Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship |MedStar Union Memorial | MedStar Health

The MedStar Health—Union Memorial Hospital Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Program

Education, rather than service, is at the heart of our fellowship program. Fellows are here to learn, operate, and engage in research, without being bogged down by administrative or call tasks. 

As a single-fellow program, the educational experience can be focused on and tailored to that one fellow each year, providing the breadth and depth of experience of a larger program with a more personal feel.

There is a great diversity and volume of cases, excellent research opportunities with dedicated research time, and shoulder and elbow specific didactics and case conferences. With all of that, it is still very much a mentorship fellowship, with a sense of comradery between the fellow and the attendings.

Why train here

Our clinical diversity and case volume are unmatched. We have excellent research support and a world-class biomechanics lab. The focus is on education and research, with little administrative responsibility. 

And as a single-fellow program, the educational experience can be tailored to the fellow’s individual goals and preferences and help position him or her for success. That’s true whether one is interested in private practice, academics, or more general orthopedics. 

We are committed to disseminating emerging techniques and technologies to our surgeons and surgeons-in-training in a thorough and timely fashion. Throughout the experience, the attendings are focused on you, helping you learn and grow at every step of your fellowship.

Clinical excellence

This fellowship offers experience in all types of shoulder and elbow pathology and treatment, including primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty, complex elbow reconstruction, open instability surgery, upper extremity trauma, and arthroscopy of both joints. We incorporate such new technologies as pre-operative planning, patient-specific instrumentation, intraoperative navigation, and a variety of biologics. This fellowship offers experience in all types of shoulder and elbow pathology and treatment, including complex elbow reconstruction, open instability surgery, and arthroscopy of both joints. We incorporate such new technologies as pre-operative planning, patient-specific instrumentation, intraoperative navigation, and a variety of biologics.

The fellowship also offers access to a wide range of digital and in-person didactic and case conferences to enhance skills, while providing many networking opportunities.

The Department of Orthopedic Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial has a Surgical Technique and Technology Lab that’s truly world-class. This facility encompasses nearly 5,000 square feet and includes a 2,500-square-foot surgical training area, conference area for 30 people, and a state-of-the-art biomechanics research facility.

Curriculum

Our fellowship involves working with four fellowship-trained shoulder and elbow surgeons, exposing the fellow to a huge variety of shoulder and elbow pathologies, from simple to complex, as well as treatment options for each case. 

Because of the mentorship model, the fellow has the opportunity to evaluate patients in clinic, develop a treatment plan, and discuss these findings with their attending. There’s also the opportunity to follow post-operative patients.

The fellow will typically spend two days a week in the operating room and two days in the clinic. You’ll also have a dedicated research/academic day each week to work with research faculty. Because this is a single-person fellowship, one always has the opportunity to join any attending with a particularly complex or unusual case. 

The shoulder and elbow experience is quite extensive, with more than 900 cases per year. Approximately 80% of the cases are shoulder and 20% elbow. Operative experience includes a high volume of: 

  • Primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty cases

  • Advanced shoulder and elbow arthroscopy

  • Open shoulder reconstruction

  • Shoulder and elbow fracture management

  • Elbow ligament repair/reconstruction

  • Elbow arthroplasty

Our people

Research

Multiple biomechanical, Multiple basic science, translational, and clinical research opportunities are available in our fellowship. Participation in on-going projects has always been encouraged and has generally resulted in excellent academic productivity.

Fellows have the opportunity to work within the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Research Network at the MedStar Health Research Institute. This  research program at MedStar Health is closely aligned with its world-class clinical programs, where there is close collaboration between orthopedic surgeons, research fellows, and engineers. 

In conjunction with our on site biomechanics laboratory space MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has invested in a facility for instruction and advancement of surgical skills. We believe that a multi-dimensional education that combines didactic interaction with practical, hands-on learning optimizes the surgeon’s academic experience. MedStar Union Memorial is committed to the design and development of a facility for instruction and advancement of surgical skills. We believe that a multi-dimensional education that combines didactic interaction with practical, hands-on learning optimizes the surgeon’s academic experience.

Additional resources:

  • Instruction in effective utilization of online and computerized research materials through the Medical Library at MedStar Union Memorial and Georgetown Dahlgren Memorial Library

  • Full-time editorial staff to help with the research and publication process

  • Research funding: All projects are submitted to the Orthopedic Research Committee for review and approval before initiation. Adequate funds are available for all deserving sports medicine fellowship projects.

  • High volume sports medicine practices at MedStar Union Memorial present a vast array of clinical materials appropriate for both retrospective and prospectively designed clinical studies.

  • Full time engineer support for biomechanical projects

  • Statistical support through MedStar Health Research Institute

Training locations

MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

MedStar Union Memorial is one of the region's top specialty hospitals. It is a 223-bed acute care teaching hospital with a primary emphasis on orthopedic care.

201 E. University Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21218 

MedStar Health Research Institute

MedStar Health Research Institute is the research arm of MedStar Health. The Institute’s expertise includes translational research into disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

6525 Belcrest Rd., Ste. 700 
Hyattsville, MD 20782 

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital

MedStar St. Mary's is a 103-bed full-service community hospital, delivering state-of-the-art emergency, acute inpatient, and outpatient care. 

25500 Point Lookout Rd.
Leonardtown, MD 20650 

MedStar Timonium Surgery Center 

This ambulatory care center is a 46,000 square-feet comprehensive orthopedics facility dedicated to providing care, compassion, and clinical excellences. 

2118 Greenspring Dr.
Timonium, MD 21093

Application information

Interested in applying?

Contact us

Thank you for your interest in our fellowship program. We look forward to hearing from you with any questions. Please direct your questions to:

Nina Lilly,
Fellowship Coordinator 

nina.a.lilly@medstar.net

Dr. Melissa Wright,
Assistant Fellowship Director

melissa.a.wright@medstar.net

410-554-6865