Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship Program

Program Overview

The University Hospital System at San Antonio is a certified level 1 trauma center. Within the city of San Antonio, we are the only civilian level 1 or level 2 trauma center. We have a geographically large catchment area and serve trauma patients from all of South Texas, areas of New Mexico, as well as patient transfers from Mexico. This allows our trauma surgeons to sustain a high-volume practice with numerous complex upper-and lower extremity injuries, periarticular fractures, as well as complex pelvis and acetabular surgeries. In addition, we are a referral center for late posttraumatic reconstructions, nonunions and malunions.

We provide our fellows with the knowledge and capacity to treat patients with complex musculoskeletal injuries. In addition, the fellow will be expected to complete one research project during the fellowship year. By the end of the fellowship, it is anticipated that the fellow will be able to independently carry out research. Moreover, the fellow will be actively involved in student and resident teaching on a daily basis. The fellow will be supervised by three core trauma faculty who are all trauma fellowship trained, AO faculty, and OTA members. In addition, our shoulder and elbow service has a strong focus on upper extremity trauma and late posttraumatic reconstructions, which will offer additional training opportunities for our trauma fellow. Similarly, we maintain a strong relationship with our general surgeons as we feel that coordinated care of the severely injured patient requires close collaboration and communication between the surgical specialties. It is an integral part of our fellowship education that the fellow will learn about the physiology and resuscitation of the severely injured patient with multiple orthopaedic and non-orthopaedic injuries and will learn to work closely with the general surgeons. It is our goal to train knowledgeable, technically proficient, ethical, and confident trauma surgeons, who are capable to serve patients at level 1 trauma centers.

Additional Information for Applicants

  1. This fellowship is accredited by the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA).
  2. All applications must be submitted through SF Match.
  3. Applicants must be eligible for a full Texas License. Learn more.

Orthopaedics

Lashun R. Matthews Academic Programs Coordinator-Lead

UT Health San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7774
San Antonio, TX 78229-3900

Boris A. Zelle, M.D., FAOA
Professor
Vice Chair of Research
Program Director Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship
Fax: 210-702-6289
zelle@uthscsa.edu