Program Overview
Application Process
Application Requirements
Non-ACGME Additional Requirements
Foreign Medical Graduates
Interview Selection Process
Interview Dates
Contact us
Social Media
Program Overview
Program training director: Steven A. Olson, MD
Associated faculty: Brian D. Lewis, MD, Richard Mather, III, MD, Elizabeth Scott, MD, Amy Behman, MD, Robert Lark, MD, Marc Richard, MD
Fellowship Dates: August 1 through July 31
Number of fellows: One (non-ACGME)
The Duke Orthopaedic Hip Preservation Surgery fellow will gain experience in the most up-to-date techniques in hip preservation surgery, including:
- Hip arthroscopy
- Peri-acetabular osteotomy
- Surgical dislocation
- Acute management of slipped capital femoral epiphysis
- Management of avascular necrosis
The opportunity to participate in hip resurfacing is also part of our experience.
Currently, over 400 hip preservation procedures are performed at our center yearly. Included among these are several of these different aspects of hip preservation. Fellow will be exposed to regional and intraoperative anesthetic techniques and rapid recovery protocols following hip preservation surgery. Fellow will also participate in resident education in the clinic and the operating room. Weekly conference attendance is required.
Fellow will coordinate and run a pre-operative planning conference as well as quarterly clinical case and research conferences. Clinical research opportunities are usually associated with ongoing prospective outcomes research in the area of hip preservation. Basic science research opportunities are wide ranging and include focus on cartilage injury and cartilage repair.
Application Process
Accepting applications: 2025-2026 (Fall 2023)
Match participation: N/A
Application deadline: November 1
Application Requirements
The following application materials must be submitted to our office in one complete package (with letters of recommendation provided in individually sealed envelopes).
- Hip Preservation Application Form (PDF)
- Curriculum vitae
- Personal Statement
- Three letters of recommendation:
- One of which should be from the chairman or program training director of your training program
- Letters must be on official letterhead and may not be older than six months.
- Copy of USMLE/COMLEX transcript (all three steps; passed within three attempts)
- ECFMG Certificate (applicable to international graduates)
Please submit application materials to:
Cheryl DePaolis
Duke Orthopaedic Surgery
Duke Health Interprofessional Education Building (IPE Bldg.)
311 Trent Drive, Suite 5282
Durham, NC 27710
Non-ACGME application requirements
In order to be eligible for non-ACGME fellowship training:
- You must provide proof that you have taken and passed all three steps (within three attempts) of appropriate medical licensure examinations (USMLE/COMLEX/FLEX/NBME or Canadian examinations), which the North Carolina Medical Board requires. (This requirement can be waived if you’ve been certified/recertified by an approved specialty board within the past ten years; see medical licensure requirements.)
- You must qualify for a full medical license in the state of North Carolina
- You must obtain a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number to be eligible for employment at Duke University Hospital
- Must be board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS)
Foreign medical graduates: additional requirements
Foreign medical graduates are eligible for this non-ACGME fellowship; however, in addition to meeting the above requirements:
- Applicant must be a permanent U.S. resident (hold a green card)
- Applicant must have completed three years of accredited training (see medical licensure requirements)
- Applicant does not require visa sponsorship
- Applicants applying for a non-accredited (i.e. ACGME or ACGME-I) fellowship position, who also require H-1B visa sponsorship, are not eligible for this position because the applicant will be employed as “faculty” requiring a prevailing wage for “surgeons” of six-figures; which is not comparable to the salary of a fellow trainee. Accredited fellowship training positions are most appropriate for applicants requiring visa sponsorship.
Foreign medical graduates must hold a valid and current ECFMG Certificate. For foreign nationals who are medical graduates of LCME-accredited schools in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, copies of the diploma will suffice instead of an ECFMG Certificate.
Interview Selection Criteria
Fellow applicants are selected for an interview based on preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. In particular, we consider:
- Educational accomplishments
- Letters of Recommendation
- Experience
- Research
Important intangibles that are fundamental to the selection process include:
- Leadership
- Work ethic
- Communication skills
- Enthusiasm
Additional attributes that our committee considers:
- Determination
- Strength of character
- Overcoming obstacles
Fellow applicants are selected for appointment to our program based on their interview and review of the above-listed criteria.
Interview Dates
For interview date(s), please refer to "Fellowship Progams At-A-Glance" => Click Here.
Interviews are extended to applicants either late Fall or early Winter for interviews occuring in the preceding Winter months.
Contact us
Cheryl DePaolis, Fellowship Program Coordinator
Wendy Thompson, C-TAGME, Senior Program Coordinator, Medical Student Sub-Internship and Residency Training
Tyranicia Green, Program Coordinator, Residency Training and CME Associate for Orthopaedics
Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DukeOrtho/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dukeortho/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/duke-orthopaedic-surgery/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DukeOrtho