Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship

The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute / Sidney Kimmel Medical College’s Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Counsel for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in Hand Surgery. The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute’s Hand Service has quickly become one of the premiere upper extremity practices in the country emphasizing the highest quality patient care and academic excellence. The fellowship is associated with the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and its affiliated sites, and the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. 

This “modern” hand surgery fellowship has been designed specifically to train the next generation of Hand & Upper Extremity Surgeons in all evidence-based techniques and principles by providing not only comprehensive training in Hand, Wrist, & Microvascular surgery but also exposure to Pediatric Hand surgery and Shoulder & Elbow surgery. The fellows will have the opportunity to work with a faculty that are all fellowship-trained and represent the thought leaders in the field of Hand & Upper Extremity surgery. Annually the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Hand service faculty members perform over 7500 cases consisting of a comprehensive array of upper extremity cases including elective, traumatic, and complex reconstructions. The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Hand service also maintains a robust research portfolio including clinical, biomechanical, and bench research that will be available to the fellows.

Graduates of the fellowship will be poised to immediately begin either a clinical or
academic practice in the field of Hand & Upper Extremity. Furthermore, graduating
fellows will be eligible to take the Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Hand
Surgery. We hope that you will take the time to interview with us and see what we
have to offer you and your career.
 

Sincerely,
ASIF ILYAS, MD
Program Director, Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship
Associate Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute at Thomas Jefferson University 

Accreditation
ACGME - Hand Surgery

Number of Fellows
2 per year

Fellowship duration
1 year (August 1 – July 31)

Eligibility
Board Eligible in Orthopaedic Surgery

Match
National Residency Matching Program

Faculty
6 Hand, Wrist, & Microvascular Surgeons
4 Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons
2 Pediatric Hand Surgeon Fellowship

Design
Preceptorship Fellowship

Focus
Hand, Wrist, & Microvascular Surgery
Shoulder & Elbow Surgery
Pediatric Hand Surgery

Locations
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and affiliates
Shriners Hospital for Children

Resources
Microsurgery & Animal Lab
Anatomy Lab
Research Service
Overseas Mission Trip support

Requirement
Must complete an accredited Orthopaedic Surgery residency prior to start of fellowship.

Application Deadline
December 15

Interviews
February or March

Application Material
Online ASSH Hand Surgery Fellowship application
3 Letters of Recommendation (including 1 from Residency Director)
USMLE Scores (copy acceptable)

Application Submission
Online via:   http://www.assh.org/For-Physicians/Fellowship-Programs

The fellow will gain clinical and surgical experience in all aspects of the upper extremity, including:

Fracture care of the upper extremity: The fellows will learn surgical indications and perform closed as well as open surgical treatment for all fractures and dislocations of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, arm, and shoulder. Furthermore, fellows will participate in complex reconstructions of traumatic injuries to the upper extremity.

Nerve surgery: The fellows will learn surgical indications and perform open, mini-open, and endoscopic decompression techniques for peripheral compressive neuropathies. The fellows will also develop skills in nerve repair, grafting, and transfers.

Tendon surgery: The fellows will learn injection techniques and perform surgical releases of all tendinopathies of the upper extremity. The fellows will also develop skills in tendon repairs and transfers.

Joint injury and arthritis treatment: The fellows will learn the indications and perform arthroscopies of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Fellows will also perform fusions of the hand and wrist, and arthroplasties of the fingers, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

Skin and wound management: The fellows will learn the indications and techniques for skin grafting and be exposed to flap techniques.

Pediatric Hand surgery: The fellows will be exposed to congenital hand conditions and assist in their diagnosis and surgical management.

Microsurgery: The fellows will learn the principles and develop skills in microvascular
surgery.
 

Rothman Orthopaedic Institute has a full-time research staff and facilities dedicated to Hand & Upper Extremity research. The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Hand service manages multiple clinical, biomechanical, and bench research studies. On average, the service publishes 15 peer-reviewed articles and presents 25 national podiums and posters annually. 

Topics of active current study include:

- Upper Extremity Fractures
- Pain Management Strategies
- Wide Awake Hand Surgery
- The Role of Adjunct Imaging
- Compression Neuropathies
- Infections of the Hand
- Biomechanical Analysis of Fracture Implants
- Tendon Repair and Healing
- Resident & Fellow Education

The faculty presents regularly at meetings such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), American Association of Hand Surgery (AAHS), the Eastern Orthopaedic Association
(EOA), and the Pennyslvania Orthopaedic Society. Similarly, the fellows will be expected to participate in on-going research or initiate a new study of their interest. 

