Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Program

Program Identity & Fit

Wake Forest is a university-based, tertiary/quaternary academic orthopaedic surgery program anchored at a Level I adult and pediatric trauma center, with dedicated pediatric (Brenner Children's), oncologic (NCI-designated cancer center), and VA rotations that together produce heavy volume (roughly 2,500 trauma cases annually) and broad subspecialty exposure across all nine core areas twice each. Research is structurally embedded rather than optional: a PGY1 research month, a longitudinal PGY3 research day each week, an Orthopaedic Research Laboratory with dedicated funding, and a separate seven-year Physician Scientist Training Program (two years toward a PhD before matriculating into residency) signal a genuine clinician-scientist track alongside the standard clinical pathway. Faculty are fellowship-trained across all subspecialties, sports medicine covers ACC/Division I and professional-adjacent athletics, and the senior-year elective rotation explicitly allows residents to sample private practice, international work, or "mini-fellowships," reflecting a program that supports both academic and community-track outcomes while clearly valuing scholarly productivity and leadership. The program values well-rounded clinical excellence paired with academic engagement, seen in its emphasis on national/international presentation, resident research day, and named leadership aims.