From the Chiefs

Welcome to Columbia Orthopedics/New York Orthopedic Hospital (NYOH). Founded on the pioneering work of Drs. Russell Hibbs, Harrison McLaughlin, Frank Stinchfield, Robert Carroll, Nas Eftekhar, Charles Neer, and Louis Bigliani, the department exemplifies the very best in orthopedic patient care, education, and leadership. Under our current Chair, Dr. William Levine, a world-renowned shoulder surgeon, our rich legacy continues to thrive.  

At NYOH, residents train with a variety of outstanding faculty members who are not only educators and mentors, but also international leaders in the various subdisciplines of Orthopedic Surgery. In addition to clinical training, our residents take advantage of dedicated research time to cultivate important relationships with faculty and, together, further the field of orthopedics. With this combination of clinical and academic training, residents become confident, thoughtful, skilled physicians and surgeons who consistently match at the most prestigious fellowships in the country.  

We believe firmly that the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center offers one of the strongest orthopedic surgery training programs in the country. We invite you to learn more about the residents and our program.

I chose Columbia/NYOH for the people I work with, the clinical training, and the knowledge that I would become a superb physician and surgeon by being here for residency. Every day I work with caring, committed people who are passionate about what they do and enjoy doing it. Each subspecialty has a group of faculty mentors I can go to for clinical, academic, or life advice. The clinical training is thorough and guided by comprehensive knowledge of our field. It consists of caring for the orthopedic patient from the moment he or she enters the office or emergency department to completion of operative or non-operative treatment. The academic opportunities are amazing and extensive. My co-residents present at national meetings, publish in top journals, and take jobs that put them in position to be leaders. Finally, living in New York City is like nothing else. There are endless adventures to choose from. In considering Columbia/NYOH Orthopedic Surgery Residency, I have said this before and I’ll say it again - there’s no better place to train!

Dr. Nicholas Danford ‘22

As a medical student at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, I had the opportunity to work with the orthopedics department prior to the residency application process. I chose to stay at Columbia/NYOH because of the residents and faculty I met along the way. The faculty are diverse, not only in their demographics but in the ways in which they approach both clinical practice and research. Many are not just nationally recognized leaders in their subspecialty but also known for their work in health policy, diversity in orthopedics, and quality improvement. Despite their busy schedules, they are all genuinely interested in resident education and mentorship. From thoughtful rotation feedback over coffee to an early morning meeting to discuss fellowship applications, they put in the time, energy and effort so that we get the most from our residency.

My co-residents are similarly impressive – not only in their professional accolades but in their willingness to work, collaborative spirit, and in the potential they have as future leaders in orthopedics. There is nothing better than colleagues who have your back, are fun to learn with, and push you to become better at what you do every day. That sentiment runs through the residency, across the department, and continues on with program alumni. We refer to ourselves as the Columbia Orthopedics family and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it.

Dr. Elise Bixby ‘21