Hand Fellowship

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Duration: 12 months

The Plastic and Orthopedic Surgery Services at the University of Pittsburgh and the Hand & Shoulder Center have further enhanced the collaboration and cross-fertilization of their respective Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship Programs. This format offers an unparalleled experience in both skeletal and soft tissue aspects of adult and pediatric hand surgery, including microsurgery, conducted in both an academic setting and a private surgery center environment.

Trainees in both fellowship programs will attend joint conferences, didactic lectures, and Journal Clubs together. Rotation through both Orthopedics and Plastic Surgery will result in a diverse experience in all aspects of hand and upper extremity conditions. Between the two fellowships, there are a total of seven positions for candidates completing their residency training in Plastic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and/or General Surgery. Matched candidates will have the opportunity to be trained by 14 hand fellowship trained faculty members, perform surgical procedures in a state-of-the-art freestanding surgery center, as well as complex upper extremity reconstruction and microsurgical procedures at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Over the 12-month fellowship-training period, experience and responsibility are gradually increased and by the end of the program each fellow is comfortable and competent in all areas of hand surgery (including pediatric and adult brachial plexus) and microsurgical techniques. 

Prerequisite Education

Prerequisite resident education must be completed in a general surgery, orthopedic surgery, or plastic surgery program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Duration and Scope

The University of Pittsburgh Plastic Surgery Hand Program is a one-year, ACGME accredited hand surgery fellowship program. We match one fellow per year into the Plastic Surgery position.

Didactic Curriculum

All fellows (Plastic and Orthopedic Hand Surgery) will take part in a weekly multidisciplinary Hand Conference on Wednesday mornings.  In addition, a Bioskills lab (with cadavers) is held weekly where fellows practice technical surgical skills that are essential to the performance of hand and upper extremity surgery. There are also multiple visiting professors who give lectures and perform dissections in the Bioskills lab.

Is there a difference between the Plastic Surgery and Orthopedic Surgery Hand Fellowships at UPMC?

The two fellowships are nearly identical with all the fellows experiencing the year as a cohort.  The only difference in the clinical rotation schedule is that the Plastic Surgery fellow spends time at the Hand to Shoulder Center instead of additional time doing shoulder surgery with UPMC faculty.  An applicant trained in Orthopedic Surgery can match into the Plastic Surgery position and vice versa. 

Research Opportunities

While at least one clinical research project leading to presentation and publication is expected during the fellowship year, significant basic and applied basic science research opportunities are available. For those interested, research experience can be obtained in our internationally known Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh. There are opportunities to present at both the Department of Plastic Surgery Research Day and the Joseph Imbriglia Hand Research Day.

Core Faculty

Pitt Plastic Surgery:

Nicole J. Jarrett, MD, FACS – Fellowship Program Director

Alexander Davit, MD – Associate Program Director

Teun Teunis, MD, PhD

Jason Yoo, MD

Justine Kim, MD

Shawn Loder, MD

Pitt Orthopedic Surgery:

John Fowler, MD

Jennifer D’auria, MD

Mark Baratz, MD

Robert Kaufmann, MD

Robert Goitz, MD

Colin Beckwitt, MD

Hand and Shoulder Center:

Glenn Buterbuagh, MD

Marshall Balk, MD

Kristin Buterbaugh, MD

Bradley Palmer, MD

Rotation Schedule:

Plastic Surgery Service (Jarrett, Teunis, Bregman, Yoo, Kim): 2 months

Hand and Shoulder Center (Balk, Buterbaugh, Palmer): 2 months

Pitt Orthopedic Surgery (Fowler, Baratz, D’auria, Goitz, Kaufmann, Beckwitt): 8 months

Application Process for the Hand Surgery Fellowship

Applications for the Hand Surgery Fellowship beginning August 1, 2028 will be accepted until November 17, 2026.  IF YOU WANT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR BOTH THE PLASTIC SURGERY AND ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY POSITIONS, YOU MUST APPLY TO BOTH PROGRAMS

You will need to register with the NRMP (http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/registration.html) for the Combined Musculoskeletal Matching Program (CMMP).

Please submit the following information with your application packet: Completed Universal Hand Application Curriculum Vitae Transcript, Copy of USMLE Step I, II and III Scores, and three letters of recommendation, including one from your program director. You may send your completed Hand Fellowship Application materials through the ASSH portal to:

Sue Giang
Hand Surgery Fellowship Coordinator
Department of Plastic Surgery
3550 Terrace Street
Scaife Hall, Suite 664
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Office: 412-932-7826
Fax: 412-383-8986
E-mail: giangn@upmc.edu