|
Residency Program History
Historian: Mark Hoffer, M.D.
The Orthopaedic Surgery Program at UCI began with the County Hospital
of Orange, and Dr. Sanford Anzel was the first chairman in the early
1970’s. The program at the Long Beach Veteran Affairs Healthcare
System began a decade before and required many outside rotations.
Dr. Anzel eventually merged the two programs together in a combined
program between the Orange County Hospital and the Veterans Hospital.
Later in that decade, the University of California, Irvine took
over the Orange County Hospital and took over the residents training
program. A full time chief of the program was selected.
That first full time chief was Dr. Theodore Waugh from New York.
He firmly established the University relationship to the training
program. The second Chief of the Division of Orthopaedics was Dr.
William McMaster. He helped develop the laboratory and research
program on the main campus and coordinated research programs at
the Veterans Hospital. Dr. Mark Hoffer began a long tenure as Chief
of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1983. On two occasions, one in the mid
1980’s and again in late 1991, Dr. Robert Baird served in
the capacity of acting chief when Colonel Mark Hoffer was called
to active duty in the U.S. Army. Through Dr. Hoffer’s efforts
the division became a department in 1992. Dr. Hoffer retired from
UCI in 1993. Dr. J. Pierce Conaty served as acting chairman until
the arrival in late 1994 of Dr. Harry B. Skinner, the first full
time Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
The Orthopaedic Surgery Program, in the last decade, has graduated
four residents each year; each of whom have passed the written part
of the Boards which is quite an achievement. The Research Program
in Bioengineering at the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare
System began about seven years ago. The Orthopeadic Research Program
in Physiology (specializing in muscle) at the University campus
has developed over the last several years. In addition, residents
collaborate on research at CHOC and Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in
Downey.
The program has been dependent for its entire history on close
cooperation between the community and the University. The faculty
has always considered itself to be a part of both. The part-time
faculty members are involved in all aspects of the teaching program
from its inception.
Back
to the Residency Program
|