Hand Surgery Fellowship Program

Introduction:

Hand surgery is a subspecialty of plastic and orthopedic surgery that deals with a wide range of hand pathologies and conditions in all age groups. It has acquired a special status because of the unique nature of the diseases and traumas that affect the appearance and function of the hand.

The number of hand cases are continuously increasing in Saudi Arabia due to the increasing populations associated with the increase in traumas related to MVas or industry as well as the high prevalence of arthritis in the aging population. Hand surgery is a science that is continuously advancing and subspecialization in hand surgery has become essential. The number of plastic and orthopedic surgeons are also increasing but the number of specialized hand surgeons is much less than the number required to serve our population. Accordingly, the establishment of a fellowship in hand surgery is very important to help meet the growing demand for hand surgeons in different centers. It is well known that one of the main pillars of improving a medical specialty is the establishment of a dedicated training program in that specialty that will allow for improvements in clinical, academic and training purposes.

With the goal of further developing plastic and orthopedic surgery in Saudi Arabia, and to meet the demand of the growing population of Saudi Arabia; the need to create a new subspecialty fellowship in hand surgery under the umbrella of King Saud University has become mandatory to provide enough hand surgeons to meet the need of the population to be able to provide comprehensive, high quality medical care to both the adult and pediatric population in the kingdom.

Program Objectives:

The objective of the 2 year fellowship program in hand surgery is to provide the candidates with the learning experience that will prepare them to become competent in the disciplines of hand surgery with special skills in the diagnosis and management at the consultant level. The training will be systematic and progressive to allow the candidate to obtain adequate knowledge and skills under proper supervision.

Admission Requirements:

One candidate will be admitted every year.

To be admitted to the program, the individual must:

1. Possess a certificate of the Saudi Plastic or orthopedic or an equivalent degree recognized by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, or has successfully completed the written component of the final Saudi program examination.
2. He/she must be of good conduct and medically fit.
3. Pass interview by the hand surgery fellowship committee in KKUH.
4. Provide three recommendation letters from consultants or specialists he/she have worked with confirming their ability and capacity of training.
5. Submit a letter of approval from their work place (employer) confirming their approval and permission to join the specialty training program on a full time basis for the entire training period.

Duration of the Program:

Two year program starting in September (Interviews for acceptance will be held 4-6 months earlier).

Upon completion of the required training and passing the final examination, the certificate will be “King Saud University Fellowship in Hand Surgery”.