Day in the Life of an Orthopedic Surgery Resident Panel Highlights

Written by Amy Zhao

Panelists

Highlights

Preparing for Away Rotations

  • Our panelists highlighted that the students who stood out on away rotations were the ones who could anticipate needs while seeing consults, could hold good conversations on overnight calls, and made an impression on hospital staff, whether it be nurses, surgical techs, etc.

  • If you get constructive feedback, don’t let it prevent you from doing your best during the rest of your rotation! Constructive feedback is a sign that they want to help you shine.

 

Getting a Feel for a Program

  • Look at residency program social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter) to get a better feel for the personality and culture of a program. During your interviews, try to get a sense of whether the residents liked each other and would go to bat for each other.

  • Don’t be afraid to reach out to residents at the program. Even though you may feel severe anxiety and feel as though you are being bothersome, residents enjoy being able to help out students because we know the obstacles you’ve had to overcome. If you do not want to cold-DM them is to reach out to program directors and ask if they can connect you with some residents who may be able to chat with you

 

Research

  • In general, research helps you stand out in interviews, as it shows your interest in orthopedics and your work ethic. Research is also an easy way to start cultivating mentorships and get acquainted with residents.

  • Nowadays with so many students doing research, it’s important that your research is relevant to orthopedics, whether it be related to orthopedics from a public health lens, etc.

  • Conferences like AAOS can be very overwhelming. Try to meet more medical students/people at your own level who are also geographically near you!

 

Pearls of Advice

  • Remember that you are entering this profession to help people. In orthopedics, we really can change lives. There will be days you are tired and exhausted, but if you treat every patient as if they are your own family, you will truly feel good even after the grueling hours.

  • There are days where you are not going to be the best doctor, or you make a decision that doesn’t work out. Talk to your peers about it – you’ll be surprised to find out that 99% of the time, you have a shared experience.

  • Manage expectations with the people around you. Let them know what you are going through on a daily basis, and try to under promise but over deliver.

 


Suzanne Kent, MD is a current PGY-3 at Tufts University. She attended Tufts University School of Medicine. In her free time, she loves staying active and spending time with her dog.

 


Avilash Das, MD is a current PGY-2 at the George Washington University. He previously graduated from Boston University School of Medicine. Avilash is a huge cat person who also enjoys cooking, watching anime, and boxing in his spare time.

 

Danny Lee, MD is a current PGY-3 at the University of Miami – Jackson Memorial Hospital. He previously attended the George Washington University School of Medicine. In his free time, he loves going to the movies and live concerts with friends.

 
Kevin Wang, MD is a current PGY-1 at Harvard University. He attended Wake Forest University School of Medicine. A fun fact about Kevin is that he mined Bitcoin in college.

 

Tucker Peabody, DO is a current PGY-2 at Doctors Hospital – Ohio Health. He attended Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Prior to residency, Tucker was a high school science teacher and former D1 All-American and professional track athlete.

 


Jody Law, MD is a current PGY-1 at Stanford University. She attended Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, exploring new restaurants, and traveling abroad.

Overview

The “Day in the Life of an Orthopedic Surgery Resident” panel was the final informational panel included in the MSOS 2nd Annual Research Symposium. The panel gave medical students an opportunity to hear from current orthopedic surgery residents from across the country and learn more about how to balance residency and personal life, succeed on away rotations, and decide which program is the perfect fit.