May, 2021

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

The Kentucky Orthopaedic community suffered a great loss recently. Dr. Wayne Kotcamp passed away on March 28, 2021. Dr. Kotcamp did it all with enthusiasm, energy, and grace. From serving in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, to fellowships in spine surgery and hand surgery, to bringing anterior spine surgery to Louisville, to serving as Acting Director of the University of Louisville Department of Orthpaedic Surgery (1981-1983), his legacy and his impact lives on. In 2007, Dr. John Dimar solidified Dr. Kotcamp’s legacy and set up an endowment in Dr. Kotcamp’s name, to which many current faculty and alumni contributed.

Virtual interviewing due to COVID -19 had all of us adapting quickly to the “new normal”. I am delighted to report we have matched with the following outstanding medical students who will begin as PGY-1 residents in July:

• Rahool Bhimani – Northwestern University
• Ruben Bueno – University of Kansas
• Joseph Kitchen – University of Louisville
• Ryan Weegens – University of Louisville
• John Whitaker – University of Louisville

We look forward to getting to know them and welcoming them to the UofL family.

The Department continues to use Microsoft Teams to host virtual Grand Rounds. Recent speakers include Jorge L. Orbay, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University and A. Lee Osterman, M.D., Professor and President, The Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center, and Chief, Division of Hand Surgery Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Caleb Davis was selected as our new Administrative Chief Resident for 2021-22. Congratulations, Dr. Davis!

We want to wish our departing PGY-5 residents the very best of luck in their respective fellowships:

• James, Baker, MD – Adult Reconstruction Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL.
• Jonathon Lindner, MD - Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction Fellowship at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute in Miami, FL.
• William Polio, MD - Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis, TN
• Rashad Usmani, MD – Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Beth Israel Lahey Health in Boston, MA

Congratulations to our PGY-4’s who matched in fellowships at the following schools:

• Sam Bhimani, MD - Orthopedic Centers of Colorado, Adult Reconstruction and Hip Preservation.
• Caleb Davis, MD - Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Tampa, FL. Shoulder and Elbow
• Justin Givens, MD - Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Tampa, FL. Shoulder and Elbow
• Lauren Protzer, MD – Medical College of Wisconsin, Hand and Upper Extremity
• Austin Smith, MD - Florida Orthopaedic Institute, Tampa, FL. Shoulder and Elbow

Our end of the year graduation event was originally planned in a very limited capacity in order to comply with CDC guidelines. However, the COVID-19 restrictions appear to be lifting and we look forward to an enlarged outdoor event. Like you, we can’t wait to see everyone in person and catch up. Stay tuned!

Craig S. Roberts, MD, MBA
K. Armand Fischer Professor and Chair
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery