Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Program

One Fellow. One year. A Lifetime of Knowledge.

Extensive training leads to an experience unlike any other

The Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children’s Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Program provides hands-on, extensive training in the field of pediatric orthopedic surgery. Designed for physicians who have successfully completed an orthopaedic surgery residency program, OIC offers a unique experience for fellows as a non-profit outpatient orthopedic institution that also works in affiliation with UCLA. The UCLA Pediatric Orthopaedic program is top ranked nationally by U.S. News and World Report.

The one-year program offers advanced training in both trauma and elective pediatric orthopaedics. The operative experience combines active participation in highly specialized tertiary surgery in an academic setting with the hands-on experiences mandated by an exceptionally large clinical volume of 60,000 patient visits per year. Fellows are also actively involved in our International Children’s program at the border-town of Calexico where a broad spectrum of severe or neglected pediatric orthopaedic conditions are seen.

Academic pursuits are strongly encouraged and supported during the fellowship year. Fellows attend and participate in a highly organized education program including weekly lectures and case conferences as well as monthly UCLA Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. Fellows also teach and supervise residents in the operating room and clinical settings preparing fellows to be successful in an academic career.

Research is supported through dedicated funding for fellow-driven projects and assistance is provided by our research coordinators. State-of the-art research facilities include gait and biomechanics labs and one of the largest basic science orthopaedic laboratories in the country. Each fellow will complete at least one scientific paper suitable for presentation and publication during their fellowship.

Research is conducted at OIC’s J. Vernon Luck Research Center downtown and at the Orthopaedic Research Center at UCLA-Westwood. Research activities between OIC and UCLA combine at the Orthopaedic Research Center to create the largest orthopaedic research collaborative in the country. Learn more about each research program here.

The Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship is ACGME accredited and open to graduates of an approved orthopedic residency program. The ability to obtain a valid California medical and DEA license before the start date is required. At this point in time, we do not accept ECFMG graduates. This includes both non-accredited and accredited ECFMG graduates.

Interested candidates should submit their application through the San Francisco Match. Applications are accepted annually beginning in September and ending in January. The interview season typically occurs between January and March, ending with match day in April. The Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children currently has placement for one (1) fellow per academic year. Generally, the current recruitment season is looking for a fellowship start date of the following academic year (ex: Those matched in April 2019 would begin Summer 2020).

Approximate compensation for the one-year Fellowship is $75,000 plus benefits.

Fellows will work with orthopaedists that are UCLA Faculty Professors and have access to world-class resources in practice and in research.

OIC offers care to children across 21 different specialties. Children are seen at the Outpatient Medical Center downtown, Luskin Children’s Clinic in Santa Monica, Urgent Care Center and at Valley Orthopedic Clinic in Calexico and in Mexicali at Hospital General de Mexicali as a part of our dedicated International Children’s Program. OIC’s presence throughout Los Angeles and Southern California allows and access to a wide-range of patients across varying communities greatly enhances our trainees scope of care.

In addition to surgical operations in UCLA Santa Monica, UCLA Ronald Regan and other local hospitals, OIC’s Outpatient Medical Center performs surgeries at their on-site Ambulatory Surgery Center. The downtown campus also has advanced low-dose EOS imaging, distinguishing OIC among its affiliates in pediatric care.

The Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellow is OIC’s only permanent, in-house trainee. In addition, approximately three (3) UCLA Orthopaedic Surgery Residents will rotate into OIC on a monthly basis.

Non-surgical programs from UCLA, USC, and Kaiser also rotate into OIC for 1 day-6 month rotations. Non-surgical residents rotating into OIC are assigned to our various clinics. Throughout the year, 4th year medical students with UCLA also complete clinical and surgical rotations while they’re supervised by surgical residents.

OIC’s commitment to academia can also be seen through their volunteer program for undergraduate students. While volunteers are not allowed to participate in direct patient care, they are allowed to observe, giving undergraduate students the opportunity to have clinical exposure.