The Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation is now accepting applications for its new Sports Medicine Fellowship program.
This is a one-year fellowship that provides surgical, clinical, research, and game coverage experience working alongside faculty that are national leaders in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. These faculty are Olympic team physicians and consultants, National and Professional team physicians as well as expert surgeons. That training is a signature of top-level programs, says Assistant Professor Craig Tifford, the fellowship’s program director, allowing fellows to take on more complex and specialized surgeries under the guidance of experienced and fellowship-trained surgeons.
“The fellowship is the epitome of training that we can offer future orthopaedic surgeons,” said Dr. Tifford. “Our fellow will be exposed to the full range of what we treat. It’s a chance to find a true specialization and to make that a part of your orthopaedic practice once you leave Yale.”
The fellowship program is part of the Department’s strategic plan to grow the Sports Medicine program, including overseeing care and covering all Yale Athletics sports teams. The fellow will have the opportunity to diagnose and treat both common injuries such as ACL tears and more complex and uncommon procedures such as meniscal transplants and patellofemoral disorders (under the direction of John Fulkerson, MD). They will work closely with athletic trainers, physical therapists, primary care sports medicine, and strength and conditioning coaches to optimize performance.
In addition to participating in covering the Yale University athletes, the fellow will have the opportunity to cover other local universities and professional sports teams such as the Mohegan Sun WNBA team and the New England Black Wolves Lacrosse.
“Fellowships are where orthopaedic residency graduates hone their skills in order to become elite specialists,” said Christina Allen, MD, Sports Medicine Division Chief. “The sports medicine fellowship program will allow us to train the next generation of leaders in sports medicine and expose fellows to complex sports surgeries of the knee, shoulder, hip, and elbow. We want to provide a premier experience for future orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons as part of their training. As Team Physicians for Yale Athletics and also the Connecticut Sun, we will also be able to provide the fellow the opportunity to have first-hand experience in the care of elite athletes.”
The fellowship is the epitome of training that we can offer future orthopaedic surgeons. Our fellow will be exposed to the full range of what we treat. It’s a chance to find a true specialization and to make that a part of your orthopaedic practice once you leave Yale.
Craig Tifford, MD, Sports Medicine Fellowship Program Director
In addition to the activities described above, the fellow will work closely as a research, clinical, and educational mentor for the Yale Orthopaedic Surgery residents and Yale School of Medicine medical students who demonstrate an interest in Orthopaedics.
The fellowship is the latest expansion for Yale Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation’s training programs, adding to the Arthroplasty, Spine, and Trauma fellowships.
“This is a major step for our department and the evolution of our Sports Medicine program,” said Lisa Lattanza, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation. “Our fellowship programs are a critical part of building our vision for Yale to be a destination training program for fellows and residents.”
For more information on the program, potential applicants are asked to direct correspondence to Rebekah Hodge, program coordinator, at Rebekah.hodge@yale.edu.