Resident’s Skills Lab: Upper and Lower Extremity Fracture Management, hosted by Acumed in conjunction with the Western Orthopaedic Association, was attended by 15 orthopaedic residents from area hospitals.

The course was focused on a variety of shoulder, elbow, foot and ankle fractures and the latest surgical approaches to repair them, including the use of plates, screws, pins and other innovative solutions. The curriculum, educational rather than product-focused, was determined by the course faculty and presented in a collaborative, collegial style with the course attendees.

The educational experience at the Acumed Learning Center involved a variety of teaching-learning approaches including lab demonstrations, lectures, small group discussion and hands-on cadaveric studies and practice.

In its role as a supporting sponsor, Acumed supplied all instruments, products and specimens used in the course; laboratory facilities were also provided. The course’s faculty included a number of distinguished West Coast orthopaedic surgeons:

Jesse McCarron, M.D., chief of the Orthopaedic Surgery Section at the Portland VA Medical Center and who has an academic appointment at Oregon Health and Sciences University.

Gregory Gramstad, M.D., specializes in the elbow and is in private practice at Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery in Vancouver, Washington.

Robert Tonks, M.D., a trauma surgeon who practices in San Diego, California with the Sharp Healthcare System.

Richard Gellman, M.D., specializes in the foot and ankle and is in private practice at Summit Orthopedics in Portland, Oregon.