Call it a two-for-one: the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Carilion Clinic have both established stand alone departments of Orthopaedics, where they will share resources and a director – Dr. Joseph Moskal.
Carilion Clinic already has the largest groups of orthopaedic surgeons on its roster of any medical hospital in the state; some will also teach at the medical school.
Dr. Cynda Johnson, the founding dean and president at the medical school, said there is a “huge demand” for orthopaedics. She noted that the 35 physicians in orthopaedics were once only a section and are now a department at the Clinic and that they have a sizable “book of business to be able to stand on their own.” The new arrangement debuted with the start of the current medical school year in July.
Johnson said students will be able to do rotations at the hospital and are slated to be on site at the new orthopaedics center that Carilion plans to open inside the former Ukrop’s grocery story building on Franklin Road. “It’s going to be a multi-disciplinary tract, which is very exciting.” Johnson noted the “robust teaching program” at Carilion Clinic that is already in place. “They are mentors for a number of our students [at the medical school].”
Three graduating students from the first four-year class to come all the way through the medical school on South Jefferson have been placed in Carilion’s orthopaedic surgery program and Johnson noted that the field is in high demand these days. With more people encouraged to stay fitter, look for more injured weekend warriors perhaps, to seek orthopedic care. Johnson was getting ready for some foot surgery herself several weeks ago – from a physician in the Carilion orthopaedic group.
“In the best of all worlds we choose to share department heads and departments – this is an example of that,” noted Johnson; “Something beneficial both to Carilion and the medical school.” Johnson said the creation of joint departments could occur again in the future – where it makes good business and medical sense.
By Gene Marrano
