The Atlanta Medical Center Orthopedic training program has a wide array of rotations which cover all required disciplines within Orthopedics lead by leading fellowship trained faculty in each field.
Orthopedic Trauma
The orthopedic trauma rotation serves as a basis for the education for the residents at Atlanta Medical Center, a busy level II trauma center. General care of the critical care patients, basic operative skills, and fracture fixation are taught at an early level and built upon during the other rotations throughout the five years of training. At Atlanta Medical Center, the orthopedic trauma team is lead by Dr. Bruce Ziran and Dr. Daniel Schlatterer, both fellowship trained orthopedic traumatologists. The orthopedic interns spend 3 months each year on this rotation spending much of the time in the initial evaluation of the trauma patients in the emergency room and follow up care of the patients throughout their hospital stay. In addition, they have time during their rotation to go to the operating room to learn basic operative techniques and perform or assist on many orthopedic cases. The PGY-2’s rotate for 4 months on the trauma service. During this time, they build upon the basics learned as an intern and become comfortable performing internal and external fixation techniques for ankle, hip, distal radius, and forearm fractures and intramedullary nailing of the femur and tibia. They are able to have continuity of care throughout the hospital stay and as an outpatient in the offices of Dr. Schlatterer and Dr. Ziran as well as in the indigent Sheffield Clinic. The chief residents spend 4 months each on the trauma service, working closely with Dr. Ziran and Dr. Schlatterer to help develop a plan of care for each patient on the service during the hospital stay and as an outpatient. In the operating room, they help teach the basics of fracture care to the interns and PGY-2’s in addition to learning more complex techniques in peri-articular and pelvic fractures from Dr. Ziran and Dr. Schlatterer.
As a PGY-4, the resident spends 2 months at Grady Memorial hospital working alongside the residents from Emory University. They serve as one of 4 chief residents and are heavily involved in the decision making pre-op, intra-op, and post-op. Dr. Tom Moore directs this rotation along with Dr. George Wright and Dr. Allen McDonald, II. This rotation allows the residents more autonomy in the decision making process and also an opportunity to work at an indigent, county run facility.
Spine
Our residents spend 4 months as a PGY-2 on the spine service at Atlanta Medical Center. Time is split between the two co-chiefs, Dr. Howard McMahan and Dr. Christopher Edwards, and the head of neurosurgery, Dr. Scott Erwood. Both Dr. McMahan and Dr. Edwards are orthopedic surgeons who specialize in the treatment of adult lumbar and cervical spinal disorders. The residents on the rotation spend time in the attendings outpatient clinics and in the operating room gaining experience in evaluation and management, both surgical and nonsurgical, of common disorders of the spine. Residents on the spine service also gain experience in the treatment of traumatic injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and cervical spine while working with Dr. Erwood.
Residents interested in spine have an opportunity during their General Orthopedic rotation as a chief resident to gain additional experience in spine working with the spine faculty at Atlanta Medical Center.
Sports Medicine
Our residents spend 4 months total on the sports medicine rotations, 2 months as PGY-3 and 2 months as PGY-4 and 2 months as PGY-5. The sports medicine rotation is lead by our Chairman, Dr. Steven Kane. The residents spend one clinic day and one operative day with Dr. Kane. Dr. Kane is fellowship trained in sports medicine and a recognized expert in arthroscopy of the knee and shoulder. In addition, he serves as team physician for several local high schools which allows the residents opportunities for on the field care of local athletes. Since his administrative duties encompass the rest of his time, the residents spend the other 3 days of the week with Dr. Scott Gillogly. Dr. Gillogly is the team physician for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Thrashers. The residents on the sports service have the opportunity to be on the sidelines and cover sporting events with Dr. Gillogly. Dr. Gillogly is one of the leading international experts in the research of and clinical applications for cartilage restoration of the knee, shoulder, and ankle. In addition to this area of expertise, Dr. Gillogly has a busy private practice that allows the residents ample opportunity to evaluate and treat both common and complex problems seen by athletes of all ages and skill levels. He works mainly out of his private office and surgery center but also does in-patient procedures at St. Joseph’s hospital in Atlanta.
During elective time as a PGY-4 & PGY-5, residents interested in sports medicine can work with one of the local sports medicine physicians, Dr. Robert Kelly. PGY-5 residents spend 2 months in sports medicine with Dr. Robert Kelly, who maintains a busy private practice but volunteers his time to our residents for both clinical and didactic education.
