The UAB Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship provides comprehensive training in hand, upper extremity, and nerve surgery during a one-year ACGME-accredited Hand Surgery Fellowship program. This is a unique program in both clinical breadth and flexibility for fellows to tailor the program to their weaknesses and interests. There is a strong emphasis on self-directed learning with a high degree of early fellow autonomy with patient management and in the operating room. Each hand fellow will rotate twice, for two months at a time, through each of the three different rotation experiences during the year.
Upper Extremity Trauma
As a level-I designated trauma and replantation center for the southeast region, this includes an extremely high volume experience in high energy acute upper extremity injuries, as well as difficult secondary revision trauma & complex hand reconstruction. This is a true upper extremity fellowship that has an option to include shoulder/elbow for interested fellows (but is not necessary to the core curriculum). The program is integrated with the Residency’s of both the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Division of Plastic Surgery. This includes the option to spend time with the Plastic Surgeons at UAB, if desired, to increase exposure to soft tissue handling techniques, flap reconstruction, and microsurgery cases (but is not necessary to the core curriculum).
Elective Hand Care
There is also consistent exposure to classic “bread and butter” hand conditions. Fellows will treat all classic hand pathology in both the academic and private practice clinical settings throughout the entire year. Significant time is also spent learning the nuances of being a successful hand surgeon in a private orthopedic practice. This includes time in the community at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center, and with the Southlake Orthopedics Group at Grandview Hospital.
Athletes
Working with both the UAB Division of Sports & Exercise Medicine, and the Andrews Sports Medicine Hand Surgery team, Fellows are provided the unique opportunity to treat professional and Division I collegiate athletes. There is significant professional collaboration and clinical time spent with the Andrews Sports Medicine Hand team throughout the year.
Pediatrics & Brachial Plexus
Fellows spend time at Children’s of Alabama Hospital, the premiere children's hospital in the state and only level-I trauma center. Here, everyday treatment of pediatric hand injuries and fractures are seen, in addition to managing a wide variety of congenital differences from birth to adulthood. Further, in combination with our peripheral nerve clinics at UAB, the fellowship boasts a high-volume experience with adult and pediatric thoracic outlet and brachial plexus treatment, both for congenital and traumatic injury etiologies.
Education
Fellows participate in all aspects of patient care — in clinics, the operating room, and, on occasion, the emergency room. There are weekly educational conferences and monthly hand journal clubs. All fellows are sent to a formal microvascular training course at the start of the fellowship at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). Quarterly cadaver labs on various rolling topics are held at Andrew's Sports Medicine Institute. All fellows attend the ASSH Annual Meeting, as well as the Annual State Orthopaedic Surgery Society Meeting. Fellows are encouraged to attend additional relevant industry courses and meetings of their choice (and are given time off to do so).
Research
Fellows regularly collaborate with residents on research projects and have the availability of an animal-, biomechanics-, and cadaver labs. A Hand Surgery Research Group meets monthly to coordinate and implement ongoing research projects. Each fellow will complete one scholarly project and present at the Alabama Orthopedic Society Annual Hand Meeting in May each year.
Rotation Locations
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UAB Hospital
At this busy Level 1 Trauma Center, fellows experience severe traumatic injuries including the mangled hand, complex fracture work and soft tissue coverage of the upper extremity, and microsurgical replantation. Fellows work primarily with the UAB Hand Surgery core faculty when on-call, but also can participate in general orthopedic trauma cases with the Orthopedic Trauma Service, or work with the Plastic Surgery & Burn Surgeons here if interested.
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UAB Hospital Highlands
Highlands is the heart of the fellowship where the majority of the UAB clinical experiences occur. This includes clinic and OR for all hand, brachial plexus, and shoulder/elbow cases. Fellows work primarily with UAB Hand Surgery core faculty here and will treat classic hand pathology on an outpatient basis. Highlands also includes a large hand therapy practice with highly experienced Certified Hand Therapists, a full-service cast room, and advanced imaging radiology services to support the hand practice. Fellows are encouraged to spend time with our excellent hand therapists throughout their time here.
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Children's of Alabama
Children's of Alabama is a Level 1 state-designated trauma center and its expertise draws patients from throughout Alabama and neighboring states. Working with Dr. Erin Ransom, fellows will gain experience in congenital conditions and pediatric trauma. Fellows will also participate in a multidisciplinary brachial plexus clinic and reconstructive surgeries.
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Andrews Sport Medicine and Orthopaedic Center
Andrews Sport Medicine and Orthopaedic Center is a well-known and respected private practice located in Birmingham, Alabama. Treating elite athletes from all over the world, here fellows will work with the Program Director, Dr. Kathleen McKeon, and Dr. Christopher Beaumont. This private practice setting provides excellent experience to learn both the principles of hand surgery and the business side of running a successful practice.
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Southlake Orthopaedics
Southlake Orthopaedics is a well-respected private practice located in the community of Birmingham, Alabama. Here our Fellows work with Dr. Ekkehard Bonatz, who has been faculty in the fellowship for over 20 years. At Grandview, they also work with Dr. Joseph Sherrill, past program director, who has been educating hand surgeons across the southeast region and beyond for decades. Fellows see a variety of pathology from elbow to fingertip and have the opportunity to learn the wisdom required to cultivate career longevity in a successful orthopedic hand surgery practice.
Meet the Faculty
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Kathleen McKeon, M.D.
Program Director
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Ronit Wollstein, M.D.
Professor and Section Chief
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Rachel Aliotta, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Chris Beaumont, M.D.
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Ekkehard Bonatz, M.D.
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Karlee Lau Loftin, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Mohamed Morsy, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Erin Ransom, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Joseph Sherrill, M.D.
Application Process
Graduates of this ACGME-approved program in Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery are eligible for CAQ certification. Three fellowship positions are offered each year. They must be eligible for Alabama licensure and DEA and have passed Step 3 of the USMLE.
Interested applicants should contact Program Coordinator Rebecca Kuykendall at rikuykendall@uabmc.edu.