Program Review
Staff / Faculty / Chairman
Dr. DeLong is a well known figure, particularly in the trauma community, who was hired for the sole intent of creating an orthopaedic residency. He has developed a program filled with staff who are dedicated to education, and in fact added this residency to an already successful practice with support staff in place. He has been aggressive about recruiting faculty with an education focus.
Didactics / Teaching
Daily didactics/lectures/readings/conferences from 7-8AM with a curricular reading schedule. Each faculty member is responsible for attending and leading these discussions when they are assigned. Teaching is straight from the attendings. Research and biomechanics lectures are from local professors.
Operating Experience
Unbeatable! This is a mentorship program. You go where the attending goes. One of the great things about this program is that you will never double scrub. In fact, most cases there is a PA to do the retracting so that you can operate from the surgeons side! The docs love to teach so they show you the ropes from your first ortho rotation so that by the end of your 2nd year you feel very comfortable in the "driver's seat."
Clinic Experience
Again, a mentorship program, so you are in clinic when your mentor is in clinic. Great learning environment that provides a nice mix of the business side of medicine in terms of dictating (as you become more senior) and coding. Plenty of good support staff to do casting, etc, but you are encouraged to do those things as well.
Research Opportunities
Every resident is involved with a research project from early on. We have already had podium winners for the projects currently in process. There is a monthly research meeting which all the faculty and residents attend which is more like a brainstorm and progress meeting. Plenty of opportunities. Hospital research staff helps with stats and IRBs.
Residents
Fantastic fun-loving group. Most are married, a few have kids. Work well together and are very congenial. We've been able to all go to conferences as a group, which helps strengthen our friendships and working relationships. We all love to work hard, and are passionate about Ortho.
Lifestyle
Can't beat it. Home call simplifies life outside the hospital. We're busy but not overbearing. Dr. DeLong is almost fanatical about duty hour compliance so there is never an issue, even as interns when on general surgery rotations. Here they teach you how to become an attending, not how to become a resident!
Location / Housing
Bethlehem/Lehigh Valley is no vacation spot, and is certainly not a booming metropolis... but Philly is 1 hr away, NYC 1.5hrs, DC 3-4hrs, Baltimore 2-3hrs! Poconos are
Limitations
Admittedly the intern year could use some work... and it will now that we have full 5 year accreditation. As of now there is only 1 month of dedicated ortho, but another month of neurosurgery that is essentially a spine experience. This will change now that we are past our initial certification.
The other major criticism, which to me is both a plus and a minus, is that there are only 10-15 faculty for now. This makes it so that you don't see as much diversity in technique in the subspecialties, but also gives you the chance to master the skills of your mentors who can accurately assess your clinical and surgical progression.
Overall Rotation Experience / Conclusion
This is still a new program, only 3 years in so this is not for someone who wants a big name place with a 1000 year history. If you are looking for the most bang for your buck I don't think you'll find a program with as good a curriculum, clinical experience, operative experience, and lifestyle as you will here. Give us a look and you won't be disappointed.
