The fellows will work directly with Dr. Vani Sabesan, a leading shoulder and elbow surgeon who has mentored over 100 medical students pursuing orthopaedic surgery residency. Dr. Sabesan’s contributions to the peer reviewed literature with over 80 publications demonstrates her continued commitment to excellence in clinical and biomechanical research specifically in the area of shoulder arthroplasty, pain management, and sports medicine. More information about her can be found on Drvanisabesan.com. 

Research Fellow (RF) applicants should expect to commit to a minimum of 1 year with the program, during which time they will work collaboratively with attending physicians, medical students and other clinic staff to advance the objectives of the department through the development and implementation of research projects which correspond to three primary areas of interest: Innovation, Value and Cost, and Patient Outcomes. Primary responsibility and coordination will be for sponsored clinical studies, outcome registry, and investigational device exemptions (IDEs). You are also responsible for leadership of research team and manuscript development. Any study-related activities (consenting/interviewing patients, data collection, etc.) for sponsored and investigator-initiated studies. Also, you will be responsible for drafting/submitting/updating research grants as well as protocols to the IRB. RFs will also attend weekly team meetings and participate in other relevant activities such as departmental meetings, grand rounds, journal club, skills workshops, cadaver labs, or trainings. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to work with residents of the orthopaedic department, observe surgical procedures, shadow in the orthopaedic clinic, and work with 1 other research fellow. Lastly, you will be responsible for mentoring and overseeing first-year medical student summer research projects, and presenting at local, regional, and national conferences.

Prerequisites for the position include:

  • Strong motivation for a career in Orthopaedic surgery 
  • Ability to self-manage and work independently
  • Ability to multitask while being extremely organized and detail oriented 
  • Evident interest in research and a strong academic record
  • Must be able to work efficiently with clinical staff and multidisciplinary team
  • Experience with statistical analysis and/or writing is highly recommended (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R) 

This is a full-time position with benefits. Note that funding is only available for 1 position, so it is first come first serve and the second position is unpaid. Opportunities may become available for the second position to receive funding. Regardless, this opportunity will enhance any future orthopaedic applicant’s competitiveness to secure a position in a residency program and also provide the candidate with mentorship with a diverse group of attendings. A minimum of 8-10 papers should be achieved during the research year with a potential of up to 25 if student is extremely committed.  Dr. Sabesan fully expects her research fellow to match into Orthopaedic Surgery and will help the candidate throughout the match process.

At the end of your tenure as a Visiting Research Fellow, you should expect to:

  • Attain ten or more authorships in peer-reviewed publications
  • Submit and present abstracts for presentation (podium/poster) for at least two professional conferences
  • Letters of recommendation (performance-based)

Our current fellow had been able to publish five manuscripts with the goal of publishing ten more and has given podium presentations at 7 conferences including AAOS in the most extravagant cities such as Boston, West Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Chicago, and White Sulphur Springs. Other cities that previous research fellows have visited include Nashville, Las Vegas, San Diego, and even skiing in Snowbird!

Interested candidates should send the following to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Be sure to also CC the current Research Fellow Clyde Fomunung (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) when sending in your application

Subject: Research Fellowship (2023-2024) – Last name, First Name

-CV (with USMLE step I and/or II scores)
-Headshot
-Possible start dates
-Cover letter indicating interest in the position

For more information regarding the fellowship, please contact our current fellow Clyde Fomunung (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Please note our program is unable to offer any visa sponsorship at this time. Please only apply for this position if you are already able to be in and work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.

The application deadline is March 31, 2023. Applicants will be contacted for a video interview shortly thereafter. 

Thank you for your interest in this position.