Online Course for High School Students

Orthopedic Medicine: Treatments & Surgery

Explore the medicine of bones and joints

Arthritis. Osteoporosis. Degenerative joint disease. Cracks, breaks, and cancer. All are conditions that affect the bones, and all are treated by specialists in orthopedics. Delve into the surgical specialties and subspecialties of this competitive field. Study trauma; pediatric issues related to growth and development; total joint replacement for the knee; and injuries of the foot, hip, and ankle. Learn the most common orthopedic conditions, how they present in the body, and the broad range of operative and non-operative treatments available. If you think orthopedics could be in your future, this course is for you.


Apply Now

Program Dates

 Multiple 2- and 4-week sessions

Eligibility

For students ages 13+

Fees

$1495

Delve into the exciting world of orthopedics

Get a thorough introduction to orthopedics

Identify areas of the body an orthopedic surgeon treats. See what it takes to complete a residency in orthopedics. Review non-operative tools and operations using implants.

A patient’s journey

Follow a patient turned orthopedic oncologist through his diagnosis and treatment of bone cancer. Differentiate between benign and malignant tumors, and explore joint replacement, amputation, and artificial limbs.

Discover the importance of damage control in ankle and foot trauma

Learn how orthopedic specialists prioritize injuries. Delve into the array of bone fracture surgical procedures, and explore the neurovascular and muscle issues related to foot and ankle trauma.

Understand the indicators for total knee replacement

Explore arthritis of the knee the causes for total joint arthroplasty. Watch video of renowned orthopedic surgeons demonstrating both traditional and robotics-assisted surgical techniques.

Explore pediatric orthopedic conditions

Study the range of pediatric orthopedic conditions, as well as the surgical and nonsurgical treatments for common pediatric hip disorders.

Prepare for a future in orthopedics

Topics covered in this course offer insight into various potential professions, including orthopedic surgeon, surgical technologist, nurse practitioner, musculoskeletal radiologist, physical therapist, orthopedic oncologist, and biomedical engineer.

How you will benefit

  • Be able to name common orthopedic conditions and at what stage of life they typically appear
  • Have a working knowledge of the subspecialties of orthopedics
  • Understand the roles of surgical and nonsurgical interventions
  • Be able to identify the different occupations of an orthopedic team
  • Develop your communication and presentation skills
  • Determine if orthopedic medicine is a field you'd like to pursue

Student completing Rochester's online orthopedic medicine course

3 Learning advantages designed for you

1. Flexible Learning

  • 100% online, works with your schedule
  • 20-25 hours of total instruction and course work, including engaging multimedia, simulations, and curated assignments for which you will receive guidance and support
  • Engage with fellow students from around the world

2. Mentoring

You’ll receive guidance from a mentor who can support you and answer questions as you deepen your learning experience. You can expect:

  • Encouragement and direction on all assignments
  • Inspiration, motivation and confidence to help you succeed
  • Brainstorming to help as you prepare for your final capstone project

3. Final Project

The course culminates with a special final project that allows you to: 

  1. Choose a common orthopedic condition and prepare a presentation for a hypothetical patient diagnosed with this condition
  2. Provide a summary of the condition, the common symptoms, and the potential operative and non-operative treatment options
  3. Anticipate questions your patient may ask and determine how you'd respond

Apply now for the next available course

All course options, whether 2 or 4 weeks, have the identical educational content, learning materials, and number of assignments. The difference in length of course is due to time of year (not amount of instruction). We know the school year keeps you busy, so we’ve made the course longer during that time so that you can get assignments done.

Course designed by:

Thomas G. Myers, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics, University of Rochester Medicine

Dr. Myers is a board certified, and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in total hip and knee replacement. In independent practice since 2012, he has performed thousands of successful hip and knee replacement surgeries for patients. Some of these surgeries are revision/redo/second joint replacements sent to the University of Rochester for problems following the first surgery. Dr. Myers recently co-authored the book, Orthopedic Sports Medicine - An Encyclopedic Review of Diagnosis, Prevention, and Management.

Thomas G. Myers | Orthopedics Instructor | University of Rochester

Course Mentors

Hashim | Orthopedics Course Mentor | University of Rochester

Hashim

Fourth-year medical student at the University of Rochester applying for an orthopedic surgery residency. Holds a B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology.

Jefferson | Orthopedics Course Mentor | University of Rochester

Jefferson

In the final year of the MD/MBA program at the University of Rochester and applying for an orthopedic surgery residency. Jefferson also holds a B.S. in Finance.

Student sitting at a desk and working at his computer

How to Apply

It’s easy. No transcripts or letters of recommendation are required. Our application will ask you to provide the following:

  1. Basic contact information for you and your parent or guardian.
  2. Why you wish to take this course. You can tell your story through writing, video, photos — any media you prefer. NOTE: Please submit all application materials in English.

Begin the guided process. It should take only a few minutes of your time to answer the questions.

Apply Now

Want to know more?

Sign up for more information and we’ll be in touch.

Apply now for online pre-college courses

Our application process is easy. You can expect a prompt decision.

Apply Now

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you be graded? What are assignments like? How much time do you get to turn around a project? When do you find out if you're accepted?

Find Answers To Your Questions

Undergraduate Admissions

To learn more about applying to the University of Rochester for your undergraduate studies, visit the Undergraduate Admissions page.

Learn More About Undergraduate Admissions

Scholarships

We offer need-based scholarships for participating students who exhibit high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition. 

  • If you haven’t applied to the program, apply here. After submitting your application, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” on the confirmation page to request a scholarship.  
  • If you’ve already applied to the program, sign in to your profile to check your scholarship status. If we don’t have a scholarship request on file, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” to request a scholarship.

The University reserves the right to modify the course as may become necessary.