Hand and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship

About the Fellowship

This fellowship offers exposure to all aspects of clinical hand and upper extremity surgery including elbow, forearm, wrist and hand trauma, adult reconstruction, neuromuscular disorders of the upper extremity, congenital deformities, traumatic and reconstruction microsurgery, as well as shoulder arthroscopy and reconstruction. The purpose of this program is to prepare Fellows for a career in upper extremity surgery. Applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency in orthopaedic or plastic surgery.

Fellows are an integral part of a busy clinical service caring for patients at a Level I trauma center, hospital setting, VA and a children's hospital. In these venues, Fellows are exposed to over 500 outpatients and 60 to 80 operative procedures per month. Each Fellow is exposed to the techniques of microvascular surgery with a microvascular surgery laboratory available for practice. This Fellowship is closely tied to the orthopaedic residency program at UC San Diego with close interaction academically and clinically.

Academic activities include a weekly hand and upper extremity surgery journal club, a monthly hand surgery conference, and a weekly repeating 13-week anatomy series involving cadaver dissection. Attendance is encouraged at weekly Orthopaedic Grand Rounds and basic science and trauma conferences. There is protected research time, which the Fellow is expected to utilize to complete at least one research project involving the hand and upper extremity. There is available laboratory space and basic science research faculty with who to collaborate in research endeavors.

Fellows must be board-qualified or board-certified and have a California Medical License and California Fluoroscopy License prior to commencement of the fellowship. 

• Duration: 1 year (August 1 to July 31)
• Stipend: Commensurate with level of training (PGY 5 or 6) / plus benefits
• Location: UC San Diego Medical Center, San Diego VA Medical Center
• Terms and Conditions  (PDF)

COVID-19 Mandate:

UC San Diego and San Diego County Health policies mandate that all healthcare workers be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations or have an exemption for medical or religious reasons (subject to review and approval).  In addition, UCSD's major affiliates have similar expectations.  Those health care workers who are out of compliance may not participate in direct patient care. 

Application Process

Our program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Please go to Upcoming Deadlines to find specific NRMP Match dates.

We no longer accept paper applications.

To apply:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement
• Medical school transcript
• Standardized Tests (USMLE or equivalent)

Submit application materials to:

American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH)

• Deadline: Nov 15
• Interview Dates: February 2024

Contact Information

Sandra Gutierrez
Fellowship Coordinator
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
UC San Diego Medical Center
200 West Arbor Drive, Mail Code 8894
San Diego, CA 92103-8894
619-543-2539
619-543-2540 (fax)
s5gutierrez@health.ucsd.edu

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.