The academic power of a shoulder fellowship.

Shoulder fellowships are the engine driving the future of shoulder surgery.

Taking the University of Washington's fellowship as but one example, 60% of the peer reviewed shoulder publications were powered by the shoulder fellows (see chart below). Without their curiosity, energy, dedication, and scientific skill, the program's academic productivity would not be what it is today.

25% of the graduates of this fellowship have university faculty positions across North America and beyond. Many of the others are academically active in non-university settings from which they continue to conduct clinically relevant research as well as teaching students, residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons.

In looking over some of the most recent publications, once can see not only the authorships of the fellows (in bold), but also evidence of their support of research by students (in red) and orthopaedic residents (in green), many of whom will be pursing shoulder fellowships.

We can all be grateful to the 33 ASES-recognized Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Programs for their huge role in assuring progressively improving quality of care for patients with disabling shoulder and elbow conditions.

You can support cutting edge shoulder research that is leading to better care for patients with shoulder problems, click on this link.

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Here are some videos that are of shoulder interest
Shoulder arthritis - what you need to know (see this link).
How to x-ray the shoulder (see this link).
The ream and run procedure (see this link).
The total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The cuff tear arthropathy arthroplasty (see this link).
The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The smooth and move procedure for irreparable rotator cuff tears (see this link).
Shoulder rehabilitation exercises (see this link).

The Future of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery - the University of Washington Fellowship

This week, 24 of the brightest and best applicants for shoulder and elbow fellowship were invited and accepted the opportunity to interview for the University of Washington's advanced clinical experience in our specialty.

This group of women and men is truly outstanding - one of the best we seen since starting our fellowship in 1988. Two of these candidates will join our 57 fellowship alumni who are now practicing shoulder and elbow surgery across the country - from Seattle to Miami, from SanDiego to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Almost all of our graduates are members of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES). One-quarter of our graduates have been recruited to university faculty positions.

Our goal is to enable our fellows to master advanced skills in diagnosis and surgical management of both common and rare conditions that prevent patients from enjoying their lives. In addition, we will provide opportunities for them to engage in cutting edge research investigating some of the major questions faced by our specialty, such as
(1) when is rotator cuff repair not in the best interest of a patient with a cuff tear?
(2) what evidence should guide treatment for irreparable rotator cuff tears?
(3) what can be offered to a patient with arthritis who wishes to pursue activities beyond what is recommended for a conventional total shoulder?
(4) how important is it to "correct" glenoid retroversion in performing shoulder arthroplasty?
(5) is there a practical alternative to the reverse total should for patients with cuff tear arthropathy and retained active elevation?
(5) how can surgeons monitor the quality of their practice outcomes to identify what is working and what is not?
(6) how can we avoid unnecessary expenses of imaging - a cost that consumes much of the resource spent on shoulder and elbow care?
(7) how can we evaluate the many new orthopaedic implants and products brought to market each year to determine if their increased cost results in increased benefit to our patients?
(8) how can we make shoulder and elbow surgery safer from the risk of infection?

We are excited to be tackling these and other 'big questions'. We are excited to have the partnership of our fellows, who help us and who end out teaching us as well. For sure, the future is brighter because of them.


Here are the publications of our core faculty:
Jason Hsu
Frederick Matsen
Winston Warme
Albert Gee
Jonah Hebert-Davies

Here are some videos that are of shoulder interest
Shoulder arthritis - what you need to know (see this link).
How to x-ray the shoulder (see this link).
The ream and run procedure (see this link).
The total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The cuff tear arthropathy arthroplasty (see this link).
The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The smooth and move procedure for irreparable rotator cuff tears (see this link).
Shoulder rehabilitation exercises (see this link).


Here are some links about our fellowship and our area:

The University of Washington Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship
Life in Seattle
Beautiful Seattle
How to find the best hikes around Seattle
The Pacific Northwest




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The Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship at the University of Washington - insuring the future of our specialty

For an recent update of this post, please see this link.

Shoulder and elbow surgery is 75% knowledge, 75% skill and 75% art. It cannot be learned from books or labs alone; rather, like a new language, acquiring mastery requires immersion in a comprehensive experience focused on the evaluation and management of patients and a philosophy of practice. To provide this opportunity to selected candidates, we will soon be interviewing candidates for the University of Washington Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship. This is a one year advanced clinical and academic experience that enables two highly qualified orthopaedists to hone their skills as shoulder and elbow surgeons, as investigators and as educators.

