Research Positions and Opportunities

The Orthopaedic Surgery Department welcomes medical student participation with its research efforts.

Medical Student Research Program (Year-Round)

Medical students can participate in research projects under the direction of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty.  Medical students should feel free to browse the department webpage for a list of faculty members who are currently conducting clinical and/or research projects and initiate contact with any of the faculty.

Students are encouraged to contact faculty by email to express their interest and attach a copy of their CV. Students are assigned to a research project(s) according to each student’s previous training, knowledge base, and research interests.

UC M1 Orthopaedic Surgery Summer Research Program

The UC M1 Orthopaedic Surgery Summer Research Program offers a unique and invaluable opportunity for first-year medical students to engage in orthopaedic research under the mentorship of experienced faculty. This program aims to foster academic growth, enhance research skills, and provide hands-on experience that strengthens future residency applications.

 Eligibility

Open to UC medical students who will have completed their first year of medical school by the start of the program.

 Program Details

• Duration: 10 weeks, from June to mid-August.
• Flexibility:
• Many projects can be completed remotely, with flexible schedules to accommodate other summer commitments.
• No fixed weekly hours are required, allowing students to tailor their involvement based on availability.

 Merit Awards & Research Presentation Day

At the conclusion of the program, participants will present their research at a Research Presentation Day in the fall. Awards will be given based on the quality of research:

• 1st Place: $2,500
• 2nd Place: $2,000
• 3rd Place: $1,500

Additional stipends may be provided depending on the number of projects completed and available funding.

 Publication Potential

While not all projects may result in publications, many have the potential to contribute to academic literature. Regardless of the outcome, the experience will significantly enhance students’ research portfolios and residency applications.

 Application Process

• Deadline: February 1
• Submission: Completed applications should be submitted to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
• Selection: Faculty mentors will review applications and select students for specific projects, with announcements made in early March.

 Additional Information

• Students participating in this program should not seek funding from the Office of Research for a stipend. This program is designed for students who can dedicate unfunded hours to research.
• Students may begin working on projects during the M1 academic year if their schedule permits.
• Those not selected for a specific project may still have the opportunity to participate in other research initiatives, though they will not be eligible for merit awards.

Contact

For questions or additional information, please contact:
Kim Hasselfeld
Clinical Research Manager, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Email: hasselky@uc.edu

Medical Student Research Scholar | Gap Year

Positions: 1

Duration: 1 year

Who: US M3 medical student planning on applying to Orthopedic Surgery residency programs. Only USA medical school students will be considered.

Where: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, OH.

When: Beginning Approx. May 2025

Salary: Paid 12-month position through the University of Cincinnati with full-time benefits.

Medical students may choose to take a “Gap-Year” during medical school training to do research and produce publications that improve their CV, and position as an applicant for highly competitive Orthopedic Surgery Residency Training Programs that consider research activity and publications an important part of the application process.

 The position is focused on clinical research and involves retrospective studies, database studies, prospective studies, and randomized clinical trials – however, basic science and laboratory research is also possible. The successful applicant can expect to be involved in approximately twenty to thirty projects, the majority of which will progress to publication and presentation at regional and national meetings.

 The student is well-integrated into the residency program, attending daily AM trauma rounds, educational conferences, Grand Rounds, and journal club in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

 For the self-directed, motivated individual, this can be a very productive year. The student should expect to have 10-20 publications/chapters/abstracts by the end of the research year.

 We are looking for individuals with the following prerequisites and characteristics:

• Strong motivation for a career in Orthopaedic Surgery

• Interest in research

• MUST be extremely organized

• MUST be detail-oriented

• MUST be able to self-manage

• Strong academic record

 Please use the following link to submit your application by February 28, 2025, at 5 p.m.:

Submit your application now!

Submission documents should include a brief Cover Letter and CV (with USMLE step I and/or II scores). Letters of recommendation are optional.

If you have any questions regarding this position, you may email Kim Hasselfeld, Clinical Research Manager at hasselky@uc.edu.