Pediatric Orthopedics
Our residents spend 6 months at Scottish Rite Hospital for the pediatric orthopedic rotation, including 4 months as a PGY-3 and 2 months as a PGY-4. The pediatric orthopedic rotation at Scottish Rite has a proud history and has been a foundation of our program since its inception. Currently, there are 7 fellowship trained attendings and 2 fellows at Scottish Rite that our residents work with, lead by the division chief Dr. Jorge Fabregas. The experience at Scottish Rite covers the full spectrum of pediatric orthopedic disorders and treatments. The attendings at Scottish Rite are leaders in the field for treatment of scoliosis, hip dysplasia, and clubfoot. Scottish Rite hospital has a pediatric sports medicine program that ranks among the highest in the nation. In addition, the residents are exposed to pediatric fracture care through the busy emergency room while on this rotation. The resident experience is broadened by the numerous clinics that are at Scottish Rite, including myelodysplasia clinic, cerebral palsy clinic, and limb deformity clinic. The residents are allowed to participate in the full care of the patients from either office or emergency room evaluation through follow-up evaluations in the office after their operative or non-operative treatment. In addition to our residents, the Scottish Rite faculty hosts residents from Duke University and Eisenhower Medical Center, who help to cover call at Scottish Rite Hospital.
Hand Surgery
Our residents spend 4 months on the hand surgery rotation, 2 months as a PGY-3 and 2 months as a chief resident. The resident’s time is split between the two division chiefs, Dr. Gary Lourie and Dr. Alan Peljovich with peripheral involvement with 3 other fellowship trained hand surgeons in their practice. Both Dr. Lourie and Dr. Peljovich have busy private practices in Atlanta encompasses both routine and more complex adult and pediatric disorders of the hand and upper extremity. In addition, Dr. Lourie has a special interest in sports-related injuries in the upper extremity and serves as an assistant team physician for the Atlanta Braves and Georgia Tech. He also serves as the hand specialist for the Atlanta Falcons and numerous other colleges and universities in the southeast. Dr. Peljovich is noted for his expertise in the treatment of pediatric and adult brachial plexus injuries and adult tetraplegia at clinics at both Scottish Rite hospital and Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital. While most of the surgeries are done as an outpatient, the residents on the rotation help cover hand call at Scottish Rite, Northside, and St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Residents with a special interest in hand surgery have an opportunity during elective time as a PGY-4 and PGY-5 to work with the other surgeons in their practice.
Adult Reconstruction
Our residents spend 4 months on the adult reconstruction rotation, 2 months as a PGY-3 and 2 months as a chief resident at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. The rotation includes time with Dr. Steven Smith, hip and knee reconstruction, and Dr. Xavier Duralde, shoulder and elbow reconstruction, at Peachtree Orthopedic Clinic in Atlanta. Dr. Smith, the division chief, is a prolific total joint surgeon and a recognized leader in the field of hip resurfacing. The residents on this rotation are exposed to a high surgical volume and a busy outpatient clinic. Time spent on the rotation with Dr. Duralde exposes residents to a high volume of shoulder arthroplasties including total, hemi, and reverse techniques.
Foot and Ankle
Our residents spend 2 months on the foot and ankle service as a PGY-3. Time on the rotation is split between Dr. James Beskin and Dr. Ashkan Lahiji at Peachtree Orthopedic Clinic, division co-chiefs. Both surgeons have busy private practices that focus on adult forefoot, hindfoot, and ankle disorders working out of Piedmont Hospital. Residents learn numerous surgical techniques in bunion and hammertoe correction, hindfoot and ankle arthrodesis, and achilles tendon repair. Residents also have exposure to nonoperative and follow-up care in the private offices of Dr. Beskin and Dr. Lahiji.
Musculoskeletal Oncology
Our residents spend 2 months on the oncology rotation as a PGY-4 at Emory University Midtown. Time is split between the two division co-chiefs Dr. David Monson and Dr. Shervin Oskouei. The residents are exposed to a full spectrum of oncologic disorders in adult and pediatric patients including benign bone and soft tissue tumors, malignant primary bone and soft tissue tumors, and metastatic disease. The rotation includes both clinical evaluation in the office and surgical care in the operating room. In addition to their oncologic practices both Dr. Monson and Dr. Oskouei have robust adult reconstruction practices focusing on revision knee and hip replacements. The resident on the rotation works with a PGY-2 from Emory University to cover inpatients and call.
General Orthopedics
Residents at Atlanta Medical Center spend 4 months as a PGY-2 and 4 months as a chief resident working with our core orthopedic faculty Dr. John Keating, Dr. Thomas Ross, Dr. Eric Furie, and Dr. Daren Newfield. These attendings all have broad orthopedic practices that, combined, encompass most of the orthopedic specialties. As a PGY-2, residents gain early exposure to total joint replacement, arthroscopic surgery, fracture care, and other essential orthopedic procedures. As a chief resident, greater autonomy is allowed in decision making and surgical care building upon the knowledge and skills gained during the specialty rotations as a PGY-3 and PGY-4.