About the Program

The Hand Surgery Fellowship at the Kaiser Permanente Orange County Medical Center (affiliate of the UCI - Kaiser Permanente Hand & Microsurgery Fellowship) provides comprehensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of the complete spectrum of upper extremity disorders.  We offer a high volume of surgical experience in all aspects of upper extremity surgery, including trauma management, microsurgery, nerve and tendon reconstruction, as well as shoulder and elbow reconstruction including arthroplasty and arthroscopy. 

The curriculum is designed to give fellows gradually increasing autonomy throughout the academic year. The year begins with the fellow working one on one with the attending staff. As the year progresses, the fellow develops his/her own patient base for which they will diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate. Fellows work under the direct supervision of the attending staff with progression of autonomy based on the ability of the individual as determined by the continuous evaluation of the attending staff.

Opportunities for Research

Although the primary focus of the fellowship is to advance clinical and operative skills, the fellow will be expected to participate in clinical and/or basic science research. There are multiple research opportunities available including, access to a large distal radius fracture registry that is supported by two full-time research assistants. In addition, basic science research is available through the University of California Irvine School of Medicine and the Long Beach V.A. Medical center. As a fellow, you will be required to complete at least one project during the year and prepare a manuscript suitable for publication. Weekly research meetings are held to follow the progress of all ongoing research projects.

Weekly continuing education meetings are held throughout the year and cover all upper extremity topics. The lectures rotate among faculty and the fellow, resulting in the fellow giving five to six lectures per year. The fellow also attends a weekly “Indications Conference” to present his or her surgical cases for the upcoming week. Interesting or difficult patients may be brought to the conference to enhance the discussion. There is also a monthly journal club meeting for faculty that the fellow also takes an active role in. The fellow is allotted ample time through out the year to attend professional meetings.

Evaluation and Feedback

As a fellow, you will receive evaluations on a daily basis while working side-by-side with faculty in all aspects of patient care. You will also receive ongoing informal assessment concerning your knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professionalism. Quarterly, the fellow receives a formal evaluation from each faculty member. The results of this will be reviewed with you in a meeting with the fellowship director. As a fellow, this gives you the opportunity to have a periodic update on your educational progress, and allows you to correct any deficiencies that are identified.

Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of this fellowship program is to provide a highly educational environment where fellows can receive training that will enable them to provide the highest quality of patient care. This includes a caring, professional attitude toward patients, accurate diagnoses, and evidence-based treatment of the highest technical quality. It is of the utmost importance of the fellowship director and the faculty that the fellow does not feel that they are here to increase the productivity of the group. The practice currently functions quite well without fellows and the motivation for this program is simply the desire to help train future surgeons. Due to the nature of our practice, the fellows will not provide any financial gain for the faculty and it is our belief that our unique practice structure provides an ideal learning environment.