Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Chairman is Dr. Garvin and the Residency Director is Dr. Mormino. I enjoyed worked with both of these physicians and they have a wealth of knowledge to share with the residents and students. They are continuing to add new faculty that have done their residency at UNMC and then return after fellowship to come back and teach here, so I think that says a lot about the program and the direction it is heading. All fellowships are covered, except spine which is done elsewhere in the city with a private practice group.
Didactics / Teaching
Didactics are great but the only thing they are every day at 6:00 AM. So that can be a little rough, but great teaching throughout all of the days I was there and some general pimping throughout the sessions, but nothing to serious. All of the faculty are more than willing to teach and train the residents, and the residents pass this knowledge down to students.
Operating Experience
This somewhat varied but was many times attending a senior and a junior in the case, with the senior doing most of the case and the junior assisting. Almost all trauma was the junior being led by the senior, and sometimes the senior and a medstudent with the attending just guiding from the periphery. Seems like a very typical set up. At the VA, residents run a lot of the clinic by themselves, and operate a lot, so this seems to be a great experience for them. All the residents seemed to be very comfortable with general orthopedics and ready for private practice or general orthopedics.
Clinic Experience
A lot of time as a PGY2 seems to be in the clinic on certain rotations, like the joints rotation, but the juniors were well trained and knew their stuff. Usually clinic every other day was pretty typical. See patients, etc. Not a lot of clinic scutwork, may have to put on some casts/splints, but nothing too crazy.
Research Opportunities
Plenty of research opportunities and many of the juniors already had some sort of research published or waiting to be presented. It's a University setting so you'll see a lot of different things and have many chances to get some research done. I think you have to do one project while you are there.
Residents
Fabulous group of residents, just nice to hang out with and more than willing to help you out and guide the students and teach them as well. Nice mix of single and married residents who got along very well, helped each other out, and made the experience great.
Lifestyle
Call is at home for the most part. Trauma call is shared between Creighton and UNMC. Ortho residents cover the trauma call at UNMC on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays (covered by a PGY2). The other days are Creighton's trauma call days. The rest of the week at UNMC (Monday..etc) there is ortho call for the ER, and that is divided up among the juniors. Seniors take call from home and only come in to operate or if the junior needs help with something.
Location / Housing
It's the midwest, it's Nebraska, and it's Cornhusker country. Great people, and a good town for kids to be in. Housing is definitely affordable.
Limitations
It's set up like a typical residency with seniors leading juniors, don't know if that is necessary a limitation though. Some have questioned the joint experience at UNMC, but I think with the new additions of two new joint attendings that is going to be a strength now in addition to Dr. Garvin who does a lot of complex revisions and reconstruction.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
Loved this rotation and the atmosphere here. I enjoyed getting to know Dr. Mormino and the energy he brings to the program, he's a great teacher and surgeon. I'd love to train at this place, and plan on ranking it very high.
