Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship - Children's Hospital Colorado

Dr. Mariano Garay Claudio

Dr. Mariano Garay Claudio was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, and grew up with his parents and two sisters. He went to The Pennsylvania State University for his undergrad and medical school and completed his residency at the Allegheny General Hospital. He enjoys road cycling, mountain biking, running, and hiking. Dr. Garay Claudio can be reached via email at mariano.garayclaudio@childrensscolorado.org

Dr. Radomir Dimovski

Dr. Radomir Dimovski was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in Detroit, where his family emigrated from Macedonia, with his parents and brother. He went to undergrad and completed his MD, MA, and residency at Wayne State University. He enjoys all sports (especially basketball, golf, and fly fishing) as well as an eclectic array of music, collecting sneakers, and going on hikes or walks with his wife Jane. Dr. Dimovski can be reached via email at radomir.dimovski@childrenscolorado.org

Curtis VandenBerg, MD
Reflections on Children’s Hospital Colorado
Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship – 8/1/2013-7/31/2014

The time I was able to spend at Children’s Hospital Colorado as a pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellow has been one of the most positive and rewarding aspects of any part of my education or training.  On an educational, professional, and personal level, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a year at CHCO. 

First, educationally, I think that CHCO offers opportunities to learn every major discipline in pediatric orthopaedics from faculty who are practicing these subspecialties at levels that are as high as anywhere in the country.  The conference curriculum is also very well done.  Each Monday I presented in front of the entire department on a case or topic that I would encounter that week.  This experience greatly expanded not only my knowledge of the topics that I presented, but also enabled me to increase my skill and confidence in presenting.  The conference schedule is very thorough, but not onerous, and provides the right balance of academic conference activity.

I also found there to be a multitude of educational opportunities outside of clinical and conference activities.  The research infrastructure for the department is very well supported with research staff and funding.  Conducting solid research is very doable in a one-year time frame because of this infrastructure, and the faculty are all very supportive of research activity from a mentorship standpoint, and also will provide time to work on research.  Given the frequent interaction with residents, there are many opportunities to develop teaching skills with residents in clinical settings and conferences.  Because of the mentorship from faculty members, I found that leadership development was also part of the “curriculum” of the fellowship.  When I wanted to travel for an international orthopaedic service trip, this was strongly encouraged and supported by the faculty as well.

The greatest strengths of the fellowship program at CHCO are the people.  I felt that all of the faculty members genuinely cared about my education, and made significant efforts to support my learning goals and provide support and mentorship.  I felt that I was a valuable member of the team for the year, and I was respected and given appropriate autonomy to grow and develop throughout the year.

My year in Denver absolutely exceeded my expectations, and I would not trade the experience for any other fellowship training program that I can think of.  I was very fortunate to have the chance to learn from such great mentors while taking advantage of the multitude of educational opportunities that are offered at CHCO.  I am equally thankful to now be part of the CHCO alumni family.

Stephanie W. Mayer, MD
Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship – 8/1/2013-7/31/2014

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience as a fellow at Children’s Hospital Colorado. I was impressed on the interview day at how cohesive the entire pediatric orthopaedic department was from the attendings to PAs, to fellows and residents rotating on the service. This was absolutely the case during the year, and the commitment to excellence in patient care, research, training fellows and residents, and to each other to be a great department is evident every day. 

Throughout each week, the didactic program designed to focus on both specific subspecialties within pediatric orthopaedics as well as to learn from the pre-operative and post-operative plans for a variety of conditions. Discussing indications and post-operative protocols each week gave me a chance to absorb the knowledge gained from years of experience of the faculty.

The breadth and depth of cases allowed for a rich learning experience in the OR. There is never a shortage of interesting cases to learn from. The diverse background of the faculty gave me a chance to see many different techniques and philosophies, and I was able to take away pearls from each of them every day. The OR staff are very welcoming and embrace the fellows even though we are there only a short time. 

I came to CHC with an interest in the subspecialties within pediatric orthopaedics of sports and hip. With the elective time built into the rotation schedule, I was able to spend several extra months honing in on the skills that I will use most in practice. This is a unique luxury within fellowship. 

The ability to complete research projects is greatly facilitated by the many research assistants working in the department. They are a team of very motivated and bright people who are ready and willing to help you successfully complete any research endeavors you embark on during fellowship. 

I feel confident in my knowledge and skill set after fellowship at CHC and would choose this fellowship again in a heartbeat. I even liked it so much I wanted to come back as an attending! I am looking forward to joining the faculty next fall! 

Alfred Mansour, MD
Class of 2010-2011

I thought the program did a great job of maximizing education and minimizing service.  The mentor approach was nice because it allowed some continuity of care yet still allowed a component of flexibility to develop a special interest.  The amount of call was very appropriate and allowed some graduated autonomy and teaching with the residents.  The pre- and postop conferences were a good chance to discuss cases and allow direct learning. 

Every single faculty member seemed to have a sincere interest in teaching and it really impacted my training.  Everyone was approachable and eager to teach.  It was fantastic.

I seriously had so much fun this year.  The learning environment is nonthreatening, the ancillary staff is incredibly welcoming and supportive, and the surgical experience is likely unparalleled.  I would train here again in a heartbeat and would have been even more excited to match here had I know how great it was.  I doubt there are many places that can offer the same level and breadth of training.  Period, the end.