Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship
The Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship involves a one-year experience of intensive post-residency training in disorders specifically related to the hand, elbow and shoulder as well as problems involving microvascular reconstruction. The fellowship participates in the Hand Surgery Match and is ACGME accredited. The goal for this fellowship is to provide orthopaedic, plastic or general surgeons the detailed knowledge required to undertake the practice of hand and upper extremity surgery independently after they have completed the fellowship. The emphasis of the fellowship is equally shared by clinical responsibilities and academic investigation into both clinical and basic science problems. Our interest is in training surgeons who will stay academically engaged after they have finished their fellowship.
Faculty
Julia Katarincic, MD
Professor of Orthopaedics
Director, Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship
Dr. Katarincic is an Professor of Orthopaedics at the Warren Alpert Medical School, and a staff surgeon in the Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery in Pediatric Orthopedics. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. She completed a hand fellowship at the Mayo Clinic where she was on staff for seven years before returning to Rhode Island.
Dr. Katarincic has a special interest in pediatric upper extremity injuries and abnormalites in addition to brachial plexus injuries, peripheral nerve injuries and adult hand injuries. She is a former member of the Council of the American Society for the Surgery of Hand. She is a reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Yearbook of Hand Surgery.
Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, MD
Professor of Orthopaedics
Chief of the Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery
Dr. Weiss is Vice Chairman, Professor and the R. Scot Sellers Scholar of Hand Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and a staff surgeon in the Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery. He is a graduate of the combined B.A.-M.D. Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was inducted into the Society of Scholars of Johns Hopkins University in 2009. After an orthopaedic surgery residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, he underwent a hand and upper extremity surgery fellowship at the Indiana Hand Center.
Dr. Weiss is a recipient of the Joseph H. Boyes Award and Sterling Bunnell Traveling Fellowship from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the North American Traveling Fellowship and ABC Traveling Fellowship of the American Orthopaedic Association and the Nicolas Andry Award from the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. He holds current RO-1 grants from the National Institutes of Health. His research interests are focused on wrist biomechanics and implant kinematics. He is Editor Emeritus of the Journal of Hand Surgery and the Journal of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. He was the founding Dean of Admissions for Brown Medical School for a decade and holds 12 patents for orthopedic devices used worldwide. He is Editor of the 2 Volume textbook, Hand Surgery, the Comprehensive Board Review in Orthopaedic Surgery, and Managing Editor of the 2 volume ASSH Textbook of Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery. He has authored over 160 peer reviewed publications. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Rowing Foundation and Nomos AG, A Zurich based auction company. He has served on the Boards of IlluminOss Medical, Inc., the Rhode Island School of Design, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, FirstWorks, and the American Numismatic Society. He serves as an advisor to Telegraph Hill Partners, a healthcare private equity fund.
Edward Akelman, MD
Professor of Orthopaedics
Chair, Department of Orthopaedics
Dr. Akelman is Chair and Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Surgeon-in-Chief of the Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Dartmouth Medical School. After an orthopaedic surgery residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital he underwent a hand surgery fellowship at Roosevelt Hospital under the direction of Drs. J. William Littler and Richard G. Eaton.
Dr. Akelman is a three time winner of the Brown Department of Orthopedics Teaching Award. He served as President of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand from 2012-2013. He previously served as Chair of the Council on Education of the American Academy of Orthopedics Surgeons (AAOS) and was a member of the Board of Directors of the AAOS. He is a former Associate Editor and currently serves as a consultant reviewer for the Journal of Hand Surgery. He is a consultant reviewer for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and is an associate editor for Techniques in Orthopedics. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Surgical Orthopedic Advances. Dr. Akelman has been a principal investigator on grants for Allied Signal Corporation, Genzyme Corporation, and Auxilium Pharmaceuticals.
Manuel F. DaSilva, MD
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
Dr. DaSilva is Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Medical Student Education in the Department of Orthopaedics at Brown Alpert Medical School. He is staff surgeon of the Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College and Brown Medical School. After an orthopedic residency at Rhode Island Hospital, he underwent a trauma fellowship at Rhode Island Hospital and a second fellowship in hand and upper extremity at the National Center for Treatment of the Hand and Upper Extremity in Baltimore, Maryland under the direction of Dr. E. F. Shaw Wilgis.
Dr. DaSilva is a reviewer for Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research and the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His areas of research include clinical and basic science studies on wrist and elbow arthroscopy, nerve regeneration and carpal kinematics. Dr. DaSilva routinely performs procedures involving the whole upper extremity including the shoulder. He has a special interest in complex cases of the elbow and wrist.
