NORCAL Arthroplasty Fellowship Announcement August 1, 2024-July 31, 2025

Hello Forum Members,

I imagine everyone is into interview season for the Match currently. Hoping everyone is getting acquainted with the various programs available.  Please consider the following if you are interested in adult reconstructive fellowships. 

Due to an unexpected drop out of our program we now have one vacancy available for our 2 fellow program for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is a NON-Match, NON-ACGME position.NORCAL ARTHROPLASTY FELLOWSHIPProgram academic year: August 1, 2023—July 31, 2024Fellowship Focus: an emphasis on modern approaches for less invasive arthroplasty.Fellows will gain clinical experience involving multiple high volume private practice surgeons in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under Fellowship Directors Dr. Nicholas Mast and Dr. Stephen Howell, the fellowship candidates will be exposed to the latest in minimally invasive arthroplasty of the hip and knee.

The fellowship will instruct techniques of kinematically aligned primary and revision knee arthroplasty, unicompartamental knee arthroplasty, Arthroscopic and open knee ligamentous reconstruction, arthroscopic and open hip preservation, hip fracture management, anterior approach hip arthroplasty, resurfacing hip arthroplasty, revision anterior approach hip arthroplasty, and related procedures.

Over the past decade, two techniques of lower extremity arthroplasty have emerged as truly minimally invasive. In the hip, the technique of anterior approach for hip replacement has emerged as providing advantages to the patient including less pain, an easier recovery, and reduction of certain complications related to hip replacement. Similarly, in the knee, the technique of kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty has emerged as soft tissue friendly, resulting in less pain, swelling, and benefiting the patient in terms of early postoperative recovery and reducing physical therapy requirements. The technique has worked to reduce the well documented 20% dissatisfaction rate when total knee replacement is performed via traditional or mechanical alignment techniques.Over the past 15 years Dr. Mast has participated in the growth and development of the Anterior Approach technique for Hip Replacement. He has participated in numerous teaching opportunities, authored many articles, and helped further develop novel techniques to deal with problems of the hip. As head of the hip curriculum, the surgeon will have an unparalleled experience in hip arthroplasty.One cannot write the book on kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty without referencing Dr. Stephen Howell. In fact, Dr. Howell literally wrote that  book . Dr. Howell’s experience covers nearly 3 decades of study of the problems around the knee.The emphasis of the fellowship is to develop a “hands on” skillset of current minimally invasive technique in the trainee surgeon.  A broader education in critical thinking as it relates to the diagnosis and management of complex arthroplasty problems will be taught.  A robust annual exposure with over 1000+ annual arthroplasty cases performed by clinical faculty annually will ensure ample opportunity for the fellow to experience the breadth of arthroplasty cases. Sample curriculum is available below as Table 2. The fellow graduating from our program will be well geared to begin practice aligned with an ASC in a community setting. 
 Table 2: Example Curriculum MONTHFELLOW 1FELLOW 2AUGUSTMast (SFO) HipHowell (Lodi) KneeSEPTEMBERMayle (SFO) Robotic KneeNedapil (Lodi) Rottinger HipsOCTOBERMast (SFO) Hip/Hip PreservationHowell (Lodi) KneeNOVEMBERMayle (SFO) Hip and KneeNedapil (Lodi) Revision KneeDECEMBERMast (SFO) Hip/Revision HipHowell (Lodi) KneeJANUARYMayle (SFO) Revision Hip and KneeNedapil (Lodi) Revision HipFEBRUARYHowell (Lodi) KneeMast (SFO) HipMARCHNedapil (Lodi) Rottinger HipsMayle (SFO) Robotic KneeAPRILHowell (Lodi) KneeMast (SFO) Hip/Hip PreservationMAYNedapil (Lodi) Revision KneeMayle (SFO) Hip and KneeJUNEHowell (Lodi) KneeMast (SFO) Hip/Revision HipJULYNedapil (Lodi) Revision HipMayle (SFO) Revision Hip and Knee                                    


Interested Applicants should send cover letter, CV and 3 letters of recommendation to:
doctormast@sfhips.com