Podiatric Surgery Residency

Curriculum

Diverse Clinical Experience in Collaborative Setting

Podiatric Medicine and Surgery residents take an active role in patient care from day one, working side-by-side with experienced professionals in a collaborative environment. Our curriculum emphasizes the latest procedures and technology, including training in our advanced Interdisciplinary Simulation and Education Center where residents prepare for real-life surgical situations and leadership roles.

With fourteen graduate medical education programs at Hennepin Healthcare, our residents work with a diverse team of resident physicians and surgeons, medical students, and faculty. During rotations, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery residents embed on each service. Rotations occur at Hennepin Healthcare and three affiliated healthcare systems within the Twin Cities.

Clinical and quality improvement research is an important part of our program. All residents must undertake a publishable research project of their choice prior to graduation. Our full-time education director provides one-on-one guidance to each resident. The project spans all three years of residency and culminates with a poster presentation at the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons annual scientific meeting.

Departmental and Hospital Conferences

About Our Educational Experience

The Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency requires all residents to attend our mandatory departmental conference each week. Residents can also participate in a variety of optional, hospital-wide conferences on topics ranging from ethics to critical care.

Didactic Opportunities

• Weekly departmental conference
• Weekly textbook club
• Monthly case conference
• Quarterly industry workshops
• Journal club
• Individual research project

Residents will participate in additional hospital conferences while embedded within each rotation.

Faculty

National Leaders with a Passion for Teaching

About Our Faculty

A sizable faculty leads the Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency at Hennepin Healthcare. Many hold leadership positions at local and national levels, and all are active in teaching, patient care, and research. These experienced surgeons bring a long-term commitment to education that enables us to offer a consistently strong program.

Program Leadership

• Dr. Kimberly Bobbitt, Program Director, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency, Hennepin Healthcare
• Dr. Nicole A. Bauerly, Assistant Program Director, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, Hennepin Healthcare
• Dr. Mindy Benton, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery faculty, Hennepin Healthcare
• Dr. Dennis Oeltjenbruns, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery faculty, Hennepin Healthcare
• Dr. Michelle Winder, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery faculty, Hennepin Healthcare

Affiliated Staff

• Dr. Maren Elze
• Dr. Heather Jenson
• Dr. Sharilyn Kramer Moore
• Dr. Timothy Szopa
• Dr. Troy Vargas

Professional Leadership

Faculty members have served in state and national organizations at all levels. These include:

• Past president, National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners
• Board director, American Board of Podiatric Surgery
• President, Minnesota State Board of Podiatric Medicine
• Chair, ABPS Board Certification Content Development Committee
• Team representative, Joint Residency Review Committee
• Member, Minnesota State Board of Podiatric Medicine
• Co-chair, Twin Cities Foot and Ankle Scientific Conference

Rotation Schedule

Podiatric residents embed each service to gain comprehensive training in all aspects of patient care. Rotations occur at Hennepin Healthcare, as well as three affiliated institutions within the Twin Cities: Abbott Northwestern Hospital, United Hospital, and Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital.

Residents begin hands-on clinical experience from day one in each rotation and increase their independence according to skill development.

PGY-1

First-year residents train at Hennepin Healthcare and gain clinical experience on various rotations, including medical and medical subspecialties, and surgery and surgical subspecialties. PGY-1 residents function as team members, develop skills in managing patients in a podiatric outpatient clinic, and gain exposure to basic and common podiatric surgery.

In addition, each resident undertakes a research project for study throughout the residency, with assistance from our full-time research director.

PGY-2

During PGY-2, residents rotate three days per week at Hennepin Healthcare and two days per week at our affiliated sites. Residents train in podiatric surgery, outpatient clinic, medicine and medical subspecialties, including rheumatology and infectious diseases, and surgery and surgery subspecialties, including plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery. PGY-2 residents gain proficiency in osseous and soft tissue procedures of the forefoot and midfoot and participate in rearfoot and reconstructive procedures.

PGY-2 residents work as part of a team and gain teaching experience through clinical interaction with medical students, PGY-1 podiatry residents, and residents of other disciplines. Podiatric Medicine and Surgery residents gain additional leadership experience through work with student extern applicants and potential residency candidates.

PGY-3

During PGY-3, residents rotate three days per week at Hennepin Healthcare and two days per week at our affiliated sites. PGY-3 residents split the year as chief residents.

Residents pursue in-depth study of a topic of their choice through an elective surgical rotation of four weeks and finalize their individual research topic.

Leadership experience includes assisting the program director in developing a rotation schedule, quarterly M&M review of cases, and in student instruction.

Essential Clinical Training at Four Leading Healthcare Systems

PGY-1 Rotations

Anesthesia, 4 weeks
Behavioral Medicine, 4 weeks*
Dermatology, 4 weeks
Emergency Medicine, 4 weeks
General Surgery, 4 weeks*
Internal Medicine–Ambulatory, 4 weeks
Internal Medicine–Ward, 4 weeks
Medical Imaging, 2 weeks
Neurology, 2 weeks
Orthopedic Surgery, 4 weeks
Pathology, 4 weeks
Podiatric Medicine & Biomechanics, 12 weeks*
Podiatric Surgery, 12 weeks*
Research, 2 weeks*
Vascular Surgery, 2 weeks

PGY-2 Rotations

Burn/Plastic Surgery, 4 weeks
Infectious Disease, 2 weeks
Orthopedic Surgery, 4 weeks
Podiatric Medicine & Biomechanics, 32 weeks*
Podiatric Surgery, 32 weeks*
Research, 2 weeks
Rheumatology, 4 weeks

PGY-3 Rotations

Elective Surgical Rotation, 4 weeks
Orthopedic Surgery, 4 weeks
Podiatric Medicine & Biomechanics, 34 weeks*
Podiatric Surgery, 34 weeks*
Research, 2 weeks
Vascular Surgery, 4 weeks

*These rotations run concurrently: Podiatric Medicine & Biomechanics and Podiatric Surgery; Behavioral Medicine and Emergency Medicine.