Valley Consortium for Medical Education Program

The Valley Consortium for Medical Education Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program in Modesto is dedicated to fostering exceptional orthopedic physicians equipped with comprehensive medical knowledge and outstanding compassion. The program emphasizes high professional standards in clinicians, scholars, and leaders, while addressing the health needs of a vulnerable population in an underserved area.

Curriculum

The curriculum of the program is structured to offer a broad-based general orthopedic training that enables graduates to practice independently post-residency. Beginning with the intern year, residents engage in hands-on orthopedic experiences and gradually progress through various rotations. The curriculum includes:

• PGY-1: General Orthopedics, Trauma, Surgical ICU, Neurosurgery, and Emergency Medicine.
• PGY-2: Exposure to Sports Medicine and Adult Reconstruction.
• PGY-3: Pediatric Orthopedic training through Valley Children's Hospital.
• PGY-4: General Orthopedics and various elective sub-specialties.
• PGY-5: Leadership roles as Chief Resident with options for elective rotations in multiple orthopedic sub-specialties.

Training Sites

Training primarily occurs at two ACS-certified Level II trauma centers: Doctors Medical Center and San Joaquin General Hospital. These facilities provide significant exposure to diverse orthopedic injuries and include advanced surgical services that encompass neurosurgery and spine care. Additional rotations at various Kaiser Permanente medical centers enhance training in sports medicine and orthopedic oncology.

Resident Benefits

Residents benefit from a comprehensive compensation package that includes:

• PGY-1 salary: $69,686.54
• PGY-2 salary: $73,170.87
• Health benefits for residents and affordable options for dependents
• Meal stipends, education funds, and travel reimbursements for clinical sites.
• Four weeks of paid vacation annually.

Research Opportunities

The program offers a paid one-year research fellowship that allows a resident to gain experience in clinical research management alongside faculty and peers. The research fellow participates in various projects, contributes to presentations, and can attend conferences and Grand Rounds, aiming to enhance their research skills and strengthen their residency application.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

The program is highly competitive, seeking candidates with strong academic performance. Applicants are advised to achieve at least a COMLEX Level 2 score of 600 or a USMLE Step 2 score of 250 prior to interview selection. All applications must be submitted through ERAS. Due to changes in the scoring of COMLEX and USMLE exams, candidates are expected to completed their Step/Level 2 exams by November 2024.

Visa Support

The program provides comprehensive visa support for international medical graduates. It is capable of sponsoring J-1 and H-1B visas for eligible applicants. This enables qualified international candidates to apply and train within the residency program.

Unique Aspects

Participants in the program gain exposure to a broad surgical pathology and utilize state-of-the-art surgical services. The Valley Orthopedic Surgery Residency program consistently achieves scores above the 95th percentile nationally in the Orthopedic In-Training Exam (OITE), showcasing its educational success.