Lots of programs come to mind/ Just off the top of my head (some from personal experience some from pure reputation some from colleagues): -Wash U -Vanderbilt -Campbell Clinic -UCSF -Emory -Iowa -Pittsburgh -UT Southwestern -UAB -University of Washington Two programs come to mind (for me at least) where the general consensus seems to be that you need to do a fellowship: -UCLA -Mayo Hope this doesn't offend anyone. Just my personal experience

Nice, thanks. Dont want to spark anything big, but are these programs on that list? Miami CWRU Yale Duke Georgetown

I would say those from Duke tend to go on to fellowships. CWRU probably could go on your list. You can check on many program's websites to find out what the PGY5s are doing once they finish for an idea of what people tend to do afterwards. SOme other programs that might be worth looking into for you: Michigan Baylor Columbia HJD George Washington Good luck!

Although I think there is certainly some validity in the responses to this post, I think there might be a flaw in characterizing the "quality" of a program by how many graduates go straight into general practice. Many of the big name programs listed above, tend to self select for residents that go on to fellowships because they choose students (and students choose them) that will go on to academic medicine, and nearly all academics orthopods are fellowship trained. If you follow this logic, just because a program has many students that continue on to fellowships does not mean they are not being adequately while in residency. Just something to think about.

Point well taken, and I actually was not asking about programs where the residents actually went into general practice, but rather, where they would be trained sufficiently to do so. I would imagine that most residents at the bigger academic programs would go on to fellowships, but there have been comments on this board like "grads from X feel they need to do a fellowship. Thats what I'm trying to avoid. Still really interested in suggestions guys. Thanks

Univ. of Wisconsin provides excellent training with an easy transition into general orthopedics or off to a fellowship.