Program Director
Welcome to the Tripler Army Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program. Our staff of orthopaedic surgeons is committed to providing applicants with the best possible orthopaedic education throughout five years of residency training. This program is continuously improving through interactions, input, and analysis from all staff and residents.
Our success in helping residents develop into a successful orthopaedic surgeons who independently provide outstanding patient care requires maximal effort from all of us. A physician’s diligent pursuit of knowledge and apprenticed development of clinical skills in an environment of inquiry and scholarship are the keys to an orthopaedic education. Disciplined daily study, attention to clinical detail, team player attitude and compassionate patient-directed care are characteristics that will serve residents throughout their career.
The Tripler Army Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Tripler graduated its first orthopaedic resident in 1960, two residents a year graduated through 1966, and an average of three residents have graduated every year since 1966. All graduates have successfully achieved board certification in Orthopaedic Surgery.
Our program is designed to prepare our residents to provide state of the art care as general orthopaedic surgeons and as deployed Army orthopaedic surgeons. In addition, we have ensured that graduating residents have a curriculum vitae that will make them competitive for fellowship training in all sub-specialities.
We achieve this through a strong home program which exposes residents to rotations in each sub-specialty prior to the end of their R3 year. Residents who wish to apply for fellowship do so at the beginning of the R4 year. During the last 2 years of training we provide supervised graduated responsibilities in each sub- specialty rotation to ensure competence.
In order to provide a diverse exposure, we have set up several outside rotations which have added to the strength of our program and its graduating residents. During the junior years, our residents rotate at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu which is the only level I trauma center in the region. In addition, junior residents are encouraged to consider an elective rotation with the Shriner’s Hospital in Honolulu where they may participate in outreach missions to underserved islands in the Pacific. During the last two years, residents will rotate with the Queen’s Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, and a senior level trauma rotation.
Tripler has a 99% Step I and Step II ABOS pass rate. Over the last 2 years, Tripler residents have published 26 peer reviewed articles and 4 book chapters. We have had 65 abstracts accepted to regional and national meetings and have 70 ongoing projects. Our residents have an average case load of 1,600 cases at graduation (93rd percentile for Sports for the 2017-2018 school year). Our full expectation is that you will continue on in this fine tradition, and we welcome you to apply to our program.
COL, MC
Director, Orthopaedic Residency Program
Tripler Army Medical Center