Dear Prospective Applicant,
We welcome and encourage you to consider furthering your career development in Orthopaedic Surgery. The opportunities for professional satisfaction and growth are immense. The team at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is well recognized for developing world class leaders in clinical care, research and new discovery. The opportunity to study and partner with us here at Penn is profound, gratifying and rewarding.
On behalf of all the faculty and my colleagues below, we embrace the opportunity and privilege of recruiting you to the Penn Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program.
We strongly encourage you to consider furthering your education at Penn. We are committed to your wellbeing and you achieving your goals in Orthopaedic Surgery.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any additional questions about our program.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Wells, MD
Vice Chair, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
Perelman School of Medicine
wellsl@chop.edu
The Inclusive Orthopaedics Scholarship at Penn
Sponsored by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and in partnership with the Alliance of Minority Physicians (AMP) at Penn, the Inclusive Orthopaedics Scholarship (IOS) is designed to support underrepresented in medicine, women, sexual/gender minorities, low-income, and other students with non-traditional backgrounds or paths to orthopaedics. A $1,500 stipend will be granted to two students to offset the costs of a one-month orthopaedic surgery rotation at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Hospital (Presby), and Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH), as well as targeted mentorship from Penn faculty.
To apply, please send the following to Abbi Goldman at abbi.goldman@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
- Statement of interest (<300 words) describing either 1) can obstacle you have overcome or 2) the unique path/perspective you will bring to a career in orthopedic surgery
- Medical school transcript
- One letter of recommendation (preferably from orthopaedic faculty; exceptions can be made as needed)
The application deadline is 5:00PM, April 24, 2023. Please note that you may apply for a clinical rotation at Penn independent of the IOS through VSLO, and if you are granted a scholarship it will be applied to that rotation.
For more information about this and other, visit our Visiting Clerkship Programs for Students Underrepresented in Medicine at Penn.
Faculty & Resident Bios
Charles L. Nelson, MD
I am currently the Chief of Adult Reconstruction and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, where I completed my internship and residency. After finishing a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery, I returned to the Penn in 1998. I have a strong commitment to volunteerism and leadership. I was an AAOS Leadership Fellow from 2004-2005 and represented the American Orthopaedic Association as an Austrian Swiss German Traveling Fellow in 2012. I have served in many leadership positions in several national medical organizations. I am a Past President of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society, a former Section Chair of the National Medical Association Orthopaedic Section, and just stepped down from the Board of Directors of The Knee Society. I currently serve as an oral examiner and Director-Elect for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and as a Diversity Liaison for the American Orthopaedic Association Critical Issues and Program Planning Committee.
I am a strong proponent of both increasing diversity and health equity as related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, obesity, medical co-morbidities, socioeconomic factors, or any other factors compromising care. I have mentored medical students underrepresented in orthopaedics as an Nth Dimensions mentor since the inception of the program.
My wife, Stella Deal-Nelson is a pharmacist, no longer practicing and committed to helping raise our two children, Jace and Aria. I enjoy watching and playing all sports particularly football, basketball, baseball and golf. When I am not at work, I spend most of my time with my family or on the golf course. Email: Charles.Nelson@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Brendan A. Williams, MD
I am a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. I joined the faculty in 2019. Outside of my clinical work, I am also interested in education and research, serving on the Educational Course Committee of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) and on the Scientific Committee of the J. Robert Gladden Society. Throughout my training and short career as an attending surgeon, the recruitment, retention and education of underrepresented minorities in the medical field and in orthopaedics has been a chief passion of mine. I have been involved in an array of high school and college STEM and medical exposure programs and mentored a diverse group of students and trainees through research projects achieving presentation at national conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals. It would bring me great joy to be a part of your orthopaedic training here at CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy watching and playing basketball, dancing, hiking and travelling with my family. My wife, Diana Montoya-Williams, is a CHOP neonatologist and together we have two young boys and a dog. We love exploring Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Email: WilliamsBA@email.CHOP.edu.
Lawrence Wells, MD, FAOA, FAAOS, FAAP
I joined the faculty at Penn 18 years ago and am currently an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Associated Director of Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition to my recent appointment as the Department Vice Chair of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, I also have had a variety of administrative roles and committee appointments at Penn and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Outside of Penn, I previously served as Program Director for Specialty Day of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America meeting at the Annual American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery in 2010. I am serving as Secretary in the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society and am a Past President of the Philadelphia Orthopaedic Society.
My wife, Bernadette Wheeler is an Attending Obstetrician/Gynecologist at Penn. She and I have 3 children. In my spare time, I enjoy working in the family store Something Different By Eric, watching sports and listening to jazz. Email: WellsL@email.chop.edu.
