UCSF Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program

The UCSF Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program is dedicated to training orthopaedic surgeons who will make a difference locally, nationally, and globally. UCSF is a collaborative and inclusive place where excellence is the norm. We strive to create a learning environment that rewards exploration, discovery, and the rigorous pursuit of knowledge. Our graduates have gone on to leadership positions at major hospitals, academic institutions, and organizations throughout our field. We believe that no matter what your interests and ultimate career goals may be, UCSF can help you get there.

Our Department is focused first and foremost on training residents. Compared to many other training programs you may be considering, ours trains relatively few fellows, and some subspecialty groups train no fellows at all. We believe this commitment to resident education allows us to create a learning environment where your educational needs come first.

Our clinical training paradigm is based on a model in which residents complete two rotations in each subspecialty area—once as a junior resident and again as a senior resident. This schedule provides ample exposure to all subspecialty areas before fellowship decisions are made. We also utilize a variety of teaching sites, including international locations, to provide exposure to a wide range of patient populations and health care delivery systems. This structure allows us to provide the breadth and depth of clinical experience our residents have asked for through years of thoughtful refinement.

As accomplished and dedicated as UCSF faculty may be, the real strength of our residency program is the residents themselves. They are a supremely talented and motivated group of individuals who work hard and play hard. We are extremely proud of our graduates, what they have accomplished, and how our program contributed to their development as orthopaedic surgeons. We encourage you to spend a month with us as a sub-intern so that we can learn about, and from, each other. San Francisco is one of the truly great cities in the world — if you have never been here, you owe it to yourself to visit. Perhaps you belong here.

Compliance

Eligibility Criteria: To apply for a residency position, applicants must have graduated from, or be currently enrolled in the final year at, a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Applicants must be eligible for employment and graduate medical education training in the U.S. under UCSF GME policies, having obtained U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or a valid visa to work in the U.S. Applicants must also successfully complete the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step I. Additional USMLE examination (Step II CK and CS) must be completed in accordance with UCSF GME requirements prior to matriculation.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must demonstrate the academic foundation and professional readiness required to successfully complete orthopaedic surgery residency training at UCSF. This includes evidence of:
- Foundational medical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and patient care skills
- Engagement in research, quality improvement, education, or other scholarly activities that contribute to the advancement of medicine and patient care
- Commitment to compassionate, evidence-based healthcare delivery across diverse populations and systems
Applicants should exemplify the character, qualities, and potential to advance the field of orthopaedics and musculoskeletal care. In particular, applicants are expected to demonstrate:
- Leadership - the capacity to guide teams, advocate for patients, and contribute to the advancement of the field.
- Motivation and Drive - perseverance, resilience, and commitment to excellence, as reflected in personal growth, accomplishments, distance traveled, or obstacles overcome in their educational or professional journey.
- Scholarly Engagement -participation and productivity in research, quality improvement, education, or other scholarly activities that advance science, medical knowledge, and patient care.
- Commitment to Education - sustained interest in teaching and mentoring peers, students, and patients, and a dedication to life-long learning.
- Service and Outreach - meaningful contributions to communities through clinical work ,advocacy, volunteerism, or other activities that extend the impact of medicine beyond the hospital.
- Collegiality and Collaboration - the ability to strengthen the residency and UCSF community through teamwork, respect, and inclusivity.

UCSF Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program

UCSF Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program

Compliance

Meet our current residents

Syed Ali, MD

Ryan Halvorson, MD

Alicia Asturias, MD

Edgar Garcia-Lopez, MD

Jeffrey Kwong, MD, MS

Chris Stewart, MD

Katherine Woolley, MD

Camille Sullivan, MD, PhD

Kelechi Nwachuku, MD

Kelly Bach, MD

Lisa Bonsignore-Opp, MD

Anoop Galivanche, MD, MHS

Ramesh Ghanta, MD

Natalie Kucirek, MD

Kyla Petrie, MD

Angel Xiao, MD, MSE

Michael Flores, MD

Wyatt David, MD

Chloe Dlott, MD

Omair Khan, MD

Sara Kiani, MD, MPH

Lacey Smith, MD, MSc

Justin Solarczyk, MD

Liam Wong, MD

Kevin Liu, MD

Michaela Booker, MD

Zachary Booze, MD

Kevin Chen, MD

Andrew Gatto, DO

Rachel Gottlieb, MD

Jamieson O'Marr, MD

Douglas Saeks, MD

Hannah Chi, MD, MS

Kwabena Adu-Kwarteng, MD

Michaela Juels, MD

Anna Park, MD, MPhil

Jessica Schmerler, MD

Jeremiah Taylor, MD, MS

Bruno Valan, MD, MEng

Micaela White, MD