The Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program provides trainees with the optimal environment for learning the art and science of orthopaedic surgery. Our clinical faculty are made up of members from two orthopaedic groups, Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center and OrthoCarolina. Residents have high-volume exposure in all subspecialty areas of orthopaedics, with multiple subspecialty fellowship-trained faculty members in each area. As you explore our program, you'll notice that both residents and clinical faculty come together as one team to grow and develop as orthopaedic surgeons.
Our curriculum is built around the 6 core competencies, with special emphasis on professionalism and communication skills. The program consists of:
The next Virtual Open House Date will be August 2025.
Orthopaedic Surgery residents will rotate through Carolinas Medical Center and additional hospital locations and offices that are either attached to the main hospital or less than 1 mile away. Residents will have training opportunities at the following locations:
Carolinas Medical Center
CMC is an 874-bed hospital located in the Dilworth neighborhood and is the flagship hospital for Atrium Health.
Learn moreAtrium Health Mercy
Atrium Health Mercy, a facility of Carolinas Medical Center, is a 185-bed adult tertiary acute care hospital located in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte. It is approximately 1 mile away from the main campus. An additional general surgery service provides care at this hospital and is well incorporated into the resident’s rotation scheduled starting in their second year.
Learn moreOrthoCarolina
OrthoCarolina is one of the largest, most comprehensive orthopaedic practices in the nation. The highly trained physician staff of OrthoCarolina is comprised of orthopaedic surgeons, physiatrists and physician assistants. While the orthopaedic surgeons at OrthoCarolina are trained and experienced in all areas of orthopaedics, many have fellowship training in specialty areas, such as foot and ankle; hand; hip and knee; pediatric orthopaedics; shoulder and elbow; spine; and sports medicine.
Learn moreAtrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital
Levine Children's Hospital, located on the campus of CMC, is the largest children's hospital between Washington, DC, and Atlanta. The 240,000-foot hospital opened in 2007 and is home to the region's only dedicated children's emergency department operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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“ I chose to complete my training at CMC because I felt that it had the best balance of both academics and on hands operative learning. The faculty here are some of the top leaders in their respective fields and teach everything with such passion. It’s truly an honor to be able to be taught by so many talented and passionate attendings especially given our mentorship model."
"The most unique thing about CMC is the culture that we have amongst the residents. They have been the highlight of my time here as a resident. Residency has its ups and downs everywhere, but here I have been supported both in the hospital and outside the hospital by my co residents. They are truly the best thing about this program!”
Nainisha Chintalapudi, MD
“One of the many reasons I chose to train at CMC is the high operative volume in all subspecialities as well as the rapid graduated autonomy in the operating room. Through the mentorship model, residents have the opportunity to work one-on-one with an attending which allows for greater skill development and independence in surgery. The best part about training at CMC is the supportive culture amongst not only residents and attendings within orthopedic surgery but also between different specialties in the hospital.”
Evan Polce, MD
“I chose CMC for my training because of its outstanding reputation, exceptional operative experience, and opportunities to develop the leadership skills necessary to advance our field. I am fortunate to train alongside some of the nation's finest orthopedic surgeons. The mentorship model provides personalized guidance that enhances my technical abilities while fostering lifelong professional relationships. The program's family-oriented culture made me feel welcomed to Charlotte from the very beginning. What I value most about this program is the people—the caliber of faculty, residents, and staff makes this truly an exceptional training environment.”
Aseel Dib, MD
“I came to CMC because doing residency here meant not giving up anything. Our mentorship model gives you immediate one-on-one access to world-renown attendings - without the intrusion of fellows or other learners. Because of this, our operative experience is truly second to none. Our trauma experience is everything you can imagine for a level 1 center in a large metropolitan area leading to plenty of learning opportunities early on. In terms of research, we have resources to compete with anybody in the country. At CMC the world is your oyster, and I am so grateful to get up and come to work every day.”
James “Ty” Frix, MD
“If I had to choose one word to describe this residency program, it would be family. Even as a medical student rotator, I could tell that faculty and residents were genuinely invested in me being the best version of myself, both in and out of the OR. Aside from receiving a top-tier surgical education here, I've also gained invaluable relationships that I hope to carry with me throughout my career.”
Maria Kammire, MD
“Our primary strategic mission at Carolinas Medical Center and The Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute is to educate and provide career development for the future leaders in orthopaedic surgery. To do this, we will continue to recruit and retain the best and brightest medical students in the country. We are committed to providing the best care for our communities, and feel this is best achieved by recruiting a diverse group of individuals which reflects the community in which we live.“
Dr. Scannell
Program Director
With a nationally and internationally-renowned team of Orthopaedic Surgery faculty, our residents have access to a breadth of experience and knowledge in the program. See the full list of clinical faculty here and our research faculty here.
The Orthopaedic Surgery program is comprehensive and widely respected, with the primary goal of graduating well-rounded, highly competent orthopaedic surgeons. Five residents are admitted annually through a highly selective process administered by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The program's educational philosophy stresses the best environment for learning clinical medicine is achieved with 1 patient, 1 attending and 1 resident. Graduated responsibility in the operating room and pre- and post-operative planning phases is granted so at the end of the program each resident is comfortable and competent in all subspecialty areas.
Prospective residents of the Orthopaedic Surgery program must submit the following required documents:
If you would like to apply for our residency program, we only accept standard electronic applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Please submit your ERAS application to us. Please contact your school for specific information on the ERAS program. Learn more