​Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at UPMC Hamot

A message from the program director, James A. DeLullo, MD.

Welcome to the UPMC Hamot Orthopaedic Surgery Residency!

UPMC Hamot offers an ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency program, which is five years in duration.

Program Aims: The UPMC Hamot Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program trains residents in a variety of orthopaedic specialties in order for them to excel in the practice of Orthopaedic Surgery or during future fellowship training. The primary focus of the program is to provide the trainees with orthopaedic clinical and surgical knowledge while focusing on competency in academic, urban/rural settings and the community. The goal is to train and guide residents to practice with compassion, respect towards patients, attendings, peers and staff within the communities. The program aims to provide a supportive learning culture allowing residents to explore specific interests inclusive of practice management, systems-based practice and scholarly research. The overall program goals instill values of lifelong learning and shares a continued commitment to patient care and service to the community.

Mission Statement: The mission of the UPMC Hamot Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program is to provide excellence in education for the care of the orthopaedic patients our physicians treat in the greater Erie area and surrounding under-served communities. Through clinical and technology practice, education and research this ACGME accredited program develops professional clinicians who demonstrate innovative reasoning skills, patient empathy and orthopaedic surgery expertise.

The program provides a strong clinical curriculum that includes basic science and biomechanics, as well as comprehensive experience and exposure to:

• Foot and ankle
• Hand
• Hip and knee
• Spine
• Shoulder and elbow
• Tumor
• Pediatrics
• Sports medicine
• Trauma
• Oncology

The PGY-1 year offers experiences ranging from multisystem trauma management to plastic surgery. The experiences are varied with a goal to help you become a well-rounded orthopaedic surgeon.

The remaining four years provide the residents with excellent hands-on training in the care and management of all orthopaedic subspecialties. We feel that one of our major strengths is general orthopaedics.

During the basic science rotation, the resident engages in basic science research projects and clinical studies. Under the guidance of the Program Director and with the support from the Director of Medical Research Operations and faculty mentors, residents pursue research and quality improvement (QI) projects in areas of interest. Each resident is expected to complete a scholarly project prior to graduation and encouraged to present at a conference and/or publish their work.

Orthopaedic Surgery Residents at UPMC Hamot gain a comprehensive experience in Pediatric Orthopaedics during their training. They will spend time at the Shriner's Hospital for Children--Erie during their PGY2 year and rotate at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for 2 months during their PGY3 year and 2 months during their PGY4 year.

UPMC Hamot provides Orthopaedic Surgery Residents with sophisticated experience in the surgical intervention required for trauma patients. The new Patient Care Tower houses 64 beds for the TNICU, CVICU, and MICU.

Residents also have access to outpatient clinics (Hand, Microsurgery and Reconstructive Orthopaedics LLP, Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine of Erie-UPMC, UPMC Hamot Orthopaedics). In addition to giving the residents the opportunity to provide continuity of care, these clinics teach residents practice management and systems-based practices.

UPMC Hamot's Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program is busy enough that residents have the surgical exposure to a broad range of orthopaedic conditions, yet small and collegial enough that residents finish the program with strong working relationships with their fellow residents and faculty. 

James A. DeLullo, MD