Christopher Got, MD
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
Dr. Got graduated with AOA honors from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School in his home state. He then moved to New England and completed his orthopaedic residency at Brown University. He continued his training with 2 additional fellowships one in Orthopaedic Trauma at Brown University and another in Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery at Harvard University – Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Got currently holds an academic appointment of Associate Professor at Brown University - Warren Alpert Medical School. He has special interest in upper extremity trauma, joint replacement, nerve compression syndromes and arthroscopy. Both his peers and hospital administration have recognized him during his training for his exceptional leadership and patient care, receiving both the Most Valuable Resident and the Haffenreffer Housestaff Excellence Awards. He has participated in both clinical and basic science research projects funded by the NIH and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand – ASSH/AFSH. He has authored a multitude of articles, book chapters and national or international presentations.
His wife, Carin Got, MD, is an Anesthesiologist also working at Brown University – Rhode Island Hospital. Together they have 5 children – 4 boys and 1 girl, collectively enjoying soccer, lacrosse, skiing and the beach.
Joseph Gil, MD
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics
Joseph A. Gil, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating hand and upper extremity conditions. He is a board eligible orthopedic surgeon with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. With advanced training in hand and upper extremity surgery, Dr. Gil has an interest in brachial plexus injuries, nerve conditions, tendon transfers, soft tissue reconstruction, wrist and finger arthritis, athletic wrist injuries, and upper extremity trauma.
Dr. Gil earned his medical degree at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, and completed his orthopedic surgery residency and an orthopedic trauma fellowship at Brown University. He later completed a fellowship in hand, upper extremity, and microvascular surgery at the Mayo Clinic.
With a passion to advance orthopedic research, Dr. Gil has co-authored over 120 clinical and basic science research papers. He is also the author of several book chapters and has presented his studies at multiple national and international meetings.
Clinical Practice
The fellows participate in approximately 2100 operative cases each year and take an extremely active role in as many cases as possible. Since the Department has a large and active residency program, the fellow is expected to teach and direct the resident staff in both the hospital care of inpatients and the clinical care, both operative and nonoperative, of outpatients. In addition to participating in the care of the private office patients, a very active hand clinic is overseen once a week in the Rhode Island Hospital. The fellow is responsible for a large portion of the clinical responsibilities encompassed by this clinic practice with the assistance of the resident staff and one of the staff surgeons.
The Division of Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery is involved in the care of all hand and upper extremity problems encountered at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence. The fellow is responsible for assisting the resident staff in operative procedures that are undertaken at the VA Medical Center one day every one to two weeks.
In general, the fellow spends 3 months with each attending surgeon. There are two full-time residents on the service at all times and the fellow is directly responsible for their duties in clinical care of patients. During a typical week, the fellow will undertake approximately two days of patient evaluation in the office or clinic in conjunction with one of the staff surgeons, two days of operating, and one day of clinical and basic science research. There is some flexibility to the schedules which can be modified to meet the needs of the fellows and residents with regards to unusual operative procedures, or the particular demands of a basic science research project.
There are daily conferences including: case discussions, practice management, Journal Club, a combined conference with plastic surgery, Orthopedic Grand Rounds and a monthly hand research conference.
Research
The Division maintains an active research laboratory currently staffed by a lab co-director and research assistants on a full-time basis with several Brown undergraduates, medical students and residents undertaking projects concurrently. It is mandatory for the fellow to become involved in his or her own research project related to hand and upper extremity surgery during the year. Ample support for supplies and equipment as well as technical support is available in both the Division's Laboratory as well as orthopaedic research laboratories in general. Our goal is for the fellow to have one or two comprehensive projects completed by the end of the year which would be suitable for presentation at a national meeting and subsequent publication. The fellowship places an important emphasis on academic productivity and we expect the fellow to complement the goals of the fellowship as well as improve their own basic science skills.
There is a microvascular training lab on campus fellows and residents have access to to refine their microvascular skills.
Program Details
The fellowship supports three fellows each year. The salary is determined by level of training (PGY year) and in accordance with the Rhode Island Hospital Department of Graduate Medical Education. Additional compensation is available including, but not limited to, health, dental, life insurance and disability insurance. The fellow is allowed to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand at no cost. An allowance is provided for the purchase of loupes, photographic equipment and the use of photographic development services, if appropriately requested and required. The fellowship year is from August 1 to July 31 of the following year. Two weeks of vacation are provided (not including the meeting trip) and some flexibility is available should job interview requirements arise.
Program Goals
Every effort will be made for the fellow to leave as an expert in hand and upper extremity surgery with the ability to undertake significant clinical and basic science research in the future. We are interested in individuals who plan on being active academically in their future careers and who wish to add some form of knowledge back to the principles and practice of hand and upper extremity surgery.
