The Division of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery offers a one-year clinical fellowship, accredited by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), which provides trainees a high-volume experience and diverse surgical opportunities. The primary goal of the fellowship is to train fellows to provide state-of-the-art treatment for all injuries and conditions affecting the shoulder and elbow, and to become proficient in the entire gamut of arthroscopic and open surgical techniques.

History of NYU Orthopedics and Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship

The NYU Department of Orthopedic Surgery traces its origins to the 19th century with the appointment of Lewis Albert Sayre, MD, as the first Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in North America at Bellevue Medical College which would later become the NYU School of Medicine. The Hospital for Joint Diseases, now NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, opened in 1905 as the Jewish Hospital for Deformities and Joint Diseases. In 1979, the orthopedic section moved to its current location at 301 East 17th Street and was named the Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopedic Institute. It merged in 2006 with NYU Medical Center, now NYU Langone Health, to form a single institution and continues to make great strides in orthopedic treatment, knowledge, and innovation. The NYU Shoulder and Elbow fellowship started in 1997 and is one of the oldest shoulder and elbow fellowship programs in the country. Education and scholarship are integral part of our fellowship program and over the years we have grown to six full time faculty and two fellowship spots.

Goals of Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship

Fellows receive advanced and comprehensive clinical training that includes the following objectives:

• to develop comprehensive understanding of all aspects of surgical and nonsurgical management of acute, subacute, and chronic conditions affecting the shoulder and elbow 
• to develop surgical skills related to all aspects of bony and soft tissue surgery involving the shoulder and elbow, including fracture care, arthroscopy, ligament and tendon repair, and joint arthroplasty
• to gain expertise in identifying and addressing the complications associated with the treatment of shoulder and elbow conditions
• to gain experience in modern surgical techniques, including guidance technology (intraoperative navigation, patient-specific instrumentation) and advanced reconstruction techniques (tendon transfers, shoulder fusion, scapulothoracic fusion)
• to acquire and advance the research skills necessary to conduct clinical and/or basic science-translational research related to shoulder and elbow.
• to become effective educator and engage in resident and medical student education

Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship: Faculty

The Division of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery is led by Mandeep S. Virk, MD, chief and director of the Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship. Our leadership team also includes Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

• Mandeep S. Virk MD, Chief Shoulder and Elbow Division and Fellowship Director
• Andrew S. Rokito, MD
• Dennis A. DeBernardis, DO
• Jean J. Yun, MD
• Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
• Jie J. Yao, MD
• Young W. Kwon, MD, PhD

Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship: Clinical Opportunities

The NYU shoulder and elbow fellowship provides excellent clinical and surgical opportunities. As part of the fellowship clinical experience, fellows work with attendings at private offices and also take on a primary leadership role in providing care for patients at shoulder and elbow clinic.

The fellow is exposed to a wide variety of surgical cases and log upwards of 600 cases ever year. These cases include a good mix of arthroscopic and open procedures. Fellows are exposed to advance reconstructive techniques (tendon transfers, scapulothoracic fusion, distal tibia allografts, custom glenoid components) and guidance technology (computer assisted navigation and patient specific instrumentation).

Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship: Education

Fellow education is a top priority at NYU. We have a robust education curriculum for our fellows which includes journal club, indications conference, preoperative conference, Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (JSES)/Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) article review, arthroplasty conference and a variety of annual continuing medical education programs. Fellows also receive practical training in attending-led bioskills labs to further refine their surgical techniques.

Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship: Research

Fellows have ample opportunity to participate in research activities. Fellows attend weekly research conference and lead independent research projects under attending supervision. All the faculty in shoulder and elbow division participate in research. The fellows are supported by research coordinators and students for data collection, data analysis, and IRB approvals. Fellows are encouraged to attend yearly academic conferences including the AAOS annual meeting, the ASES Fellows Day, ASES annual meeting, and other national/regional shoulder and elbow meetings to develop relationships amongst peers within our field and present their research.

NYU Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Alumni

All our fellowship graduates are part of the NYU Langone’s Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Alumni. We are proud to be a part of the NYU Langone Hospital for Joint Diseases Alumni Association, with a diverse membership of more than 1,000 talented orthopedic physicians. We work to connect our alumni with the department and each other, to provide valuable alumni assistance, and to support the department’s mission of teaching, research, and service. As an alumnus, you have opportunities to participate in various events and also participate in our divisions educational curriculum

How to Apply

Submit all application materials for our fellowship directly through SF Match, except as noted. To complete the application process, you need the following documents:

• your CV
• a personal statement
• three letters of recommendation
• a photograph of yourself

Candidates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents must be able to obtain medical licensure in New York. International candidates must be eligible for employment and medical licensure in the United States before training.

We offer two fellowship position per academic year.

Contact Us

We are available to answer any questions you may have about our ASES-recognized shoulder and elbow fellowship. Please contact our graduate medical education coordinators in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery for additional information. You can also email Dr. Mandeep Virk directly if you have additional questions about the fellowship program at Mandeep.Virk@NYULangone.org.

Karina Rustia
Phone: 212-598-6704
Karina.Rustia@NYULangone.org

Randie Godette
Phone: 212-598-6509
Randie.Godette@NYULangone.org