Description: The residency program offered by the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is a 12 month didactic and clinical training program. The program is modeled after the physician residency program in orthopaedic surgery also offered at the Institute. This multi-specialty orthopaedic group consists of twelve fellowship-trained surgeons who participate in both the didactic and clinical components in the area of their respective sub-specialties.

University/Institutional Affiliations: The residency program is offered by the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute which is located at Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois. This is one of the largest private teaching hospitals in the Chicago suburban area, and also participates in the education of PA students, medical students, and physician residents. The residency program is sponsored by the Physician Assistant Program at Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School, and the faculty from each program cooperate in the education of PA students and PA residents.

Residency Objectives: Upon completion, the PA will have an in-depth understanding of the various sub-specialties within orthopaedics, including: trauma, total joint replacement, spine surgery, hand surgery, sportsmedicine, and foot & ankle surgery. The graduate will have had extensive experience in the triage, evaluation, treatment and management of orthopaedic problems in each of these areas. The graduate will have developed into an expert first-assistant in the operating room. The residency program will also involve the PA in at least one research project where the PA can participate as one of the principle investigators.

Program Length: 12 Months, beginning July 1^st of each year. (For those students in PA Programs that graduate in late summer, a September start may be arranged.)

Openings: 4 to 6 residency positions each year.

Curriculum: The didactic and clinical curriculum are integrated. The PA resident will participate in daily teaching rounds, weekly conferences, weekly grand rounds, weekly interdisciplinary conferences, and monthly research meetings. Monthly didactic tests are given by the Physician Assistant Program Faculty.

The clinical curriculum will consist of rotations through the following sub-specialty areas: orthopaedic trauma surgery, total joint surgery, spine surgery, sports surgery, hand surgery, and foot & ankle surgery. The resident will participate in clinics, inpatient care and first-assist in the operating room while on each rotation. The resident will also participate in in-house trauma call approximately one night per week.

Compensation: $40,000

OtherFees/Expenses/Tuition: none

Benefits: Health Insurance, Malpractice Insurance. Ten days paid vacation.

Housing: Arranged individually by each resident. The Medical Center is located in a clean residential area with many apartment complexes nearby.

Credentials Awarded: Upon completion of the residency program, a certificate of training will be awarded by the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute.

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  Updated Information:

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Entry Requirements: Applicants must be graduates of a CAAHEP approved physician assistant program and be eligible for (or have passed) the NCCPA board exams. Residents must apply for an Illinois License at the time of their acceptance into the program. 

Selection Criteria: Residents will be selected on the basis of the following:

Calendar of Events:
Application Period: October 1 through March 15 Interviews: Early April

Notification of Acceptance: May 1

Program Begins: July 1 (may be Sept. for late grads)

Program Ends: June 30 (or Sept. for late grads)

To download an application, go to the Application Page , highlight the application, copy it, paste it to a word processor, and then fill in the blanks. Mail the application to the address listed on the document.

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Program Directors: Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C, Matthew Jimenez, MD 

Medical Directors: Matthew Jimenez, MD, Wayne Goldstein, MD 

Patrick Knott is a physician assistant with twelve years experience in orthopaedic surgery. He is currently the PA Program director at Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School.

Matthew Jimenez is an orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship trained in orthopaedic trauma and total joint replacement. He has a special interest in pelvic and acetabular fractures, and total joint arthroplasty. He teaches and lectures extensively both locally and nationally.

Wayne Goldstein is an orthopaedic surgeon and division head of orthopaedics at IBJI. He is an authority on total joint replacement, and has designed total joint components that are in widespread use today.

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The Current Residents:

Paul - is a 2002 Graduate of Rosalind Franklin University PA Program, and was an athletic trainer before entering PA school.

Jeff - is a 2002 Graduate of the MCP Hahnemann University PA Program in Philadelphia.   He also has a BS in Exercise Physiology.

Maura - is a 2002 Graduate of the University of New England PA Program, and is active in the Army National Guard.

Maureen - is a 2002 Graduate of the East Carolina University PA Program, and has an Exercise Science degree.

Tricia is a 2001 Graduate of the PA Program at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York. She also has a biology degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Stacy - is a 2002 Graduate of the Rosalind Franklin University PA Program.  She was also an athletic trainer in Florida before PA school.

