Hand & Upper Extremity Fellowship
About Our Upper Extremity Microsurgery Fellowship
The Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship at BIDMC is a one-year ACGME post-residency fellowship training program. The goal of the fellowship is to train fellows in the art and science of upper extremity pathology and surgery. It has been in existence since the early 1990’s. In the academic year 2020/2021, this fellowship will also formally merge with the Orthopedic Fellowship to become one BIDMC Combined Ortho-Plastic Surgery Hand Fellowship Program, with a full complement of 3 hand fellows. Currently, the two fellowships are already moving to a full integration, sharing the same faculty, didactics and rotations. As part of the fellowship experience, fellows have the opportunity to work with hand attending faculty from BIDMC, Atrius/New England Baptist Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston.
Fellows spend dedicated time on the hand plastic surgery service, as well as the orthopedic service. OR cases and clinic experience is available at the New England Baptist Hospital.
The program begins on July 1st and concludes on June 30 of the following year. With the formal merger in 2020-2021, the program will start on August 1 and end on July 31. The program participates in the National Residency Match Program, and it is highly competitive. Interested applications should submit their applications to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). Follow the instructions on their website.
Eligibility
Any resident who has completed a plastic, orthopedic, or general surgery residency program is eligible for the fellowship. The final applicant must be eligible to obtain a medical license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and meet all of the credentialing criteria of the BIDMC.
The goal of the Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship is to train fellows in the art and science of upper extremity pathology and surgery. The fellowship provides comprehensive training in the medical treatment of the upper extremity. It helps the trainee to refine his/her competence and to demonstrate proficiency in the preoperative, operative, and postoperative management of all types of hand surgery including innovative microsurgical approaches and techniques, wrist arthroscopies, wrist and hand arthroplasties, acute trauma, bony and soft tissue reconstruction procedures, and minimally invasive hand surgery.
Hand fellows are responsible for the care of patients with a wide range of degenerative, traumatic, idiopathic, and congenital and microvascular conditions of the upper extremity. Through close supervision and progressive responsibility, fellows are taught the necessary diagnostic, clinical judgment, and technical skills to carry out a complete range of medical and surgical treatment for the upper extremity. They are also taught to be compassionate and to effectively communicate with patients and their families, observing the highest level of ethics in all of their professional relations.
In this program, the fellows obtain extensive experience in the treatment of pediatric hand surgery, as well as congenital anomalies. Basic and fundamental surgical principles are emphasized as a way to address the most complex surgical problems. Throughout the year, there is an emphasis upon the importance of surgical planning and assessment. Complex cases are analyzed through multitude of approaches. Tri-dimensional and creative thinking, as well rigorous technical aspects of microsurgery are taught.
Clinical Rotations
BIDMC Hand Fellows rotate in a multitude of surgical and ambulatory settings, all of which expand the fellows experience in hand surgery. Throughout the year, the fellow rotates on the following services:
- Adult Hand Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Affiliates
- Adult Hand Orthopedic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Pediatric Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital
- Pediatric and Burn Surgery, Shriner's Burns Hospital
- Orthopedic Hand Elective Surgeries, New England Baptist Hospital
By spending dedicated time on both orthopedic and plastics surgery, working under the supervision of diverse faculty, as well rotating in a multitude of settings, fellows obtain exposure to a broad range of cases, from the most common to the most complex. Throughout the year, fellows learn diverse approaches in treating problems of the hand. This integrative approach results in better care of patients, better trained hand surgeons, and more innovative approaches in the medical treatment of the upper extremity.
Fellows are responsible for covering cases in the ER, OR, as well as in private clinics and a weekly trauma clinic. In the trauma clinic, fellows treat patients referred from the ER. Depending upon the rotation, the fellow spends three to four days per week in the operating room. The fellows spend at least a day per week in the ambulatory setting, participating in clinics of the attending faculty, as well as a trauma clinic. They also participate with hand attending surgeons in hand call. Fellows consult and treat patients referred from the ER, plan and perform surgery and then follow-up with the patients throughout the year in the weekly clinic. Their weekly clinic experiences also allow for an in depth, year-long experience in the continuity of care for patients. They also see patients and also serve as teachers and mentors to residents and medical students.
