Roadmap to Orthopaedics

MS1 Fall — MS2 Fall (Pre-clinical)

Attend Leo Leung Orthopaedic Surgery Society (LLOS) talks and workshops to help meet other students, residents, and faculty in ortho and learn about the field
Do the best you can in the classroom
Introduce yourself to the Orthopaedic Department at Penn through shadowing as mentorship at this stage is generally informal
See if there are any research projects that need med student help, even if it’s data entry
In the early spring of MS1 (Jan-Feb), set up a summer program or research opportunity (such as the POSS program) between 1st and 2nd year that is orthopaedics-related (if possible)
Apply for the LLOS executive board in the spring of MS1 (~March) and get involved in other extracurriculars (community clinics, cultural-affinity groups, etc.)
Continue to do your best in the classroom as an MS2, remembering that everything is laying the groundwork for later doing well on clinical rotations, shelf exams, and the step exams!

Do the best you can in ALL of your rotations with particular attention to medicine and surgery
During the surgery sub-specialty month, try to do the hand surgery rotation
Start looking at year out opportunities in the summer/early fall if you are considering taking one as applications can be due early for certain programs (October for Ben Fox)
Rank home Sub-Is in ortho (you will typically do two) in late fall (many students will do at least one of Trauma, Joints, or Peds)
Schedule Step 2 CS for late Spring of MS3 (May or June) as the spots fill up quickly

Study for step 1 with a goal of completion by mid-February (typically 6-8 weeks)
Get application forms for away rotations together in February, remembering that Student Health vaccines/boosters/forms will take time
- Put together a CV, or update the one you have
Complete home rotations in March-May, remembering to complete your home sub-I in EM, Medicine, or Pediatrics by June if you are doing a year out
Meet with Dr. Levin in April or May to complete your Chairman's letter
Continue or start research projects if you can (last opportunity prior to applications)
Can take Step 2CK in spring/summer if did not do well on Step 1, or can push until after applications if did well on Step 1

Complete your aways as early as June through not much later than October
Will need to complete 7 total 4^th year rotations (1 of which has to be done in September or later) and scholarly pursuit
Interviews will start to arrive in late October, with the earliest interviews in November (most are in December/January)
- All of December and January will realistically be dedicated to interviews
Complete frontiers and bioethics in February of 4^th year
Match day is mid-March!