The Sports Medicine Service gives the resident the opportunity to participate in the care of athletes of all levels of ability. The program is a multidisciplinary service, which includes orthopaedists, primary care sports medicine physicians, physical therapists and athletic trainers that work together in the Sports Medicine Center, which is contiguous with the University Fitness Center. During four month rotations in the PGY III and PGY V years of residency training, the resident learns the principles of evaluation and treatment of a broad spectrum of sports-related injuries by participating in the non-operative management of the patient, surgical intervention when indicated and postoperative rehabilitation. Together, this maximizes the potential for continuity of care.
The clinical service provides care to the Hershey Bears, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche and the Hershey Wildcats, a professional A-league soccer team. In addition, medical care is provided to a number of high schools in the surrounding area, affording residents the opportunity to develop experience in athletic event coverage and the responsibilities of a team physician.
In addition to the many patients with sports-related injuries referred from throughout the central Pennsylvania area, the patient population also consists of a large number of adult individuals with complex shoulder pathology. A high volume of arthroscopy, knee and shoulder reconstruction and rotator cuff repair is performed in the Outpatient Surgery Center of Penn State Hershey Medical Center, a modern and efficiently run facility that is separate from the main operating room.
During their rotation, the resident works closely with faculty members with expertise and fellowship training in sports medicine. A monthly sports medicine conference and journal club allow for discussion and review of important concepts and recent literature. Additional sports medicine trained faculty members from the main campus at University Park enhance the academic experience by participating in these conferences throughout the year.
The junior resident is initially introduced to the fundamentals of arthroscopy and, after refining their basic diagnostic and triangulation techniques, progresses to more complicated procedures. Senior level residents further enhance their arthroscopic and open surgical techniques and, at the conclusion of their rotation, are proficient in the vast majority of operations performed for sports-related injuries and shoulder pathology.
Clinical and basic science research is enthusiastically encouraged. Recent and ongoing areas of investigation include knee and shoulder reconstruction, articular cartilage injury and repair and adhesive capsulitis. Basic science research is performed in the Division of Musculoskeletal Sciences, a state-of-the-art facility capable of performing highly sophisticated histological, biochemical and biomechanical testing. Basic science faculty are readily available for consultation and collaboration. Research is currently being performed in conjunction with the faculty of the Department of Comparative Anatomy which investigates an animal model to be utilized in the study of shoulder instability.
At the conclusion of training, the resident has provided care for athletes of all levels of ability, ranging from the "weekend warrior" to the professional. By maintaining an appropriate balance of operative and non-operative experience, the resident masters the principles of non-operative treatment, develops an understanding for the indications and limitations of surgery and develops the capability to perform complex surgical procedures.
For more information regarding Penn State Orthopaedics' residency training program, please email the residency program coordinator at OrthoResidency@hmc.psu.edu.
