Surgical Training and Rotations
In addition to the non-podiatric rotations outlined below, residents in podiatric surgery can expect the following progression over the three-year training cycle:
PGY-1
By end of the first year, the resident is expected to demonstrate basic proficiency in the performance of forefoot surgery and minor procedures of the rearfoot. These include:
- Soft tissue and nail procedures
- Toe surgery
- First Ray procedures
- Metatarsal procedures
- Basic non-reconstructive midfoot-rearfoot procedures
- A.O. fixation of the forefoot
- Laser surgery
- Debridement – wounds and soft-tissue
Other goals
- Take care of in-house patients
- Attend weekly meetings
- Teach students
- Attend attendings' office for clinical experience
- Perform year-level surgical cases
PGY-2
By end of the second year, the resident is expected to demonstrate increased proficiency in the first-year procedures and demonstrate basic proficiency in the performance of more advanced procedures of the rearfoot and ankle, including:
- Arthrodesis
- Nerve decompressions
- Tendon transfer and repair procedures
- Osteotomies
- Debridement – bone and soft-tissue
- Flat foot surgery
- Pes cavus surgery
- Fracture repair – forefoot
- A-O fixation – rearfoot
Additional goals
- Assist PGY-3 in case load
- Assist PGY-1 with in-house patients
- Assist in student education
- Perform year-level surgical cases
PGY-3
By end of the third year, the resident is expected to demonstrate increased proficiency in the performance of first and second year procedures and demonstrate proficiency in the performance of more advanced procedures of the rearfoot and ankle, including:
- Arthrodesis – ankle
- Midfoot and rearfoot fracture repair
- Ankle fracture repair
- Ankle arthroscopy
- Diabetic foot reconstruction
- Flat foot and cavus foot reconstruction
- External fixation
Other goals
- Administrative duties
- Oversee students and residents
- Perform year-level surgical cases
- Prepare for employment by attending offices
Non-podiatric rotations
(All rotations are at Inova Fairfax Hospital unless otherwise indicated)
First year
- Medicine – one month
- General surgery – one month
- Vascular surgery – one month
- Infectious disease – one month
- Anesthesia – one week
- Pain management – one week (Offices of Fairfax Anesthesiology Pain Care)
- Psychiatry (behavioral science) – one week
- Pathology – one week
- Radiology (MRI and ultrasonography) – one week (Offices of Fairfax Radiological Associates)
- Interventional radiology – one week
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation – one week
- Emergency medicine – one weekend (20 hours) every 5th week
Second year
- Orthopaedic trauma – three months
- Wound care – once weekly for three months (Inova Mount Vernon Hospital)
Third year
- Plastic surgery – one month
- Kaiser Foot and Ankle Clinic – three months (Kaiser Permanente clinics)
- Georgetown University Hospital Limb Salvage – three months (Georgetown University Hospital)