The fellows will also have access to seed money for independent study. Furthermore, the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Research Database will be available and is an invaluable resource for clinical studies. Monthly research meetings will be held with the faculty to review on-going studies and discuss future studies. Lastly, an emphasis on the research process, study design, and statistical analysis is prioritized. 

Hand & Wrist Service

PEDRO BEREDJIKLIAN, MD
Service Chief
 
Dr. Beredjiklian is the Chief of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Hand Surgery service and is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Thomas Jefferson University. He is a native of Mexico City and moved to Philadelphia at the age of 16. He is a graduate of Haverford College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. Dr. Beredjiklian completed an internship and residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed a fellowship in Hand & Upper Extremity surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Prior to joining the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute he was on staff at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Beredjiklian is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has a Certificate of Added Qualification for Surgery of the Hand. He is a member of various societies including the American Society of Surgery of the Hand, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the American Orthopaedic Association, and the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. He has served in multiple committees within each society, and served as the Chair of the Crucial Elements Committee of the American Society of Surgery of the Hand. He has authored over 60 manuscripts in the peer reviewed literature, as well as multiple non peer reviewed articles and textbook chapters. He has been the editor of three textbooks in the area of Orthopaedic and Hand Surgery. He serves in the editorial boards for over ten peer reviewed journals, is an Associate Editor of the Review Section of the Journal of Hand Surgery, and an Associate Editor of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. Dr. Beredjiklian has a keen interest in basic science research, and has received multiple research grants for investigations in the topic of the biology of scar tissue formation after tendon injuries. He has served as principal investigator in several grants which have originated from prestigious funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health and the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation. Dr. Beredjiklian has received numerous honors and awards including selection into Young Members Leadership Forum of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the Leadership Fellows Program of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has a profound commitment to education and has been the recipient of several teaching awards, including (twice) the Jesse T. Nicholson Award for outstanding clinical teaching in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the John J. Gartland Award for outstanding commitment to teaching residents in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

ASIF ILYAS, MD
Program Director
 
Dr. Ilyas is the Program Director of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute / Sidney Kimmel Medical College Hand & Upper Extremity fellowship. He is also an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Thomas Jefferson University. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Wilkes University and an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine (now known as Drexel University College of Medicine). Dr. Ilyas completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at Temple University. He then completed a fellowship in Hand & Upper Extremity surgery as a Harvard Fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Prior to joining the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute he was on staff at Temple University Hospital where he was Director of the Temple Hand Center and the Residency Director of the Orthopaedic Surgery residency program. Dr. Ilyas is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has a Certificate of Added Qualification in Surgery of the Hand. He is a member of various societies including the American Society of Surgery of the Hand, the American Association of Hand Surgery, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the American Orthopaedic Association, and a faculty member of the AO North America. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, review papers, and book chapters. He serves as a Reviewer for a number of journals including the Journal of Hand Surgery. He has served as the Guest Editor of multiple Hand and Ortho Clinics and Symposiums as well as the co-Editor-in-chief of the multi-volume Contemporary Surgical Management of Fractures and Complications textbook. Dr. Ilyas has a keen interest in clinical and bench research with a particular focus on wide awake hand surgery, distal radius fractures, pain management, anesthesia strategies, traumatic nerve injuries, hand infections, and biomechanical evaluation of fracture hardware. Dr. Ilyas has received numerous honors and awards including selection in the Emerging Leader’s Program of the American Orthopaedic Association. He has also been identified as a Top Doc by both the Philadelphia and Main Line magazines. 

FRED LISS, MD

JONAS MATZON, MD

MARK WANG, MD, PhD

CHRISTOPHER JONES, MD

Shoulder & Elbow Service

GERALD WILLIAMS, MD

JOSEPH ABBOUD, MD

LUKE AUSTIN, MD

CHARLES GETZ, MD

Pediatric Hand Surgery

SCOTT KOZIN, MD

DAN ZLOTOLOW, MD
 

For more information, contact:

Asif Ilyas, MD
Program Director
asif.ilyas@rothmanortho.com

Kelly Quici
Resident, Fellowship and Medical Student Coordinator
kelly.quici@rothmanortho.com