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Frequently asked questions:

Do I need to be a PA to apply? Yes, you need to be a PA or a PA student, and be eligible for licensure in Illinois to apply. 

Do you give preference to spring graduates? Because the program starts and ends on July 1, we do prefer graduates who will be ready to start at that time. We will, however, make arrangements to have a summer graduate start the residency program in September if they are the best candidate for the job.

Who should my references be? One needs to be your PA program director, the other should be a physician who has been a clinical supervisor (preferably an orthopaedic surgeon). 

Is there an application fee? No.

Does this program offer a Master's Degree? No. It offers a certificate, just like a traditional MD residency program in orthopaedic surgery does. If it is a Master's Degree that you are after, look at the web site for the Rosalind Franklin University Post-Professional Master's Program.

Why should I apply to a residency program? Why not just take a job in orthopaedics? The residency program is very intense, and offers the participants both a wide variety and a large quantity of experiences in a short period of time. We believe that in just 12 months, we can give you the confidence and experience that it would otherwise take many years to attain. This will make you a much more attractive candidate to an employer, and hopefully, allow you to start your career with a higher level of responsibility and pay. 

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Lutheran General Hospital
Park Ridge, Illinois

Lutheran General Hospital was selected as one of the nation's best hospitals, according to the 1995 "Top 100 Hospitals - Benchmarks For Success" study conducted by HCIA/Mercer, Inc. which examined 4000 acute care hospitals across the USA.

With 645 licensed beds, Lutheran General is one of the five largest tertiary care teaching, research, and referral hospitals in Illinois.

Lutheran General' 4,500 employees provide care to 25,000 inpatients, 124,000 outpatients and 42,000 emergency patients each year.

Lutheran General Children's Hospital is one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of pediatric services in Illinois, and cares for more than 3,500 pediatric inpatients and 100,000 outpatients annually.

The Lutheran General medical staff includes 850 physicians and dental surgeons who have distinguished themselves throughout Chicagoland as clinicians, teachers and leaders in the healthcare field. Approximately 53% of the current medical staff's adult primary care physicians are graduates of a Lutheran General residency program.

The hospital is designated a Level I Trauma Center for both adult and pediatric care by the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago.

The hospital is a regional leader in cardiology, cancer services, critical care, treatment of children, women's health needs, mental health and addiction. Specialty care areas also include medical/surgical, obstetrical/perinatal, orthopaedic, geriatric, physical medicine and rehabilitation.

A pioneer in laser and endoscopic surgery, Lutheran General is one of Chicagoland's busiest surgical centers, performing nearly 20,000 operations annually. Lutheran's surgeons offer expertise in neurosurgery, trauma, urology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, opthalmology, heart and vascular procedures, among others. Lutheran General also provides expert pediatric care in every surgical subspecialty.

The infectious disease division at Lutheran General operates the only outpatient HIV clinic in the northwest suburbs.

In April 1996, Lutheran General's Children's Hospital's outpatient programs relocated to the $20 million Victor Yackman Children's Pavilion. This three story, 80,000-square-foot facility includes specialty clinics for children with complex illnesses and chronic conditions, and is one of the largest centers in the state for children with developmental disabilities or delays.

Lutheran General's Research and Education Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, allowing the hospital's medical staff to sponsor CME programming for national audiences - a status usually held only by large university teaching hospitals.

Each year, over 220 helicopter flights transport trauma victims, high risk obstetrical, and neonatal patients to Lutheran General. A new heliport landing deck has just been constructed on the roof of the hospital's medical/surgical wing.

The Research and Education Institute's institutional review board monitored over 400 active research projects during the past year.

A record 3,500 cardiac catheterization procedures were performed in 1995, representing a 25% increase over the prior year.

Lutheran General is the only non-university hospital outside of Chicago with physician residency programs in internal medicine, family practice, pathology, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopaedics, and psychiatry; and fellowships in cardiovascular surgery, gastroenterology, and geriatrics.

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For More Information Contact:

Patrick Knott, PhD, PA-C
The Physician Assistant Program
3333 Green Bay Road
North Chicago, IL 60064-3095
(847) 578-8689
(847) 578-8690 fax
knottp@rosalindfranklin.edu