Fellowship Training

Fellowship training gives physicians additional specialization skills within their chosen field of medicine. All physicians at FOI are fellowship trained. Fellowship training is part of the in-depth training that doctors go through to become a specialist. Fellowships are not a core part of the medical training, but instead are a privilege granted to the best candidates.

The physicians and surgeons of Florida Orthopaedic Institute complete several important and lengthy steps in training. This begins with an undergraduate college education, then medical school followed by residency training. Residency training typically involves a one-year internship, providing a broad-based experience in all aspects of medicine, followed by specific residency training in orthopedics.

Subspecialty training, through a one- or two-year Fellowship, adds competency and experience. The purpose of FOI Fellowship training is to sub-specialize and master a specific area of medicine or surgery and become an expert in the field.

FOI Fellowship Training

Fellowships involve clinical and surgical practice as well as research. The concentrated and dynamic experiences learned in a Fellowship take years to achieve in private practice. Fellowship training allows doctors the opportunity to train with nationally recognized experts, as well as concentrate and master knowledge of special surgical techniques. Fellowships combine independent learning with modern clinical training, faculty mentoring, educational instructions and cutting-edge research. The knowledge and expertise gained during Fellowship training is an indispensable asset. Fellowships help doctors become better physicians.

“Fellowship Trained” means the surgeon or physician has shown the highest level of dedication to that field and has achieved the highest level of training. Florida Orthopaedic Institute is unique in that all surgeons are fellowship trained, providing expertise that is not found elsewhere.

When a physician is fellowship-trained in your particular area of need, they have an extensive level of background knowledge and experience and are considered a trusted resource in the field.

FOI Fellowship Training

In addition to its role as a leader in the field of orthopedic care, Florida Orthopaedic Institute offers leadership in orthopedic education by offering fellowship training in a variety of orthopedic subspecialties.

Surgical Fellowships are designed to offer graduating orthopedic surgeons advanced training in an orthopedic subspecialty. The goal of each of these one-year Fellowships is to provide a comprehensive educational, clinical, operative and research opportunity that can only be experienced in a highly specialized, high-volume referral center. The goal is that the graduating Fellow will become proficient in that field of orthopedics and develop into an authority in that field for their community.

There are six Fellowships offered through a partnership with Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida. Overall, twenty-nine attending staff are involved in the training of a total of 15 Fellows at Tampa General, making this one of the largest Fellowship programs in the United States.

More than 220 orthopedic Fellows have graduated from the program since 2000.

The Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship under Drs. Mark Frankle and Mark Mighell, consists of three Fellows mastering arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, as well as fracture care and joint arthroplasty, with one of the largest volume reverse shoulder replacement programs in the country.

The Hand and Wrist Fellowship under the supervision of Dr. Alfred Hess, trains three Fellows in all aspects of upper extremity pathology including congenital hand deformities (at Shriners Hospital for Children) and replantation and limb salvage surgery of the upper extremity using four dedicated hand surgeons at Tampa General Hospital – a Level I Trauma facility.

The Joint Arthroplasty program with more than 1,300 joint replacements at TGH alone, under the co-direction of Drs. Kenneth Gustke and Thomas Bernasek, and seven other arthroplasty surgeons, trains four Fellows in primary and revision hip and knee replacements, as well as robotic surgery.

The Orthopaedic Trauma Service, under the direction of Dr. Roy Sanders, has trained more than 100 Fellows over the last 30 years. Three Fellows are taught annually by a total of six trauma surgeons in Level I management of the multiply-injured patient.

The ACGME approved Sports Medicine Fellowship, offers a broad-based experience, teaching the care and prevention of injuries to athletes to two Fellows annually. With an additional four faculty, Fellows are involved in the surgical and office-based management of sports-related injuries as well as supporting team sports including the University of South Florida, University of Tampa, St. Leo University, and most of the high schools in our region.