View overview of USF Health’s orthopedic and sports medicine successes.

USF’s new orthopaedic residents celebrated with university, community leaders

USF Health’s orthopedic residents gathered with university and community leaders to celebrate the new program Aug. 1 at a reception in the USF Athletics Center. More than 150 attended the event, which recognized the new partnerships between USF and the region’s private physicians and hospitals that helped make possible the return of the orthopedic residency training program.

“The new residency we celebrate tonight is much more than just another program” said USF Board of Trustees Chair Rhea Law. “It’s a statement that USF and the Tampa Bay Region can transform health care, and can transform how we build the region together.”

Left to right, USF Athletics Director Doug Woolard, President Judy Genshaft and Board of Trustees Chair Rhea Law were among those who applauded the new program.

Law and USF President Judy Genshaft recognized the following for committing time and resources to support the residents:

– USF faculty in orthopedics and sports medicine for their dedication to the university, the USF Bulls and the community.

– The 40 community physicians who agreed to give their time and energy to help teach the new residents

– Florida Orthopedic Institute, which runs trauma training for the orthopedic residents at Tampa General Hospital

– Tampa General Hospital leadership (CEO and President Ron Hytoff and Chair Hal Mullis) who stepped forward to make the package work before the application went in.

– The other major hospitals across West Central Florida who agreed to host elements of the residency and stuck with USF through the rigorous application process: University Community Hospital, Lakeland Regional Medical Center, The Baycare Hospital System, All Children’s Hospital, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children.

– Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, dean of the College of Medicine and vice president for USF Health, for his vision to widen the USF partnership and strengthen the relationship with the university’s primary teaching hospital, Tampa General.

Dr. Stephen Klasko (center), vice president for USF Health and dean of the College of Medicine, chats with students in the USF Athletic Training Education Program, which recently joined the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

“The launch of the residency program adds to USF Health’s growing reputation as a national model for sports medicine,” Dr. Klasko said. The re-establishment of orthopedics at USF represents a key success in a series of accomplishments, including a new alliance between USF Health and USF Athletics, strengthened sports safety for the state, and new healthcare services for the community, he said.

Also speaking at the reception were Doug Woolard, USF athletics director, and Robert Pedowitz, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, who unveiled the department’s new integrated website and introduced the new residents.

USF’s six charter orthopaedic sugery residents, who began the program July 1, are, left to right: Paul Edwards, MD; Eric Henderson, MD; Odion Binitie, MD; and Stephen Wilson, MD; all PGY-2s, and German Marulanda, MD; and Derek Weichel, MD, both PGY-1s.

The residency program director is Douglas Letson, MD, associate professor of oncology, surgery, radiology and orthopaedics in the Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology. The residency coordinator is Ann Joyce.

— Photos by Eric Younghans/USF Health Media Center