This Resident Roundup post comes from medical student Rajvarun S. Grewal, BS, who will be completing his research year in June 2025 with the Rady Orthopedic Academic Research (ROAR) Fellowship Program at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California.
Reflecting on my research year at Rady Children’s Hospital in the Pediatric Orthopedic Department, I am struck by how much I have grown, both professionally… and in my ability to perfectly time a snack run between cases. It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the first official research fellow in the Rady Orthopedic Academic Research (ROAR) Fellowship Program.
Stepping away from medical school to dedicate a year to research was a big decision. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I figured at the very least, I’d learn how to use MATLAB software without breaking something. What ultimately gave me the confidence to take this step was the unwavering support and reassurance I received during my initial conversation with program coordinator, Ms. Holly Hoeffler, as well as with Dr. Salil Upasani and Dr. Eric Edmonds. Their commitment to fostering a collaborative and enriching learning environment made me feel welcome from the start. Looking back now, I can confidently say this year has been one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my medical education.
The ROAR Fellowship is everything I could have hoped for—a perfect blend of clinical exposure, research, and mentorship. I had the honor of working with and learning from esteemed leaders in pediatric orthopaedics, including Dr. Peter Newton, Dr. Andrew Pennock, Dr. Michael Kelly, Dr. Patrick Curran, Dr. Matthew Schmitz, Dr. Edmonds, and Dr. Upasani. Their dedication to teaching and guiding me through research projects, manuscript drafts, clinical care, and surgical techniques has been invaluable, with a level of patience I can only aspire to match one day. Everyone’s mentorship made a lasting impression on my development, and I am incredibly grateful for the time and effort they invested in helping me grow.
My research spanned the breadth of pediatric orthopaedics, from hip dysplasia and spinal deformity to sports injuries and trauma. I had the opportunity to contribute to projects, evaluating surgical outcomes, analyzing fixation techniques, and exploring growth and developmental patterns in pediatric orthopaedics. Engaging in both prospective and retrospective studies has given me a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and innovations within the field.
I also owe a huge thank you to the incredible statistics and gait lab team, Mrs. Christy Farnsworth, Mr. J.D. Bomar, and Mr. John Collins, who patiently walked me through data analysis (and explained p values more times than I’d like to admit). Their expertise and guidance made each project feel meaningful and rewarding. This year, I was incredibly fortunate to have abstracts accepted to POSNA (Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America) and EPOS (European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society). Additionally, I am honored to be presenting at Visiting Professors Day at Rady Children’s Hospital in April alongside the pediatric orthopaedic faculty and fellows. I am also excited to be a co-author on manuscripts accepted into the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (JPO), a milestone that reflects the impact of this year’s research. These accomplishments are a testament to the teamwork and dedication that made this experience very fulfilling.
Through it all, I have been surrounded by an incredible team of fellows and residents who made long days feel shorter and the OR less intimidating. Of course, there were tough days, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything (except maybe fewer 6:00 A.M. starts). Whether I was presenting cases at morning trauma conferences, assisting during on-call shifts, participating in gait lab, or casting alongside residents, each experience was a lesson in adaptability and teamwork. I gained invaluable hands-on experience, from compartment checks and preop evaluations to assisting in the OR, where I quickly learned the art of optimal retractor positioning. I even earned the title of “Retractor and Suction King,” a nickname I wear with pride, although I suspect it’s just a polite way of saying I became really good at standing still. No matter the hour (even at 3 A.M., when my casting technique may have resembled abstract art), the patience, humor, and dedication of the residents and fellows made every long shift worthwhile and every new challenge an opportunity to learn.
One of the standout experiences of the year was participating in a two-day thoracoscopic techniques course for vertebral body tethering. Seeing cutting-edge techniques up close, assisting with setup, and learning from experts solidified concepts I had only read about in journals. Despite the excitement of innovation and advanced surgical techniques, nothing compares to the moment a child takes their first steps after surgery, runs to their parents, or returns to the sport they love. Moments like these remind me why I chose this path in the first place—the true impact of our work isn’t just in the operating room but in the lives we help restore.
Based on my experience and from talking to numerous prior research year students, I believe great research year programs offer 3 invaluable pillars of growth. First, they provide mentorship where faculty genuinely invest in your development, treating you as if you were their own resident, teaching, guiding, and pushing you to grow both clinically and academically. Second, they equip you with the research skills necessary to transform curiosity into action, helping you to develop your own questions, design studies, and carry them through from conception to publication. Finally, the research year immerses you in clinical experiences, whether in the OR or clinic, giving you exposure to surgical techniques, patient interactions, and real-world decision-making that shape you into a more thoughtful and capable future surgeon. A research year is not just about getting published; it is about building the foundation for a career grounded in inquiry, collaboration, and meaningful contributions to the field.
As I prepare to return to medical school, I cannot deny the uncertainty of the residency match process. While that thought is daunting, this year has been an investment that has shaped who I am—not just as a future physician, but as someone committed to the relentless pursuit of innovation with the patient’s best interest at heart. I hope that when the time comes, residency programs will see the dedication and passion that have made orthopaedics feel less like a choice and more like my calling.
It has been an incredible privilege to help shape the foundation of the ROAR program as its first research fellow. I hope that my efforts, no matter how small, have helped establish a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation that future research fellows can proudly carry forward.
To any medical student considering a research year, I wholeheartedly say: go for it.
Thank you to everyone at Rady for making this year truly unforgettable. And to future ROAR fellows: may your snack runs be timely, your p values significant, and your retractor skills legendary.
Read more from Resident Roundup:
Winners of the Robert Bucholz Resident Journal Club Support Program 2024-2025
Reach Out to Your Fellows and Short-Term Trainees Early and Often!
