Program Overview
Program Training Director: Seth Cheatham, M.D.
Associated faculty: Ian MacLean, M.D, Meghan Richardson, M.D., Jennifer Vanderbeck, M.D., Jonathan Goodloe, M.D.
Fellowship Dates: August 1 through July 31
Accreditation: ACGME
Number of fellows: One
The Virginia Commonwealth University Orthopaedic Sports Medicine fellowship is under the direction of Dr. Seth Cheatham and offers comprehensive training alongside a diverse group of experienced sports medicine surgeons. Fellows benefit from broad exposure to a collaborative, high-volume academic practice.
Throughout the year, the fellow rotates with core faculty and typically spends approximately two days per week in clinic and two to three days per week in the operating room. In addition to clinical and surgical responsibilities, the fellowship emphasizes active participation in didactic education, research, and athletic team coverage, with experiences spanning high school, collegiate, and professional sports.
The program provides extensive exposure to advanced arthroscopic and open surgical techniques of the knee, shoulder, and hip, complemented by robust training in outpatient sports medicine care and athlete team coverage. The fellowship is fully committed to graduated autonomy, with the goal that the fellow will complete the year functionally competent and largely independent in managing both the medical and surgical care of patients with a wide spectrum of sports medicine conditions.
It is our mission to improve musculoskeletal health of the people in Virginia and surrounding regions by:
- Providing outstanding, careful and compassionate direct patient care
- Leading in Innovative treatment of orthopaedic conditions
- Passing on a legacy by providing an outstanding education and research environment for our trainees
- Engaging in regional and national orthopaedic society leadership to improve musculoskeletal care
- Provide a comprehensive sports medicine experience where the fellow will learn advanced arthroscopic and open surgical skills for knee, shoulder and hip surgery, athletic team coverage and outpatient clinical patient care.
- Seek to develop the fellow’s knowledge and skills through didactic learning, case-based discussion sessions and journal clubs.
- Participate in mortality and morbidity meetings to learn from the patient’s case, to search for the root cause of the complication, and to develop algorithms to prevent a future complication.
- Create feedback sessions performed after each operative case to facilitate learning from the execution of the operative care of the patient. Provide the fellow a forum to give and receive feedback to improve their care of the patient.
- Committed to graduated autonomy during the fellowship and we expect our fellow to be functionally competent and largely independent in managing the medical care and surgical treatment of patients with a wide variety of sports medicine problems.
Open to trainees completing residency training in orthopaedic surgery. Our fellowship academic year is from August 1 to July 31. Applicants applying for the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 academic years, email the Program Coordinator, Chandra Crump at Chandra.Crump@vcuhealth.org for additional information.
If applying for the 2028-2029 academic year, all applicants must apply through the SF Match website by completing an online fellowship application and providing the following documentation:
- Fellowship Application Form
- Personal Statement
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of Good Standing
- Medical School Diploma
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Letters must be on official letterhead and may not be older than six months
- USMLE/COMLEX (or equivalent) transcript - all three steps; passed within three attempts
Applicants must be Board eligible and able to obtain medical licensure in the state of Virginia. No applications for the 2028-2029 academic year will be accepted by email or mail.
Fellowship match is filled by SF Match Residency and Fellowship Match Services, sfmatch.org.
Benefits: Housestaff benefits and salary can be found on the VCU GME Website
The VCU Orthopaedic Surgery department allows $2,000 towards one conference or course. Fellows with accepted podium presentations will be considered for additional financial support.
VCU GME Educational Fund: Fellows are given a $600 educational stipend to use during their fellowship year towards courses, medical textbooks, medical journal subscriptions, person medical equipment, etc.
Contact Us
Chandra Crump, Fellowship Coordinator
Phone: (804) 628-2676
Fax: (804) 828-4762
Email: chandra.crump@vcuhealth.org