Dr. Lisa Bonsignore-Opp, a fourth-year UCSF orthopaedic surgery resident, earned first place in the 2025 Top Gun Surgical Skills Competition, held at the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium in Orlando last week. (Photo: UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery)
Orthopaedic surgery trainee Lisa Bonsignore-Opp, MD, takes first place at the 2025 Top Gun Surgical Skills Competition
SAN FRANCISCO — Dec. 12, 2025 — Dr. Lisa Bonsignore-Opp, a fourth-year orthopaedic surgery resident at the University of California, San Francisco, has won first place in the 2025 Top Gun Surgical Skills Competition, earning top honors in an international field of trainees evaluated on advanced surgical simulation performance.
The competition was held Dec. 5 during this year’s International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium (IPOS) in Orlando, where residents and fellows from across the United States and abroad completed a rigorous series of technical challenges designed to assess precision, efficiency, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Participants rotated through six simulation stations, including femur fracture fixation with flexible intramedullary nailing, Ponseti casting for clubfoot, pedicle screw placement and spinal deformity correction, limb-lengthening techniques, arthroscopic loose-body retrieval, and a timed team spine challenge. Faculty judges scored competitors using objective standardized assessments of technical skill.
Dr. Bonsignore-Opp’s performance stood out for its consistency across stations, steady composure under pressure, and strong collaboration during the team exercise. Her win places UCSF among top national programs advancing the use of surgical simulation to train the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award and to represent UCSF on the winners’ plaque,” Dr. Bonsignore-Opp said. “The competition was both rigorous and inspiring, and I’m grateful for the faculty, mentors, and co-residents who have supported my training. Simulation has played a huge role in building my confidence and skillset, and I’m excited to carry these experiences forward into patient care.”
Dr. Ishaan Swarup, chief of pediatric orthopaedics at UCSF, said her success reflects both talent and dedication. “We are so proud of Dr. Bonsignore-Opp’s achievement,” Dr. Swarup said. “The Top Gun competition is an elite test of technical ability, precision, and teamwork, and Lisa excelled at every station. Her dedication to surgical excellence reflects the very best of UCSF training and the future of our field.”
Dr. C. Benjamin Ma, chair of the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, said the recognition underscores the department’s commitment to high-level skill development. “This is an outstanding national recognition, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for Dr. Bonsignore-Opp,” Dr. Ma said. “Her performance illustrates the strength of UCSF’s commitment to simulation-based education and the exceptional talent within our residency program.”
Created to elevate the role of simulation in surgical training, the Top Gun competition challenges trainees to refine technical proficiency before applying skills in the operating room. IPOS, presented annually by the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, brings together experts and trainees for hands-on education, research updates, and specialized training in pediatric musculoskeletal care.
###