Orthopaedic Research Fellow

Status: The position will open in March 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Positions: 1

Duration: 1 year

Who: Fourth-year medical students who are interested in Orthopedic Surgery and are on track to graduate by summer 2022 (as a post-doctoral position, an MD is required). Only students from US medical schools will be considered. Third-year medical students interested in taking a gap year are encouraged to apply to our Medical Student Research Year.

Where: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, OH.

When: The position will open in March 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Salary: Paid post-doctoral 12-month position through the University of Cincinnati with full-time benefits.

The fellow manages 30 or more clinical research projects under one-on-one mentorship from orthopaedic faculty at the University of Cincinnati. The fellow is expected to submit and present abstracts at annual meetings and prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication.

The fellow is well-integrated into the residency program, attending daily AM trauma rounds, educational conferences, Grand Rounds, and journal club in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The fellow is encouraged to participate in projects across all divisions of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Responsibilities include maintaining prospective study enrollment and follow-up, mentoring medical students through research projects, research planning, and design, data collection and analysis, and manuscript/abstract/IRB/grant preparation and submission.

For the self-directed, motivated individual, this can be a very productive year. The fellow should expect to have 10-20 publications/chapters/abstracts by the end of the research year.

In addition to improving your research skills in an academic environment, the goal of the program is to have the fellow, with full-time research experience and strong letters of recommendation, successfully match into an Orthopaedic Surgery Residency position.

We are looking for individuals with the following prerequisites and characteristics:

• Strong motivation for a career in Orthopaedic Surgery
• Interest in research
• MUST be extremely organized
• MUST be detail-oriented
• MUST be able to self-manage
• Strong academic record

Publications

Read our latest publications. See how we are changing Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine offers Undergraduates, Graduates and medical students opportunities and resources to participate in Research with some of the best and highly recognized Surgeons in the nation.

Bellow you will find a few of the multiple positions and opportunities we offer.

Orthopedic Open Positions

No open employment opportunities at the moment - ONLY experience and involvement opportunities

Orthopedic Research Positions

Undergraduate Student Research Program

M1 Student Research (Year-Round)

Medical students can participate in research projects under the direction of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty.  Medical students should feel free to browse the department webpage for a list of faculty members who are currently conducting clinical and/or research projects and initiate contact with any of the faculty.

Students are encouraged to contact faculty by email to express their interest and attach a copy of their CV. Students are assigned to a research project(s) according to each student’s previous training, knowledge base, and research interests.

UC M1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Summer Research

The UC M1 Ortho Summer Research program consists of mentored research designed to introduce students who have completed their first year of medical school to orthopaedic surgery research.

Eligibility: UC medical students who will complete their first year are eligible to participate in this program.

Duration: 10 weeks, June to mid-August.  Many projects can be completed remotely/off campus and on the student’s own time (there is not a required number of hours per week).  Students can put in as many hours as possible, allowing for participation in other summer commitments. 

Merit Awards: In the fall we hold a research presentation day and prizes are awarded based on the work completed during the summer.  The top three awards are $2,500, $2,000 and $1,500.  Additional stipends will be awarded to those not receiving one of the top three awards.  The amount will be based on number of projects completed and availability of funds for the year.

Research productivity and effort will be monitored during the summer and this information will be a part of the rubric used to score and rank the fall presentations.  Although there is no guarantee that all projects will produce publication-worthy results, several projects are likely to lead to academic publications.  Regardless, the experience obtained by working on a project is extremely valuable and will inevitably increase the competitiveness of one’s residency application. 

Project Approval: During the first year of medical school, students should reach out to the department expressing an interest in working on an orthopaedic project.  Students do not need to come up with their own project ideas; there are a range of projects available across orthopaedic basic science, translational science, and clinical research.

