UPMC | Department of Orthopaedic Surgery | Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship

Christopher C. Schmidt, MD
Director of Shoulder & Elbow Fellowship
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Co-Director Shoulder and Elbow Mechanics Laboratory
Swanson School of Engineering
The fellowship is designed to provide a thorough understanding of shoulder and elbow anatomy and pathologic conditions; it is also designed to teach the latest techniques in open, arthroscopic, and endoscopic surgery. The fellow will share rotation time at UPMC with Drs. Schmidt and Sotereanos and is projected to be involved in over 500 cases. The case load will include innovative surgeries like arthroscopic muscle transfers, revision total shoulder arthroplasties, arthroscopic and open elbow releases, and endoscopic and open distal biceps repairs. On a weekly basis, the fellow will also rotate with Dr. Lin, who will emphasize the sports medicine side of shoulder and elbow pathology. Dr. McMahon, currently the orthopaedic chief of the VA, will focus on the reconstructive aspects of shoulder and elbow surgery and will help foster a working relationship between the fellow and rotating UPMC orthopaedic residents.
The educational curriculum consists of weekly shoulder and elbow conferences, combined UPMC sports/shoulder and elbow conferences, bi-weekly cadaveric wet laboratories (scope equipment), bi-weekly research conferences, monthly journal clubs, and bi-monthly mortality and morbidity conferences. The curriculum is intended to provide the fellow an opportunity to develop a solid knowledge base and skill set on which to start his/her career.
The wet lab is integrated in the same space as our state-of-the-art engineering facility, which houses both our shoulder and elbow simulators. The lab is designed to help master the surgical skills needed to perform quality surgery. The fellow will be strongly encouraged to participate in on-going cadaveric/mechanical/
Our fellowship has met the ASES’s quality standard requirements and as such will be participating in the 2020-2021 Orthopaedic Shoulder & Elbow Match. This year's interview dates will be virtual.
Dean G. Sotereanos, MD
Neer Circle Member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons
Co-Director of the Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship
Dr. Dean G. Sotereanos, Co-Director of the University of Pittsburgh Shoulder & Elbow Fellowship, talks about the mentorship, teaching, training and overall experience you'll receive during this fantastic fellowship program.
Attending Physicians

Christopher Schmidt, MD
Christopher C. Schmidt, M.D., is a nationally distinguished Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon. He serves as the Director of the Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He specializes in rotator cuff repairs, shoulder and elbow replacements, instability repairs, nerve reconstructions, fracture care, and distal biceps re-attachments.

Dean Sotereanos, MD
Dean G. Sotereanos, MD, is a Neer Circle Member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and is Co-Director of the Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship. He is nationally recognized for his work on chronic ulnar nerve compression, elbow instability, heterotopic ossification, total elbow arthroplasty, distal biceps tendon reconstructions, and more.

Albert Lin, MD
Albert Lin, MD, is an active member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. In addition to his role in teaching the shoulder and elbow fellow in weekly conferences and in the operating room, Dr. Lin is the Associate Program Director for the UPMC Sports Medicine Fellowship and is Co-Director of the Pittsburgh Shoulder Institute.

Patrick McMahon, MD
Patrick McMahon, MD is a Neer Circle member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. He is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Department of Bioengineering. He is nationally recognized for his sentinel research on rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, and shoulder muscle transfers. He has experience in both academic and private practice settings.
Fellows

Luis Carrazana-Suarez
Luis Carrazana-Suarez, MD is our current Shoulder and Elbow Fellow. Dr. Carrazanna-Suarez graduated medical school from the University of Puerto Rico. He completed his orthopaedic residency from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.

Thomas Zink
Dr. Thomas Zink (Tom) was the first fellow to graduate from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Zink completed his orthopedic surgery residency in 2019 from OhioHealth Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Thomas Zink, Fellow,
Academic Year 2019-2020
Case Breakdown
ASES Accepted (1 Procedure/Patient)
Shoulder Arthroplasty
74
Shoulder Arthroscopy
155
Trauma
27
Open Instability
12
L.D. or L.Trap. Transfer
12
Pectoralis Major Repairs
2
Shoulder Fusion
1
Elbow (Distal Biceps Repairs, Arthroscopic Osteochondral Arthroplasty, TEA)
64
Thomas Zink, DO, (COVID year) did 427 upper extremity patients (1181 procedures), 351 Shoulder & Elbow patients (20% Elbow)
Videos
Dr. Chris Schmidt, Fellowship Presentation

