Fellowship

Duration: 1year, August 1 to July 31st

‍Number of Fellows: 1 per year

‍ASES Fellowship Description: Based in Southern Oregon, the mission of the Oregon Shoulder Fellowship is to train shoulder and elbow specialists who will be experts in their field and help advance both the quality of shoulder and elbow care as well as the field of shoulder and elbow surgery.  The fellowship provides exposure to the field shoulder and elbow under the guidance of Dr. Patrick Denard, Mariano Menendez, Matthew Nugent, and Cameron Phillips.

Dr. Patrick J. Denard
Dr. Cameron Phillips

Our goal is not only help train the future shoulder and elbow specialists of the world, but also to help the fellow grow as a person and have life-long relationships with the fellowship program.

Operative and Clinical Experience: The fellow will participate in over 700 cases per year. As the regional referral area, a high variety of cases are seen despite being in a non-academic center. The exposure includes advanced shoulder arthroscopy techniques including an in-depth exposure to the management of massive rotator cuff tears. Approximately 300 total shoulder arthroplasties are performed per year as well as approximately 50 fracture cases (proximal humerus, clavicle fractures, humeral shaft fractures, etc.). The fellow will gain exposure to elbow, particularly trauma and instability. An opportunity is also provided to gain exposure to knee surgery if desired.

Fellows rotate in 3 month blocks spending time with Drs. Denard and Menendez, followed by Drs. Phillips and Nugent, and then repeating. The workweek is Monday-Friday consisting of 1.5 days of clinic, 0.5 research days, and3 surgical days. Over the year the fellow will progress in independence with the goal of acquiring the clinical and operative skills necessary to be an expert in the field. Clinic includes exposure to ultrasound for assessment of the rotator cuff and injection techniques. Call is 1 weekend per month at a level 2 trauma center with a physician assistant taking primary call. There is opportunity to take additional call for pay.

The practice setting is primarily private practice at the Oregon Shoulder Institute where the fellow will learn practice management as well as how to establish a research program in private practice if desired.

Weekly indications conferences are conducted as well as monthly shoulder conferences (a mix of case-based conferences and evening journal clubs). The fellow is provided fully funded opportunities to attend 2 national shoulder conferences. 

Research: We believe that research is an important part of both the educational process and central to the mission of the fellowship. Clinical outcomes are collected in an electronic database and several research projects are ongoing both within the Oregon Shoulder Institute and as part of multi-centered studies with national and international sites providing access to prospective data with over 2000 patients. An on-site research coordinator facilitates data collection. The fellow is provided with dedicated research time and expected to complete at least 2 research projects during the academic year. Although the fellowship is primarily private-practice based, fellows who desire academic positions will be well-qualified in this pursuit as they will have ample opportunity to perform more research as our institution contributes to an average of 20 publications per year. Examples of our publications can be found here:

Dr. Denard's Research
Dr. Menendez's Research

The fellowship is funded through the Southern Oregon Orthopedics Research Foundation. A full salary is provided as well as benefits. Note, a full Oregon State Medical license is required to begin the fellowship and therefore international graduates typically do not qualify.

Duration: 1 week – 6 months

For surgeons who do not qualify for the one year fellowship (due to international restrictions on ability to obtain an Oregon medical license) there is opportunity to perform an observational/research fellowship for a mutually agreed upon duration. The fellow participates in clinic and observes surgery in the operating room. For interested fellows, opportunity is provided to participate in research. This fellowship is unfunded. All travel and expenses are the responsibility of the fellow and an appropriate visa must be obtained on one’s own.

Applicants for either fellowship may apply directly to Dr. Denard:
Patrick J. Denard, MD
Fellowship Director
‍Southern Oregon Orthopedics
‍2780 E. Barnett Rd
Suite 200
Medford, OR 97504
‍pjdenard@gmail.com