Some of the cases seen in the trauma clinic, as well as from the cases of the attending surgeons, are re-evaluated during the Thursday Hand Surgical Indications Conference. At the conference, anatomy, diagnosis, operative planning and surgical techniques are emphasized. Rehabilitation and occupational therapy are also a priority. In this conference, fellows learn different perspectives and approaches to hand surgery.
The Hand/Microsurgery Fellowship offers a wealth of resources and learning opportunities. In addition to attending a weekly Hand Surgery Indications Conference, fellows also participate in a weekly Core Hand Curriculum, which also incorporates classic articles and current literature review. While on the Plastic Surgery Rotation, the fellow participates in the didactic meetings and M&M of the Division of Plastic Surgery. He can also attend the Vascular Anomalies Conference at Children's Hospital. When on the Orthopedic Service, fellows attend the Orthopedic Grand Rounds and M&M. Monthly, the fellow attends a city-wide Hand Journal Club attended by fellows and faculty from the BIDMC, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital. Once or twice a year, a hand dissection/cadaver lab is also offered.
While on plastic surgery, fellows are required to give an hour long hand conference once a month. While on orthopedics, fellows are responsible for organizing a weekly Hand Surgical Indications Conference. The fellow is expected to be a mentor to junior residents and medical students. He/She will also be required to give a year-end presentation on the fellowship year.
Throughout the year, fellows are encouraged to develop research projects and to participate with faculty in their ongoing clinical research endeavors. Public presentations and the writing of abstracts, original articles, and books chapters are highly encouraged. All of the hand faculty are dedicated to clinical research and have ongoing projects in which the fellow can participate.
Program Director
Joseph Upton, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Other Faculty
Martin Dolan, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
Arriyan S. Dowlatshahi, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Carl Harper, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
Peter Kim, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Tamara Rozental, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
Amir Taghinia, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Fellows
2018-2019: Elizabeth Baca, MD (Michigan State Plastic Surgery Residency Program)
2019-2020: David Colen, MD (University of Pennsylvania Plastic Surgery Residency Program)
Our Post-Residency Fellowship Program
The Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is a one-year Harvard-affiliated ACGME-accredited post-residency training program. The fellowship is a cooperative effort between the Orthopedic and Plastic Surgery departments with residents from each department forming an integral part of the service.
As part of the fellowship experience, fellows have the opportunity to work with faculty in numerous clinical settings from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC, Level 1 trauma), Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Needham (BID Needham), Boston Children's Hospital (BCH), Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates (HVMA), Mount Auburn Hospital (MAH), and Shields Ambulatory Surgery Centers. The fellowship offers a combined and complementary experience with time evenly divided between orthopedic and plastic surgery faculty.
The program begins August 1 and concludes on July 31 of the following year. We participate in the National Residency Match Program. Like with all hand surgery fellowships, the process is highly competitive. Applicant interviews will be held virtually February 9 and 10, 2024. There are three fellowship positions available with selections made irrespective of residency background.
For questions and more information, please email Lori Meady.
Any resident who has completed an orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, or general surgery residency program is eligible to apply. The applicant must be eligible to obtain a medical license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and meet all of the credentialing criteria of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and affiliated institutions.
To apply, interested applicants should submit:
- Universal Hand Application (available on the ASSH website)
- Curriculum Vitae
- USMLE or equivalent
- Medical school transcript
- Four letters of reference, including one from your Program Director
The application deadline is November 15, 2023. Please note, applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.
The Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship provides comprehensive and timely training for all hand and upper extremity pathology. There is a focus on diagnostic accuracy and on broad exposure to the full gamut of therapeutic options. There is ample exposure to trauma and post-traumatic reconstruction, treatment of arthritis, including small joint arthroplasty, arthroscopy and management of complex elbow pathology. The plastic surgery experience will include congenital hand and wrist as well as soft tissue flaps and microvascular surgery.
Hand and Upper Extremity Fellows have three basic rotations incorporating faculty in a variety of clinical settings. Each rotation includes time spent with orthopedic and plastic surgery faculty. There are also opportunities for individualized electives. By providing exposure to diverse approaches to upper extremity pathology and creating a close collaborative environment between orthopedic and plastic surgeons, fellows graduate with a broad and innovative armamentarium allowing them to tackle the most complex surgical cases.
