AO Trauma North America offers fracture management training for residents, fellows, and as complementary support for orthopedic training programs through hands-on, principles-based orthopedic trauma courses. These educational opportunities help strengthen surgical decision-making, operative planning, fracture management skills, and trauma readiness beyond traditional residency training.
Principles-Based
Training focused on concepts that apply across implants, techniques, and clinical situations.
Hands-On
Practical orthopedic trauma education designed to build surgical confidence and readiness.
Career-Long
AO Trauma NA supports learners from PGY-1 through fellowship, practice, and beyond.
Fracture management training for residents is essential for developing the surgical judgment, operative confidence, and decision-making skills needed in real-world orthopedic trauma care. AO Trauma North America’s 2026–2027 orthopedic trauma courses for residents and fellows provide structured, hands-on education designed to strengthen surgical readiness throughout residency, fellowship, and beyond.
Explore the full range of orthopedic surgery courses and training opportunities available through AO North America.
Why Fracture Management Training Beyond the Program Matters
The Challenge
Not every residency or fellowship program offers the same level of orthopedic trauma exposure. Case volume, faculty expertise, and access to hands-on orthopedic trauma training can vary widely.
The Solution
Supplemental fracture management training for residents helps bridge those gaps through structured, principles-based education focused on surgical decision-making, operative planning, complication management, and hands-on skill development.
For residents and fellows, these courses provide focused time to build confidence beyond day-to-day clinical responsibilities. For program directors and coordinators, they offer a trusted way to reinforce resident education with standardized training and practical orthopedic trauma experience.
Who These Courses Support
Residents
Build foundational fracture management skills and surgical confidence early in training.
Fellows
Advance operative decision-making and complex trauma management.
Programs
Support resident competency development with trusted supplemental ACGME-aligned orthopedic trauma education.
Why Residents and Fellows Choose AO Trauma NA
Principles-Based Education That Goes Beyond Implants
AO Trauma NA courses focus on principles-based fracture management, not implant-based instruction. Residents and fellows learn the “why” behind decision-making: fracture biology, biomechanics, reduction strategy, fixation concepts, and operative planning.
This principles-based approach helps residents develop adaptable surgical decision-making skills that extend far beyond individual procedures or implant systems.
Built for Every Stage of Your Career
For many surgeons, the AO Trauma NA Basic Principles course during PGY-1 (at least 6 months into residency) or PGY-2 is their first exposure to structured fracture management education for orthopedic residents—but it is only the beginning.
Learners can progress from Basic Principles into Advanced Principles courses, specialty-focused education, webinars, fellowships, faculty development, and leadership opportunities through AO North America’s broader portfolio of orthopedic surgery training and career development.
Built to Accelerate Surgical Confidence
Through hands-on orthopedic trauma training, case-based discussion, and faculty-guided decision-making, participants practice how to evaluate a fracture, build a treatment plan, anticipate complications, and adapt when the situation changes.
That confidence matters whether preparing for trauma call, entering fellowship, or transitioning toward independent practice.
AO Trauma NA helps residents move beyond memorization and start thinking like surgeons.
AO Trauma NA Courses for Orthopedic Residents and Fellows
What Learners Gain
- Operative planning skills
- Fracture reduction strategies
- Hands-on trauma training
- Surgical confidence
- Complication management
- Trauma call readiness
Basic Principles of Fracture Management
Designed primarily for PGY-1 (at least 6 months into residency) and PGY-2 residents, the Basic Principles course focuses on foundational orthopedic trauma concepts and psychomotor skill development.
- Fracture reduction principles
- Implant selection fundamentals
- Surgical approaches
- Basic fixation strategies
- Hands-on practical exercises
- Faculty-guided case discussions
This course is ideal for residents seeking hands-on orthopedic trauma courses that reinforce foundational surgical skills and orthopedic trauma decision-making early in training.
Advanced Principles of Fracture Management
The Advanced Principles course is intended for senior residents, fellows, and surgeons seeking deeper expertise in complex trauma management.
- Complex diaphyseal and periarticular fractures
- Pelvic and acetabular trauma
- Polytrauma management
- Fracture complications
- Malunion and nonunion treatment
- Advanced fixation techniques
Participants also engage in hands-on lab experiences designed to reinforce operative skills, surgical judgment, and preoperative planning.
2026–2027 Orthopedic Course Schedule Now Available
The 2026–2027 educational schedule featuring orthopedic trauma courses for residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons across multiple specialties and locations is now available. Additional courses will be added.
Upcoming Fracture Management Training Locations
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Jacksonville, FL
- Charlotte, NC
- Philadelphia, PA
- Chicago, IL
- La Jolla, CA
- & Other Locations
Download the Full Orthopedic Course Schedule
Plan 2026–2027 Fracture Management Training
AO Trauma NA provides a downloadable course schedule to help residents, fellows, program directors, and coordinators identify valuable opportunities throughout the academic year.
Supporting the Next Generation of Orthopedic Surgeons
From foundational fracture care principles to advanced trauma management, AO Trauma North America continues to support orthopedic residents and fellows through evidence-based, hands-on orthopedic trauma education designed to improve surgical confidence, operative readiness, and patient outcomes.
For learners preparing for trauma call, fellowship, and independent practice—and for the programs supporting their development—the 2026–2027 AO Trauma NA course lineup offers valuable opportunities to strengthen clinical knowledge, operative expertise, and long-term professional growth.
