Hand Surgery Fellowship

About the Program

Our program is designed to provide a broad experience in hand and upper extremity surgery, including trauma, post-traumatic reconstruction, arthritis, congenital, brachial plexus, and microsurgery. The fellow is an integral member of a very active clinical service involving surgery, outpatient evaluations, and emergency care. The service is well supported including a full clinical staff and a large ambulatory surgery center. The fellow may choose, according to their desires and goals, whether to be involved in a broad spectrum of elbow and shoulder reconstructive surgery that our service also regularly provides. The fellow is encouraged to engage in research, in either a clinical or laboratory investigation. A dedicated one-week course in microsurgery is provided. Candidates must be board eligible in orthopedic or plastic surgery. Upon completion of the program, the fellow will have achieved a sound knowledge base and competent surgical skills to pursue a comprehensive hand and upper extremity surgery practice.

 

University of Iowa Hand Surgery Fellowship Facts

  • The department has had a hand surgery fellowship training since 1981
  • Fellows are supported to attend a one-week microsurgery course and the annual ASSH meeting
  • The Hand and Upper Extremity service has a collaboration with the Plastic Surgery Department

Click here for the ACGME Program Requirements

Click here for the ABMS Requirements

Conferences

Weekly Team Conference
A weekly hand team conference led by the fellow, is held on Thursday mornings. A one-year curriculum using the ASSH syllabus as a guide, is established at the beginning of the fellowship. Two conferences per month are topic based to provide broad exposure to the field of upper extremity surgery. One conference per month is an indications conference and the final week is Hand Journal Club.

 

Anatomy Dissection
Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation is home of the Buckwalter Arthroscopy and Surgical Skills Laboratory.  A cadaveric dissection is performed once a month to support both fellow and resident education. 
 

Orthopedic Conferences
The fellow will attend morning sign out/pass ons and is also encouraged to attend the department’s didactic conference with any hand related topics as well as M&Ms and Grand Rounds. The fellow may be asked to present at the department conference on a specific hand topic a few times a year. 
 

Research
The fellow is required to complete one publishable project during the year. A dedicated Research Assistant assigned to the Hand and Upper Extremity team is available to assist with the project. The Orthopedic Department additionally employs a statistician and epidemiologists to assist with research projects.

Research

The fellow is required to complete one project during the year.  There is a dedicated Research Assistant  assigned to the Hand and Upper Extremity team to assist with the project. 

How to Apply

Application Instructions

Our Hand Surgery Fellowship participates in the online application and match process through the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Learn more about the match process and program application.

Selected candidates will be invited for personal interviews, which you will meet the program director and faculty physicians.

Fellow Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for applicants:

  • Graduate from one of the following:
    • United States or Canadian medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
    • United States college of osteopathic medicine accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
    • medical school outside the United States or Canada with:
      • a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and have a passing score for Step 1 and Step 2 of the USMLE,
      • be a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident, or hold a visa which provides eligibility to work in the U.S. Typical visas are J-1 (requires Steps 1 and 2 of USMLE and ECFMG certification) and H1-B (requires departmental approval, and Steps 1, 2 and 3 of USMLE, and an Iowa medical license)
  • Meet Iowa Board of Medicine licensure requirements
  • All applicants must also meet program eligibility requirements as defined by the ACGME’s respective RRC

Our People

Hand Team

Joseph Buckwalter V
Joseph A. Buckwalter V, MD, PhD
Hand Fellowship Director
 

Kendall Keck

Kendall Keck, MD
 

Terry Hayes
Terry Hayes, MPAS, PA-C
 

Julie Torres
Julie Torres, MPAS, PA-C

 

Reed Trettin
Reed Trettin, MPAS, PA-C
 


Tonia Johnston
Fellowship Coordinator
Phone: 319-384-5590
Fax: 319-353-6754
Email: tonia-johnston@uiowa.edu

Current Fellow

 

 

Department Faculty

The University of Iowa Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation is proud of its long history of providing an outstanding, well-rounded orthopedic education. Please click on the link below to view our dedicated faculty.

University of Iowa Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Faculty

Former Fellows

Lisa Frantz, MD 2023-2024
Brittany Homcha, MD 2022-2023
David Knowles, MD 2021-2022
Madelyn Lauer, MD 2020-2021
Lucas Seiler, MD 2019-2020
Elizabeth Weldin, MD 2018-2019
Nicholas Beck, MD 2017-2018
Jonathan Katz, MD 2016-2017
Peter Chimenti, MD 2015-2016
Tarek Sibai, MD 2014-2015
Thomas Ebinger, MD 2013-2014
Benjamin Kleinhenz, MD 2012-2013
Jacqueline Vanderzanden, MD 2011-2012
Jonathan Donigan, MD 2010-2011
John Gaffey, MD 2009-2010
Christina Ward, MD 2007-2008
Danielle Conaway, MD 2006-2007
Ericka Lawler, MD 2005-2006
Matthew Anderson, MD 2004-2005
Pamela Glennon, MD 2003-2004
Anthony Nguyen, MD 2002-2003
Brian Divelbiss, MD 2000-2001
Steven Madey, MD 1996-1997
Peter Jebson, MD 1995-1996
Dennis Andersen, MD 1994-1995
Katherine Teixeira. MD 1993-1994
Jeffrey Tiedeman, MD 1992-1993
John Durham, MD 1991-1992
James Gluck, MD 1990-1991
Mary Newport, MD 1988-1989
Lewis Oster, MD 1987-1988
Nina Njus, MD 1985-1986