Rotations Include
Adult Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery at BIDMC and BID Needham
- Drs. Rozental and Harper
Adult Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery at BIDMC and HVMA
- Drs. Dolan and Kim
Adult and Pediatric Hand and Microvascular Surgery at BIDMC, BID Milton, and CHB
- Hear about this rotation from Dr. Taghinia (video)
Case Volume
- Each fellow has an independent clinic, supervised by a faculty member, allowing continuity of care throughout the year.
- Fellows operate with graduated independence.
- Over the last 4 years, hand and upper extremity fellows have performed between 800 and 1200 annual cases each.
Fellow Responsibilities
Fellows are assigned to specific clinic and OR blocks depending on the clinical rotation. The team also includes a junior orthopedic surgery resident and a plastic surgery resident. Fellows are responsible for managing the service, daily rounding and supervising the residents.
Call is shared evenly among 3 fellows and includes BIDMC (level I) and BID Needham (level 3). There are no in-house call responsibilities. The call team also includes orthopedic and plastic surgery residents as well as an attending surgeon.
Fellow Didactics and Research
The Hand and Upper Extremity Service has a robust didactic and conference schedule.
Fellows are required to participate in at least one research project during their training. Presentations and publications are highly encouraged.
Funding is available for fellows to attend a microsurgery course at the start of the year and to attend one professional meeting of their choice.
Conference Schedule
Weekly conference indicated attended by all faculty, fellows and residents.
- Weekly Tuesday Classic article/Modern treatment conference. This forms the core of the didactics with 52 topics spanning the breadth of hand and upper extremity surgery.
- Didactics Schedule
- Weekly Thursday Indications conference.
- Monthly morbidity and mortality conference.
- Monthly Harvard-wide journal club.
- Quarterly cadaveric dissection workshops.
- Quarterly research meeting.
- Annual Arthrex Arthroscopy Lab, Naples FL.
Faculty
Program Director: Carl Harper, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
Associate Program Director: Tamara Rozental, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
Other Faculty
- Brian Schurko, MD
- Monica Shoji, MD
- Amir Taghinia, MD
Current Fellows
- Nicholas Genovese, MD – Residency, Rutgers NJMS, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Corinne Wee, MD – Residency, The Cleveland Clinic, Division of Plastic Surgery
- Ryan Xiao, MD – Residency, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Recent Fellows
2022-2023
- Andrew Bauder, MD – Navy Medical Center San Diego
- Gregory Frechette, MD – Plymouth Bay Orthopaedic Associates
- Kevin Zuo, MD, University of Toronto
2021-2022
- Brent Pickrell, MD, Los Angeles Surgery Specialists
- Jimmy Chan, MD, Sports Fellowship, Rush Sports Medicine
- Brian Schmidtberg, MD, Hartford, CT
2020-2021
- Brian Schurko, MD, Atrius Health Care
- Rikesh Gandhi, MD, Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic
- Swapnil Kachare, MD, MGH PRS Fellowship
2019-2020
- David Colen, MD, Yale School of Medicine
- Brandon Shulman, MD, OrthoConnecticut Coastal Orthopedics
- Amanda Walsh, MD, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai
2018-2019
- Marissa Baca, MD, Straith Clinic, MI
- Hyuma Leland, MD, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, CA
- Jacob Tulipan, MD, Rothman Institute, Southern NJ
2017-2018
- Tracy Webber, MD, Norwood Hospital, MA
- Kevin Han, MD, Phoenix, AZ
- Michael Hendry, MD, Queen’s University, Kingston, CA
2016-2017
- Nicholas Caggiano, MD
- Aviram Giladi, MD, Curtis Hand Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Sammy Dowlatshahi, MD, BIDMC, Harvard Medical School, MA
2015-2016
- Michael Vosbikian, MD, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, NJ
- Carl Harper, MD, BIDMC Harvard Medical School, MA
2014-2015
- Janet Yueh, MD, Cohen Winters Plastic Surgery, NJ
- Michael Johnson, MD, The Vancouver Clinic, OR
2013-2014
- Michael Lin, MD, Alpine Orthopaedics Medical Group, CA
- Olukemi Fajolu, MD, Less Institute, FL