FAQS
WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM?
We have an excellent operative experience and graduate surgeons who are prepared to be effective physicians in their community right away. Our didactic schedule focuses on consistent daily learning and instilling a pattern of reading every day that will serve you well after graduation.
WHAT ARE THE RESIDENT BENEFITS AND STIPEND?
The stipend increases by post-graduate year and the Graduate Medical Education website contains the most up-to-date information. Educational allowance is delivered in semi-annual lump sum into your paycheck. Health insurance is also available which can include vision and dental. Life and disability insurance may also be obtained at the discretion of each resident. Support for day-care services as well as legal representation may be selected on a personal basis. The Graduate Medical Education Department also helps support a reduced rate membership fee for the Ascension Genesys Athletic Club located on site.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL?
There are several small towns with great restaurants in the surrounding area. Michigan is a fantastic outdoors state, with lots of parks and lakes to explore. Mackinac Island, Traverse City, Grand Rapids and Detroit are also easily within driving distance. Golf, skiing, brewery tours, the list can continue but the short of it is there are an endless number of things to do when time allows.
DO GRADUATING RESIDENTS FEEL THEY NEED A FELLOWSHIP TO PREPARE FOR PRACTICE?
Several of our previous graduates have chosen to go directly into practice without reservation. Our program is exceptionally well constructed to train well-prepared community general orthopedists. Residents who complete a fellowship are able to do so by choice and not by need.
DO YOU FEEL YOU SEE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF CASES?
The typical resident graduates with case numbers that easily exceed ACGMEÂ target numbers. There is typically a large case volume, and opportunities to scrub cases are readily available from your first day of residency.
IS THE PROGRAM SUPPORTIVE FOR JOB AND FELLOWSHIP PLACEMENT?
Absolutely, from phone calls and letters of recommendation from attendings to program wide support in coverage of services while on interviews, our residency is supportive of its residents’ goals. The path to your first job is different for everyone. Some choose to pursue a job while in residency, while others wait until their fellowship year. Regardless of your path, you will be well supported along the way by our program.
DOES THE ORTHOPEDIC SERVICE HAVE PAS, NPS OR FELLOWS?
The orthopedic service does not have mid-level providers or fellows. This allows residents an exceptional OR experience by not having to compete for cases with fellows and also allows the more junior residents to develop adequate clinical skills to effectively diagnose and manage orthopedic patients.
ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND NATIONAL MEETINGS OF RESIDENTS CHOICE?
Yes. There are required meetings you must attend (AO Basic Trauma, AOAO, Michigan Osteopathic Society) however outside of that there are an endless number of society and industry sponsored courses/meetings you can attend. Grant coverage can be applied for and is typically obtained. You have 5 conference days to use each year and most residents use them all for various courses.
WHAT IS YOUR VACATION POLICY?
Paid Time Off (PTO) includes vacation, personal, sick, and/or board exam time
PGY 2-5: 5 conference days, 20 PTO days
PGY 1: 18 PTO days, 2 days for boards
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ELECTIVES RESIDENTS CHOOSE TO COMPLETE?
Residents have the opportunity for 3 months of elective rotations completed in the 3rd and 4th year of residency. An example of a popular rotation is an Adult Reconstruction rotation with Brian De Beaubien, MD. Dr. De Beaubien is a national expert in revision arthroplasty particularly in the field of prosthetic joint infection. He has developed and utilizes a unique abbreviated two-stage revision arthroplasty protocol that has a very high success rate. Other elective rotations have been completed in multiple specialties and various academic and private practice settings, particularly for residents interested in pursuing a fellowship.
AFTER COMPLETION OF THE AOA-ACGME MERGER, IS THE PROGRAM ACCEPTING DO AND MD APPLICATIONS?
The program is accepting DO and MD resident applications.
DO YOU HAVE JOURNAL CLUBS IN ADDITION TO JOURNALS REVIEWED DURING MORNING EDUCATION?
Yes. We have additional journal clubs or lectures at various locations around the area between 6 and 10 times a year. We have also participated with another local residency at an attending’s house for a combined journal club.
DO YOU HAVE A DEDICATED RESIDENT CLINIC?
There is not a specific program-wide resident clinic. Several attendings operate their own resident clinic alongside their busy practices. You gain knowledge in running your own clinic while being able to supplement that experience with the patients seen in the surgeons’ elective practices.
WHAT TYPES OF PRACTICES DO YOU ROTATE WITH?
We rotate through several types of practice environments. The majority of our experience is community based, private practice. We are also exposed to a hospital employed model. The New Orleans experience, as well as elective opportunities, give additional exposure in large academic center medicine.
ARE RESIDENTS ALLOWED TO MOONLIGHT?
Yes. Beginning in your third year, after demonstrating competency on the in-training exam, you are able to moonlight with approval by the program director.
WHAT OTHER RESIDENCIES AND FELLOWSHIPS ARE PRESENT AT ASCENSION GENESYS HOSPITAL?
Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Pharmacy, Podiatry
Fellowships: Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Psychology, Pulmonary-Critical Care
DO YOU HAVE A BOARD SCORE CUTOFF?
We do not utilize board score cut-off but we do require you pass all board components on your first attempt. We understand orthopedics is a very competitive field and differentiating applicants can be difficult, but we do not believe selecting purely on a board score and an application is the appropriate way of selecting residents. We prefer to select our residents on the basis of an elective rotation during their 4th year of medical school. We take this time to get to know the applicants and determine if they would be a good fit for the program.