Boston University Medical Center Program

Program Identity & Fit

Boston University Medical Center's Orthopaedic Surgery Residency is a university-affiliated, safety-net-rooted program anchored at Boston Medical Center, the city's busiest level-one trauma center, with additional rotations at Lahey Clinic (reconstructive/arthroplasty), Boston Children's, MGH Oncology, and the Boston VA. The program offers both a traditional five-year track and a six-year track incorporating a dedicated basic-science research year in skeletal repair biology or musculoskeletal epidemiology, supported by an active NIH-funded Orthopaedic Research Laboratory. A mandatory research project with expected national presentation and publication, structured mentorship, and a resident-run educational syllabus reflect a program that treats research and academic inquiry as core to training rather than optional, despite most graduates ultimately pursuing fellowship and then practice. High trauma volume, minimal competition from co-located fellows for cases, and a stated diversity of practice settings and resident backgrounds signal a program valuing clinical breadth, resilience under a demanding safety-net call structure, and academic curiosity alongside procedural competence.