Bobby Ndu, MD, MBA
I am an Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery specializing in foot & ankle surgery and am the Program Director of the Foot & Ankle Fellowship based out of Pennsylvania Hospital. I attended Yale for medical school and residency and completed my fellowship in foot & ankle surgery here at Penn. Email: Anthony.Ndu@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Lorraine Boakye, MD
I am an orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle surgery. I am an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Research for the foot & ankle division. I joined the department in the Fall of 2022. I grew up in Englewood, NJ, and earned my undergraduate degree at Yale College. I then completed my medical degree at University of Pittsburgh. I remained in Pittsburgh to complete residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. While there, I served in numerous education and leadership roles, including administrative chief resident. I then completed orthopaedic subspecialty fellowship training in foot and ankle at Harvard/Brigham and Women’s Hospital and in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to my clinical practice and research endeavors, I am active in mentorship and education of trainees.
Email: Lorraine.Boakye@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Brian Perez, MD
My name is Brian Perez, I'm Colombian-American from a small town in New Jersey called New Milford, about 20 minutes from NYC. I am currently a PGY4 resident in the department of Orthopaedics.
Choosing Penn for me was an easy decision. I had spent the summer between first and second year of medical school working under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Charles Nelson. This experience really solidified my path towards Orthopaedics and quickly spiked my interest in Penn Medicine. A couple of years later I had the opportunity of coming back to Penn, this time as a Sub-I where I was able to connect with more residents and faculty. When choosing a residency, most of us think about what we value about a program as well as our quality of life. And for me it was very important to find a program that valued camaraderie and mentorship. During my Sub-I, Penn crystalized those values for me. I found camaraderie and mentorship in residents, faculty, and staff. Now, three years into my residency, I can truly say these are attributes that Penn demonstrates across the board. I hope to be able to provide that for future residents as well.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and family exploring the many great restaurants of Philadelphia. Email: Brian.Perez@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Viviana Serra Lopez, MD
I am currently a completing my Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Penn. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and lived there until I went to college at MIT to study Aerospace Engineering. I then decided to pursue graduate education in Bioengineering, where I became interested in research projects related to biomechanics and orthopedics. It was then that I decided to study medicine in order to become an orthopaedic surgeon.
I chose Penn because of its strong leadership and the quality of education the residents receive. In my spare time I enjoy salsa dancing and discovering new restaurants. Email: Viviana.SerraLopez@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Bradley Osemwengie, MD
My name is Bradley Osemwengie. I am Nigerian-American and grew up in Arlington, Texas. I went to undergraduate at the University of North Texas and medical school at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas.
There were many reasons why I chose Penn to learn orthopedic surgery. From the friendly nature of the current residents, esteemed faculty who are world-leaders in their respective fields, abundant research opportunities, and the diverse patient population that Philadelphia provides, it was a very easy choice for me. My relationships with my fellow residents, the faculty, and staff at Penn are phenomenal and provide a great environment for me to learn. I look forward to learning and honing my skills at this amazing institution.
I enjoy playing basketball and long distance running in my spare time. I also enjoy cooking Nigerian cuisine. Email: Bradley.Osemwengie@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Closing Words from Chair, L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS
L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, is the Paul B. Magnuson Professor of Bone and Joint Surgery, Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery). He is also the Director of the Penn Musculoskeletal and Rheumatology Service Line.
As an accomplished clinician, his expertise focuses on surgery of the hand and upper extremity, reconstructive microsurgical techniques for extremity reconstruction and limb salvage. His research interests focus predominantly on extremity soft tissue reconstruction and vascularized composite allotransplantation.
Dr. Levin heads the Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Program at Penn and directed the teams that performed bilateral hand and arm transplants in three adults. In 2015, as Director of the Pediatric Hand Transplantation Program of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, he led the team that performed the world’s first bilateral hand transplant in a child.
Dr. Levin is responsible for developing the field of “Orthoplastic Surgery.”
Our institution’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has never been stronger. The leadership of the University of Pennsylvania, President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett, the leadership of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Health System, J. Larry Jameson and Kevin Mahoney and I, as the Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery have a clear vision to establish a healthcare workforce that looks the same as the patients that we serve -- with professionalism and compassion and sensitivity. I look forward to meeting you and hopefully having you join our team to serve others at the highest standards of healthcare and orthopaedic surgery.
L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, FAOA
Paul B. Magnuson Professor of Bone and Joint Surgery
Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor of Surgery (Plastic Surgery)
Contact: Executive Assistant Lisa Basquill Lisa.Basquill@pennmedicine.upenn.edu