Dr. Albert Lin and Dr. Patrick McMahon, Staff Testimonials

Dr. Carrazana-Suarez, Current Fellow, Testimonial

Shoulder & Elbow Fellowship Conference Schedule 2020-2021
1 | Rotator Cuff Anatomy | Schmidt | 8/3/2020 |
2 | Total Elbow Arthroplasty | Sotereanos | 8/10/2020 |
3 | SC Joint Disorders/Repair | Lin | 8/17/2020 |
4 | Diagnosis/Treatment of SLAP Tears | McMahon | 8/24/2020 |
5 | Pediatric Elbow Fractures | Carrazana | 8/31/2020 |
6 | Pectoralis/Latissimus Dorsi Tears | Lin | 9/21/2020 |
7 | M&M | All | 10/5/2020 |
8 | Ulnar Nerve/ Nerve Injuries of Elbow | Sotereanos | 10/19/2020 |
9 | Clavicle Fractures | Lin | 10/26/2020 |
10 | Shoulder Instability: On & Off Trick (Soft Tissue) | McMahon | 11/2/2020 |
11 | Shoulder Instability (Bone Procedures) | Carrazana | 11/16/2020 |
12 | Distal Biceps Injuries | Schmidt | 11/30/2020 |
13 | Fracture Distal Humerus/OCD | Sotereanos | 12/14/2020 |
14 | TSA | Lin | 1/4/2021 |
15 | Proximal Biceps Tendon | McMahon | 1/25/2021 |
16 | AC Joint Disorders | Carrazana | 2/1/2021 |
17 | Case Presentations | All | 2/8/2021 |
18 | Proximal Humerus Fractures | Schmidt | 2/22/2021 |
19 | Heterotopic Bone- Elbow | Sotereanos | 3/1/2021 |
20 | Stiff Shoulder | Lin | 3/8/2021 |
21 | Shoulder in Athletes | McMahon | 3/15/2021 |
22 | RSA/TSA for Treatment of Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis in the Young | Schmidt | 3/29/2021 |
23 | Radial Head Fractures | Sotereanos | 4/5/2021 |
24 | Rotator Cuff 1 & 2 | All | 4/19/2021 |
25 | RSA (Part 1: Biomechanics) | Schmidt | 5/3/2021 |
26 | RSA (Part 2: Complications) | Schmidt | 5/10/2021 |
27 | Elbow Arthritis (Part 1) | Sotereanos | 5/24/2021 |
28 | RSA (Part 3: Complications) | Schmidt | 6/7/2021 |
29 | Elbow Arthritis (Part 2) | Sotereanos | 6/14/2021 |
30 | Physician Burnout Cases | Lin | 6/21/2021 |
31 | MCL/LCL | McMahon | 6/28/2021 |
32 | Non-repairable Rotator Cuff Tears | Carrazana | 7/5/2021 |
33 | Nerve Injuries/Nerve Transfers | Schmidt | 7/12/2021 |
34 | M&M | All | 7/19/2021 |
35 | Investing/Practice Management | Charlie | 7/26/2021 |
Shoulder & Elbow Fellowship Clinical Teaching Lab Schedule 2020-2021
Date/Procedure
9/14/20
Tendon transfers (latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, trapezius) for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears
10/16/20
Brachial plexus, ulnar nerve decompression, transposition, and supercharge nerve transfer
10/30/20
Anatomy Lab
11/9/20
Shoulder arthroscopy with suprascapular nerve decompression
12/11/20
Total shoulder arthroplasty
1/15/21
Open release for treatment of elbow contractures/osteoarthritis
2/15/21
Arthroscopic management of osteoarthritis in the elbow
2/26/21
Anatomy Lab
3/19/21
Elbow Collateral Ligament Reconstruction
4/12/21
Total elbow arthroplasty
4/23/21
Anatomy Lab
5/17/21
Superior capsule reconstruction for treatment of irreparable rotator cuffs
6/18/21
Arthroscopic labral repair
7/16/21
Internal joint stabilizer in elbow
Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Journal Club Schedule 2020-2021
Presenter |
Date |
Time |
Schmidt | 8/26/20 | 6:30-8:30PM |
Schmidt | 10/13/20 | 6:30-8:30PM |
Lin | 10/27/20 | 6:30-8:30PM |
McMahon | 11/25/20 | 6:30-8:30PM |
Gause | 1/27/21 | 6:30-8:30PM |
Sotereanos | 2/24/21 | 6:30-8:30PM |
Lin | 4/28/21 | 6:30-8:30PM |
McMahon | 6/30/21 | 6:30-8:30PM |