Chiefs' Welcome

Welcome to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center / Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program. Thank you for taking an interest in what we believe is the best orthopedic residency program in the country. We are a hardworking program with a high operative volume that prides ourselves on exemplary academic and research performance. 

We are proud to have the unique experience of a combined military / civilian residency.  The blend of the two is seamless, with almost no discernable difference between our military and civilian residents in terms of roles and capabilities. All residents split their time between William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) and University Medical Center (UMC), while having the opportunity to scrub cases at almost every hospital in the city. 

Our program features in-depth experience in all subspecialties, providing you the opportunity to define and excel in your preferred specialty or provide you with all the tools needed to be an exceptional generalist. Our residents consistently match into top-tier fellowships across the country. 

One of the highlights of the program is a protected academics day which involves didactic sessions, guest speakers, structured anatomy dissections and skills labs. Along with weekly case conferences and monthly journal clubs, our residents love the pursuit of knowledge and are constantly challenging each other to learn and grow. We take pride in providing opportunities for resident education and surgical improvement. 

We feature a mentorship style of training throughout most of your 5 years here, which allows you to become immersed in the insight and wisdom of a fellowship-trained orthopedic attending. Our staff are experts in their field with a passion to teach. Our leadership has an open-door policy and are true resident advocates. 

If research experience is what you’re after, you’ll find an abundance of opportunities in El Paso. All of our residents graduate with multiple publications and many will have dozens under their name after 5 years here. Many of our staff are nationally recognized publishers in their respective fields.   

The strongest asset of this program is our residents. Our diverse group of residents all share the same core values of patient care, integrity, and hard work. We enjoy spending time together at work and outside the hospital. Even after a long day, you’ll find it hard to leave a resident room that’s full of your best friends. This group truly embodies the meaning of camaraderie. 

The city of El Paso is a great place to live. The Sun City has year-round incredible weather, with the amenities of a big city and the affordability and friendliness of a small town.  Located on the Franklin Mountains, El Paso offers a wealth of outdoor experiences including hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. Bordering Juarez, Mexico, we see a large amount of unique pathology and embrace serving an underserved population. Many graduates choose to return to The Sun City as a testament to this outstanding city. 

As a graduate of this program, you will have developed an abundance of orthopedic knowledge, strong operative skills, and an unparalleled generalist foundation with the opportunity for a successful fellowship match. 

We hope you come to El Paso to see what this incredible program has to offer.

Dr. Josh Simson, Administrative Chief

Dr. Mikel Tihista, Academic Chief