic trauma, including Drs. Clay Spitler, Joey Johnson, Jon Quade, Abhi Agarwal and Will Davis, are seeking an ambitious medical student who is interested in pursuing a year-long clinical research fellowship at UAB Orthopedic Trauma in Birmingham, AL. Multi-year candidates will be considered on a case by case basis after completion of the first year.
Dr. Jon Quade is an Associate Professor of orthopedic surgery and division director of orthopedic trauma. Dr. Clay Spitler is a Professor, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs and Director of the Clinical Orthopedic Trauma Fellowship. Dr. Joey Johnson is an Associate Professor of orthopedic surgery and serves as the Director of Clinical Research for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Abhi Agarwal and Dr. Will Davis are Assistant Professors of orthopedic surgery. All 5 have busy and robust clinical practices, performing 3500-4000 surgeries a year. Additionally, all regularly publish in well indexed journals and present at national meetings.
In this position you will have the opportunity to perform primarily clinical research but also basic science projects in an effort to develop completed research projects that will influence the way the world practices orthopedics. In this position, you will work closely with residents and faculty. There are ample opportunities for publications, authorship on papers, and the ability to present research at conferences. Our fellows regularly complete their year with multiple publications, national presentations, and poster presentations. Research in orthopaedic trauma surgery is highly collaborative and multi-center studies allow for significant networking opportunities.
This is an excellent opportunity to gain some additional clinical exposure in orthopedics as well, as our research fellows regularly participate in clinical duties and shadowing when their schedules allow. We all encourage our research fellows to join us in clinic or the operating room. Not only will you have a great CV, but also phenomenal exposure to orthopedics going into the match cycle. For further information and a selection of recent publications please see:(please respond to the e-mail addresses below to apply)
The research fellow duties generally include:
- Coordination of research projects including both clinical and basic science studies
- Submission of protocols and updates to the Institutional Review Board (IRB)
- Consenting patients for studies and performing pre-operative physical exams
- Collection of intra-operative data as well as following up with patients in clinic
- Collection and processing of patient samples
- Statistical analysis of data
- Drafting/editing of manuscripts, abstracts, and book chapters
- Presenting research updates at regular meetings
- Coordinating with outside institutions on multi-site projects
Prerequisites for the position include:
- Strong motivation for a career in orthopaedic surgery
- Evident interest in research
- Strong academic record
- Organized and detail-oriented
- Ability to independently and keep track of multiple projects
- Desire to learn and grow
- Experience with statistical analysis is a plus
Please email with any questions, interest or to apply for this position.
Dr. Clay Spitler-
[email protected]. Joey Johnson-
[email protected]
