CONTENT OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

ORTHOPEDICS

I. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORTHOPEDIC FACULTY:

a. The resident will be assigned to a specific Orthopedic Attending Preceptor who is willing to
participate.
b. The resident will participate in all aspects of inpatient and outpatient management of the orthopedic
patient.
c. Call to be no more than every third night.
d. When on call, the resident will evaluate Emergency Department patients for whom Orthopedics is
consulted. When on call the resident will be supervised by the attending on-call orthopedist.
e. Duty hours to not exceed those established by the ACGME for Orthopedic training programs.
f. The EM resident will attend the scheduled (5 hours per week) Emergency Medicine conferences and
monthly journal club (unless prevented by immediate patient care responsibilities).
g. Ongoing feedback to the resident regarding clinical performance as well as completion of resident
evaluation forms.

II. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENT:

a. Completion of histories and physicals on assigned patients.
b. Participation in both inpatient and outpatient activities as assigned by the Orthopedic Preceptor.
c. Attendance at Orthopedic conferences when possible.
d. Teaching and supervision of third and fourth year medical students and other students assigned to the
Orthopedic office.
e. Focused reading about patients in their care.
f. Active participation in team activities (i.e., work rounds, teaching rounds, conferences, operating
room, etc.)
g. Completion of rotation, student, and faculty evaluation forms.

III. AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND FACILITIES:

The institution will:
a. Provide access 24 hour/day to the medical library at CMU.
b. Provide access to medical records for patient care and research activities 24 hours a day.
c. Provide food service facilities 24 hours a day.
d. Provide access to sleeping quarters and locker room space available at each institution.
e. Provide adequate clinical support services (e.g. laboratory, radiology, nursing) 24 hours/day to allow
quality patient care and educational programs.
f. Provide access to conference rooms and other instructional space available within the institution.

IV. RESIDENT AND FACULTY RELATIONSHIP:

The duties and responsibilities of the Emergency Medicine residents will be the same as all residents of this
level of training who rotate on the Orthopedic service. Likewise, the teaching and evaluation of the resident
will be the same as all residents who rotate on the Orthopedic service.

Goals:
1. Develop skill in the evaluation and management of patients with orthopedic injuries and diseases.
2. Learn the appropriate use of radiographs and other imaging modalities in the evaluation of orthopedic
disorders.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the rotation, the Emergency Medicine Resident will be able to:

Medical Knowledge
1. Demonstrate the understanding of the anatomy, mechanism of injury, presentation, complications,
management, and prognosis of common musculoskeletal injuries.
2. Describe the differences in pediatric and adult: skeletal anatomy, injury patterns, radiographic
appearance, and prognosis following injury.
3. Describe the pathophysiology of infectious and inflammatory musculoskeletal disease and their
presentation, evaluation, and management.
4. Describe diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of patients with overuse syndrome and ligamentous injuries.
5. Discuss the differential diagnosis, historical features and pertinent physical exam findings of patients with
low back pain.
6. Demonstrate the ability to correctly apply orthopedic devices, including splints, casts, compressive
dressings, and immobilizers.
7. Demonstrate the understanding and correct use of orthopedic nomenclature.

Patient Care including procedures

1. Demonstrate appropriate history and physical examination skills for the patient with musculoskeletal
complaints.
2. Demonstrate the ability to diagnose and treat soft tissue foreign bodies.
3. Demonstrate the ability to correctly interpret radiographs of the extremities, major joints, and the spine.
Demonstrate the ability to correctly apply orthopedic devices, including splints, casts, compressive
dressings, and immobilizers.
4. Demonstrate the satisfactory performance of common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (such as:
arthrocentesis, closed fracture reduction, reduction of closed joint dislocations).
5. Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and manage the treatment of orthopedic injuries in multiple trauma
patients.
6. Practice appropriate management of acute and chronic pain for patients with musculoskeletal injuries and
diseases.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

1. Demonstrate the ability to communicate well with patients and family. The resident should demonstrate
respect for the health beliefs of other cultures and understand how differing health beliefs affect behavior
and medical care.

System-based Practice
1. Describe the pre-operative care of the orthopedic patient.
2. Describe the post-operative care, rehabilitation and expected complications of common orthopedic
procedures.

Professionalism
1. Learn effective communication skills such as developing and carry out advance directives, facilitate
family meetings, patient/family education, eliciting the patient’s illness story, cross cultural skills and
facilitating treatment adherence.

Practice-based Learning
1. Identify gaps in their orthopedic knowledge and demonstrate the ability to review these topics using
appropriate on-line references to improve their knowledge and technical skills.

DESCRIPTION OF CLINICAL EXPERIENCES:

Residents participate in four week EMY 1 rotation on the Orthopedics service. The resident will be assigned to
an attending orthopedist who will supervise the resident's activities. The resident will participate in the care of
patients admitted to the orthopedic preceptor as well as outpatients seen during consultation in the emergency
department or at the preceptor's office. The resident will be on-call those nights when the preceptor is also on call
and will initially see all patients referred to the Orthopedic service from the Emergency Department.

DESCRIPTION OF DIDACTIC EXPERIENCES:

Residents will attend the monthly Orthopedic Department meetings as well as scheduled Emergency Medicine
conferences.

Reading Assignments: Appropriate sections of the following texts:

Rosen, P et al (ed), Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice Volume 1-3, Mosby Year Book,
6th Edition, 2006.
Roberts, JR and Hedges, JR (ed): Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine, 5th Edition, 2010.
Greene, Walter B., MD: Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 2001.
Hart, Rittenberry, Uehara: Handbook of Orthopedic Emergencies, 1999
Hoppenfeld, Stanley: Physical Examination of the Spine and Extremities, 1976.
www.accessemergencymedicine.com
Multiple texts available electronically through CMU Healthcare Knowledge Services