Upper Extremity Service

Become familiar with the etiology, incidence and pathology of common and complex shoulder and elbow problems including trauma, sports-related injuries and degenerative conditions — and learn to evaluate, diagnose and treat these problems.

Thomas R. Duquin, MD (right), enjoys training residents like Andrew Stegemann, DO, to care for patients with rotator cuff disorders and arthritis of the shoulder and elbow.

Our upper extremity service rotation will further your knowledge about the biomechanics, outcome evaluation tools and principles of shoulder rehabilitation. You will learn to diagnose and treat shoulder instability, athletic injuries and arthritis of the shoulder and elbow.

Our faculty are committed to closely guiding you through training and giving you increasing levels of independence as you participate in both surgical and nonsurgical treatments as you progress through the rotation.

Our shoulder and elbow service conducts between 60 to 90 outpatient office visits and eight to 10 surgical procedures weekly. As a resident on our upper extremity rotation, you’ll see all new patients and preoperative visits in the office setting.

Build Skills in a Variety of Areas

As you advance through our upper extremity service rotation, you’ll build skills in areas including:

  • performing physical examinations of the shoulder and elbow
  • taking patients’ histories
  • evaluating radiographic studies such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, arthrograms and ultrasounds
  • developing differential diagnoses and treatment options
  • formulating treatment plans — including additional tests, treatments and follow-up care

Our upper extremity rotation will provide you with in-depth experience in an inpatient service. You will achieve a strong understanding of areas such as: 

  • vitals and lab values
  • evaluating patients and completing required documentation, including history and physicals
  • progress notes and discharge summaries

You can also expect to learn about office procedures including injections, aspirations, casting, suture and staple removal.

Optional Research Project

In our department, we feel it’s important for all physicians to understand the methodology of medical research. 

Many of our faculty members are seasoned researchers engaged in projects on a wide range of topics. Although pursuing research activities during this rotation is not required, we do encourage you to undertake a formal research project or case report. 

Length of Rotation

Third-year residents: 10 weeks

Patient Population

You will be exposed to patients with conditions including:

  • fractures and nonunions of the humeral shaft
  • fractures of the scapular and glenoid
  • clavicle fractures
  • acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular injuries 

Training Site