Orthopaedic surgery rotations consist of two- to four-week blocks during which students spend time with staff surgeons and residents in the operating room, clinic and fracture clinic, and are actively involved in patient care.
Goals during clerkship
For orthopaedics in particular, the primary goals during clerkship are to:
- Build foundational skills in musculoskeletal assessment and management.
- Interpret imaging and recognize common orthopaedic injuries and pathologies.
- Assist in the operating room and learn principles of surgical technique and sterile practice.
- Understand pre- and post-operative patient care and rehabilitation.
- Explore orthopaedic subspecialties to inform future training interests.
How to succeed on your clerkship rotations
Start by connecting with preceptors who know you at your home institution and would be willing to have you as an elective student. This includes those you've shadowed and had great experiences with, worked with during research, or received pre-clerkship teaching from. These staff can better appreciate your unique strengths, provide you with meaningful feedback on areas of improvement, and provide opportunities for you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge.
During clerkship, the emphasis is placed on clinical learning. Seeing many patients helps develop your clinical knowledge base and procedural confidence. However, it's also important to recognize your own limitations and not stretch yourself too thin.
Remember that clerkship is also about exploration. While you can do up to 8 weeks of orthopaedics, consider complementing your experience with related fields such as plastics, vascular, neurosurgery, general surgery, or radiology to broaden your surgical perspective.
Tips for clinic, hospital and the OR
Our team has come up with a few more tips to succeed on your orthopaedic surgery rotation.