Application Process
Application to the Hand Surgery Fellowship requires electronic submission of the following via the ASSH website. https://www.assh.org/applications/s/fellowshiphome
- Universal Hand Surgery Fellowship Application
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Copy of Medical School Transcripts
- CV
- Personal Statement
- Current photograph
Application deadline is November 15, 2021
Interviews are scheduled for Thursday, February 17, 2022, and March 3, 2022 and will be conducted virtually
If you have any questions regarding the hand fellowship, please contact Audrey Bell Phone: 401-457-1567 [email protected]
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| Why Brown | Rhode Island | What our fellows have to say |
|
YEAR |
FELLOW |
RESIDENCY |
|---|---|---|
|
2021-2022 |
 Jason Dickherber, MD |
University of Chicago |
|
2021-2022
|
|
University of Florida - Shands Hospital |
|
ALUMNI |
FELLOW |
CURRENT POSITION |
|---|---|---|
|
2020-2021 |
Austin Hoy, MD |
Baylor, Scott & White Southwest Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics, Waco, TX |
|
2020-2021 |
Matthew Jones, MD | Ortho VA, Blacksburgh, VA |
|
2019-2020 |
Christopher Cochran, MD |
US Navy - Camp Pendelton, CA |
|
2019-2020 |
Shannon FitzPatrick, MD | Southwest Shoulder, Elbow, Hand Center, Tuscon, AZ |
|
2018-2019 |
Reno Orthopedic Clinic, Reno, NV | |
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2018-2019 |
Travis Patterson, MD | Carolina Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Associates, Spratanburg, SC |
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2017-2018 |
David Muzykewicz, MD | Texas Hand and Wrist, Dallas, TX |
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2017-2018 |
Michael Montague, MD | OrthoArizona, Phoeniz, AZ |
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2016-2017 |
The Polyclinic, Seattle, WA |
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2016-2017 |
California Orthopedics & Spine, Novato, CA |
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2015-2016 |
Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut |
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2015-2016 |
Asheville Orthopaedic Associates, Asheville, NC |
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2014-2015 |
Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM |
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2014-2015 |
Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, Glenview, Illinois |
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2013-2014 |
Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA |
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2013-2014 |
UCHealth, Denver, CO |
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2012-2013 |
Orthopaedic Associates of Hartford, Hartford, CT |
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2012-2013 |
Melbourne Hand Center, Melbourne, FL |
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2011-2012 |
Orthopaedic Institute, Gainesville, Florida |
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2011-2012 |
Wellington Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, Cincinnati, OH |
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2010-2011 |
Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates, Inc., Duxbury, MA |
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2010-2011 |
Texas Health Care, Fort Worth, TX |
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2009-2010 |
The Hand Center, P.A., Greenville, South Carolina |
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2009-2010 |
Risser Orthopaedic Group, Pasadena, California |
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2008-2009 |
OrthoNY, Albany, NY |
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2008-2009 |
SMG Norwood Orthopedics Associates, Norwood, MA |
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2007-2008 |
Brown University, Providence, RI |
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2007-2008 |
Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA |
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2006-2007 |
Indiana University Hand Center, Indianapolis, IN |
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2006-2007 |
Greensboro Orthopedics, Greensboro, NC |
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2005-2006 |
University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT |
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2005-2006 |
Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Gaithersburg, MD |
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2004-2005 |
Beaumont Orthopedic Institute, Royal Oak, MI |
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2004-2005 |
Concord Orthopaedics, Concord, NH |
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2003-2004 |
Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, Grayslake, IL |
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2003-2004 |
Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Gurnee, IL |
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2002-2003 |
University of Rochester, Rochester, NY |
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2001-2002 |
Trinty Health Systems, OH |
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2000-2001 |
Summit Orthopedic Group, Chambersburg, PA |
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1999-2000 |
Marshfield Clinic Eau Claire, WI |
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1998-1999 |
Starling Physicians, New Britain, CT |
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1997-1998 |
Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics & Spine Specialist, Waterbury, CT |
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1996-1997 |
Omni Orthopaedics, Canton, OH |
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1995-1996 |
Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics, Chatanooga, TN |
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1994-1995 |
Proliance Orthopedic Associates, Renton, WA |
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1993-1994 |
Jeffrey Fink, M.D. |
Plastic Surgery Group of Rochester, Rochester, NY |
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1992-1993 |
Clínica da Mão ao Cotovelo, Porto Alegre, Brazil |
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1991-1992 |
Wisconsin Bone & Joint, Mayfair, WI |