Interested students should start by contacting Kim Hasselfeld hasselky@uc.edu to schedule time to meet with research fellows and faculty to determine a project to be worked on.  Students can start on projects before the summer if time permits during the M1 academic year.  Students are encouraged to contact us as soon in the first year as possible so projects can be defined, developed and necessary approvals obtained before the start of the summer.  This will greatly increase the ability of the student to have a robust presentation in the fall.

Projects must be pre-approved to be eligible for presentation in the fall.  A UC Orthopaedic Faculty member must be a mentor on the project.  Students should not apply for funding from the Office of Research to obtain a stipend to work on a project.  This program is designed to be one that students can participate with unfunded hours that they have available for the summer.

Questions: Contact Kim Hasselfeld, Clinical Research Manager, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, hasselky@uc.edu.

Medical Student Research Scholar (Gap Year)

Status: Our position has been filled for the 2023-2024 academic year.  The position will open in February 2024 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Positions: 1

Duration: 1 year

Who: US M3 medical student planning on applying to Orthopedic Surgery residency programs. Only USA medical school students will be considered.

Where: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, OH.

When: The position will open in February 2024 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Salary: Paid 12-month position through the University of Cincinnati with full-time benefits.

Medical students may choose to take a “Gap-Year” during medical school training to do research and produce publications that improve their CV, and position as an applicant for highly competitive Orthopedic Surgery Residency Training Programs that consider research activity and publications an important part of the application process.

The position is focused on clinical research and involves retrospective studies, database studies, prospective studies, and randomized clinical trials – however, basic science and laboratory research is also possible. The successful applicant can expect to be involved in approximately twenty to thirty projects, the majority of which will progress to publication and presentation at regional and national meetings.

The student is well-integrated into the residency program, attending daily AM trauma rounds, educational conferences, Grand Rounds, and journal club in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

For the self-directed, motivated individual, this can be a very productive year. The student should expect to have 10-20 publications/chapters/abstracts by the end of the research year.

We are looking for individuals with the following prerequisites and characteristics:

• Strong motivation for a career in Orthopaedic Surgery

• Interest in research

• MUST be extremely organized

• MUST be detail-oriented

• MUST be able to self-manage

• Strong academic record



Jorge Figueras BS, 2021-2022 Medical Student Research Scholar presenting poster at AAOS 2022 in Chicago.

Orthopaedic Research Fellow (Post MD graduation)

Status: OPEN for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Positions: 1

Duration: 1 year

Who: Fourth-year medical students who are interested in Orthopedic Surgery and are on track to graduate by summer 2024 (as a post-doctoral position, an MD is required). Only students from US medical schools will be considered. Third-year medical students interested in taking a gap year are encouraged to apply to our Medical Student Research Year.

Where: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, OH.

When: The position will open March 11, 2024 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Please reach out to Kim Hasselfeld (hasselky@ucmail.uc.edu) to apply.

Salary: Paid post-doctoral 12-month position through the University of Cincinnati with full-time benefits.

The fellow manages 30 or more clinical research projects under one-on-one mentorship from orthopaedic faculty at the University of Cincinnati. The fellow is expected to submit and present abstracts at annual meetings and prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication.

The fellow is well-integrated into the residency program, attending daily AM trauma rounds, educational conferences, Grand Rounds, and journal club in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The fellow is encouraged to participate in projects across all divisions of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Responsibilities include maintaining prospective study enrollment and follow-up, mentoring medical students through research projects, research planning and design, data collection and analysis, and manuscript/abstract/IRB/grant preparation and submission.

For the self-directed, motivated individual, this can be a very productive year. The fellow should expect to have 10-20 publications/chapters/abstracts by the end of the research year.

In addition to improving your research skills in an academic environment, the goal of the program is to have the fellow, with full-time research experience and strong letters of recommendation, successfully match into an Orthopaedic Surgery Residency position.

We are looking for individuals with the following prerequisites and characteristics:

• Strong motivation for a career in Orthopaedic Surgery

• Interest in research

• MUST be extremely organized

• MUST be detail-oriented

• MUST be able to self-manage

• Strong academic record

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