Our fellowship started in 1988, making it one of the longest standing advanced clinical experiences in our field - this will be our 32nd anniversary! Our graduates now practice shoulder and elbow surgery across the country - from Seattle to Miami, from SanDiego to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The two candidates paired with us by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons fellowship matching program will become the 55th and 56th University of Washington Shoulder and Elbow Fellows.

Our goal is to enable our fellows to master advanced skills in diagnosis and surgical management of both common and rare conditions that prevent patients from enjoying their lives.  In addition, we will provide opportunities for them to help answer some of the major questions faced by our specialty, such as
(1) when is rotator cuff repair not in the best interest of a patient with a cuff tear?
(2) what can be offered to a patient with arthritis who wishes to pursue activities beyond what is recommended for a conventional total shoulder?
(3) how can surgeons monitor the quality of their practice outcomes to identify what is working and what is not?
(4) how can we avoid unnecessary expenses of imaging - a cost that consumes much of the resource spent on shoulder and elbow care?
(5) how can we evaluate the many new orthopaedic implants and products brought to market each year to determine if their increased cost results in increased benefit to our patients?
(6) how can we make shoulder and elbow surgery safer from the risk of infection?

We are excited to be tackling these and other 'big questions'. We are excited to have the partnership of our fellows, who help us and who end out teaching us as well. For sure, the future is brighter because of them.

Half of our graduates have earned admission to the prestigious American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons society. One of our alumni, Tony Romeo, is its immediate past president. Here are a few of our older fellows, perhaps you recognize some of them.

From left to right, Steve Lippitt, John Sidles, Mark Lazarus, Kevin Smith, David Duckworth, the late Doug Harryman, Michael Pearl, Rick Matsen, Dean Ziegler, Craig Arntz, and Tony Romeo.

To learn more about our fellowship and our alumni, see this link and this link.

For information on life in Seattle, check out this link and this one and this on beautiful Seattle.

The future of shoulder surgery - the shoulder fellowship

Shoulder and elbow surgery is 75% knowledge, 75% skill and 75% art. It cannot be learned from books or labs alone; rather, like a new language, acquiring mastery requires immersion in a comprehensive experience focused on the evaluation and management of patients and a philosophy of practice. To provide this opportunity to selected candidates, we are now interviewing candidates for the University of Washington Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship. This is a one year advanced clinical and academic experience that enables two highly qualified orthopaedists to hone their skills as shoulder and elbow surgeons, as investigators and as educators.

Our fellowship started in 1988, making it one of the longest standing advanced clinical experiences in our field - this is our 31th anniversary! Our graduates now practice shoulder and elbow surgery across the country - from Seattle to Miami, from SanDiego to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The two candidates paired with us by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons fellowship matching program will become the 53rd and 54st University of Washington Shoulder Fellows.

Our goal is to enable our fellows to master advanced skills in diagnosis and surgical management of both common and rare conditions that prevent patients from enjoying their lives.  In addition, we will provide opportunities for them to help answer some of the major questions faced by our specialty, such as
(1) when is rotator cuff repair not in the best interest of a patient with a cuff tear?
(2) what can be offered to a patient with arthritis who wishes to pursue activities beyond what is recommended for a conventional total shoulder?
(3) how can surgeons monitor the quality of their practice outcomes to identify what is working and what is not?
(4) how can we avoid unnecessary expenses of imaging - a cost that consumes much of the resource spent on shoulder and elbow care?
(5) how can we evaluate the many new orthopaedic implants and products brought to market each year to determine if their increased cost results in increased benefit to our patients?
(6) how can we make shoulder and elbow surgery safer from the risk of infection?

We are excited to be tackling these and other 'big questions'. We are excited to have the partnership of our fellows, who help us and who end out teaching us as well. For sure, the future is brighter because of them.

Half of our graduates have earned admission to the prestigious American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons society. One of our alumni, Tony Romeo, is the immediate past president. Here are a few of our older fellows, perhaps you recognize some of them.

From left to right, Steve Lippitt, John Sidles, Mark Lazarus, Kevin Smith, David Duckworth, the late Doug Harryman, Michael Pearl, Rick Matsen, Dean Ziegler, Craig Arntz, and Tony Romeo.

To learn more about our fellowship and our alumni, see this link and this link.

For information on life in Seattle, check out this link and this one and this on beautiful Seattle.