6-8 year programme                     Janaury or July

The applicant should be a graduate in medicine of a University or Medical School recognised by the University of the West Indies. Fully registered in the territory or territories in which training will take place. Applicants for entry to the DM programme in Orthopaedics must have completed twelve (12) months at House Officer level in an approved post, of which at least six (6) months must have been in Orthopaedics with the remaining period in Accident and Emergency, General Surgery, Neurosurgery or Urology. The applicant should show evidence of having successfully completed an Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course as well as a Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) course. The applicant must have successfully completed the Part I programme in DM general Surgery which is two years.

Part I – Two (2) years

This is common with the DM in General Surgery: Residents will rotate through any six to eight (6-8) of the following specialties for a period of three (3) months each:

a) General Surgery                                b) Accident and Emergency

c) Neurosurgery                                    d) Cardiothoracic Surgery

e) Orthopaedic Surgery                         f) Paediatric Surgery 

g) Plastic Surgery                                  h) Urology

i) Otolaryngology                                   j) Anaesthetics/ICU

Part II – Four Years

• During the second part of the programme the resident will remain within the speciality of Orthopaedics. They will spend a minimum of six (6) months but not exceeding twelve (12) months on one unit. The resident will rotate amongst the approved teaching institutions spending at least twelve (12) months at any one institution. During this time the resident will have exposure to the following:

a) Trauma                                             b) Joint Reconstruction

c) Paediatric Orthopaedics                     d) Sports Medicine

e) Spine

• Up to one year’s elective may be spent at institutions in or out of the Caribbean provided prior approval is obtained from the Specialty Board in Surgery. Such approval must be obtained at least six months prior to the commencement of the elective. The elective period is limited to the penultimate year only.
• The final year of the Part II programme must be spent at a UWI recognized Hospital. The resident will be exposed to all aspects of orthopaedics: adult and paediatric trauma, joint arthroplasty, tumours, spine, infection, sports medicine, arthroscopy, limb lengthening and correction of deformities, nontraumatic adult and paediatric conditions and pain management.

Research

Each resident must complete a research paper before being recommended for the Part II examination in orthopaedics. The research paper will be presented either at the Department of Surgery’s Research Day or the Research Day of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mona.

Assessment

• Residents’ performance will be assessed (by observation, orally or in writing) at the end of each rotation (six months) and recorded on prescribed forms. A satisfactory standard of in-course assessment is mandatory prior to taking the Part II examination. 
• At the six monthly evaluation residents will be given the opportunity to discuss their assessments. 
• Assessment of the programme and consultants by residents. 
• Residents are subject to continuous work place based assessment (WPBA) of performance by their supervisor. The Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) will form the basis of progression within the programme. Residents are expected to have the following documents available for assessment:

a) Current Curriculum Vitae

b) Log Book

c) Completed Assessment Forms. 

• All DM II residents are expected to sit the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Orthopaedic in Training Examination (OITE) as part of their continuous assessment.
• All residents must take part in the following activities:

a) Journal Club Meetings                                c) Morbidity and Mortality Meetings

b) Multidisciplinary Team Meetings                d) Teaching of Undergraduates

e) Attendance at local, regional and international courses and conferences

Part II Examination

The following requirements must be completed before the resident is eligible to take the Part II Examination:

a) A Clinical Research Project – This must have been presented at a Research Day Conference.

b) Satisfactory performance of all rotations

c) Acceptance of their certified list of operative procedures

d) Acceptance of a case book, research thesis or Clinical Research Project

The Part II Examination consists of:

a) Two written papers                                   

b) An oral examination which may include clinical material

c) Residents must pass all components of the Part II examination.

d) Residents who have not completed the Part I or II examination within one (1) calendar year of their last sitting of the respective examinations will normally be required to withdraw from the programme.

e) Residents will not usually be allowed more than two (2) attempts at any one examination. Failure at the second attempt will necessitate withdrawal from

f) Residents may not reapply to the programme after withdrawal.

g) Failure to complete the programme in the prescribed times will require withdrawal from the programme.