Yale Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program

The Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation at the Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital is a program that is rich in tradition, history, and accomplishments. We have produced a diverse group of alumni who practice all over the world and many are leaders in their respective disciplines. Our program has the honor of having trained the first African-American woman in orthopaedic surgery, and diversity remains an important part of our character. Approximately 20 percent of our residents and a similar percentage of our full-time faculty are women. We also have the distinction of having trained the only orthopaedist in the US Senate. At one point in the last several years, more of the country’s orthopaedic surgery department chairs were from Yale, than from any other program. The Yale Orthopaedic Association works diligently to maintain strong ties between these graduates and our program.

Since our inception, our educational mission has been one of our most important endeavors alongside our commitment to patient care and clinical research. We strive to produce outstanding surgeons who have the ability to provide the highest level of care to their patients and become leaders in our profession. We seek independent, ambitious trainees who will play an active role in their education. Our residents benefit from the instruction of our talented faculty, who represent a truly committed group of physicians from within every orthopaedic surgery subspecialty. Our residents spend nearly all of their training time at Yale-New Haven Hospital or the nearby Veterans Affairs Medical Center located in West Haven. They also participate in a comprehensive two-year curriculum cycle that serves as the foundation of our didactic education.

Additionally, we offer a variety of educational initiatives, which include service-specific conferences, journal clubs, lecture series, anatomy courses, and surgical-skills opportunities. We encourage curiosity and critical thinking by providing the time and opportunity to become involved with any of the department’s research opportunities or those elsewhere at Yale. Our curriculum includes 10-week rotations dedicated to research. Some residents use this time to develop projects to present at national meetings. Others have used this time to provide healthcare to under-served communities overseas. We are proud to produce graduates who are capable of continuing their training at the country’s top fellowships or beginning a practice in general orthopaedics.

Thank you again for your interest in our program. We hope that you will consider Yale Orthopaedic Surgery for your training. We invite you to learn more about our program and culture, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.