New Director of University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery (UDOTS)

Mr Arpit Jariwala (Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, NHS Tayside & Clinical Reader (Hon), University of Dundee) was appointed as Director of the University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery (UDOTS), based at the TORT Centre, on Wednesday 2 October 2019.

Mr Jariwala takes over the reins from Professor Rami Abboud who resigned from the post in July 2019.

The Heads of the University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery are pictured from left to right: Professor Ian Smillie (1967 - 1977), Professor George Murdoch (1977 - 1986), Professor David Rowley (1988 - 2007), Professor Rami Abboud (2007 - 2019), Mr Arpit Jariwala (2019 - present).

The University Department of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery (UDOTS) is based at the TORT Centre, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School. UDOTS has a long tradition of teaching and research in the field of mechanisms and treatment of disorders of the musculoskeletal system, biomechanics, biomedical engineering and rehabilitation engineering.

The founder, Professor Ian Smillie, gained a worldwide reputation in knee surgery and the role of the meniscus. His successor, Professor George Murdoch, founded and developed the Dundee Limb Fitting Centre and the Tayside Rehabilitation Engineering Services, which acquired an international reputation for the treatment of the amputee. His successor, Professor David Rowley, furthered the department’s international reputation and led innovations in the area of joints replacement complemented by a worldwide service in Clinical Audit outcomes. Professor Rami Abboud was the Director of the Master of Orthopaedic Surgery (MCh Orth) Course, the founder and Director of IMAR and developed a number of ground-breaking initiatives and established the Foot Pressure Analysis Clinic and Laboratory in 1993 and subsequently the Institute of Motion Analysis & Research in 2003.

Mr Arpit Jariwala has been a Consultant Upper Limb & Trauma Surgeon with NHS Tayside since 2013. He completed his orthopaedic residency in IMS, BHU, India before completing his higher surgical training in Scotland. He gained his MCh (Orth) for the University of Dundee in 2003 and was awarded the Ian Smillie Award of Distinction for the student who attained the highest overall mark for the year. He gained further experience in the management of upper limb orthopaedic disorders at the world-renowned tertiary referral unit at Wrightington Hospital, Wigan.

Left: Mr Jariwala’s MCh (Orth) journey begins by being presented with the Ian Smillie Class Award of Distinction from Professor David Rowley and Professor Rami Abboud in 2003; Right Mr Jariwala being awarded his FRCS in 2011.

Mr Jariwala’s present practice is purely upper limb-based including complex upper limb trauma including managing patients with polytrauma. His elective practice is mainly shoulder and elbow focusing chiefly on arthroscopic procedures around the shoulder and elbow and he has a keen interest in patients with shoulder trauma and instability.

Left: Mr Arpit Jariwala leading a cadaveric hand workshop in 2017; Right: Leading a simulated shoulder surgery workshop in 2018.

Over the last six years Mr Jariwala has introduced one-stop upper limb clinics and established upper limb disorder management guidelines. In addition, as the Upper Limb Audit Lead, he has designed a unique postal audit process only available in NHS Tayside, for prospectively collecting data on upper limb procedures. These practices, which aim to improve the quality of clinical care thus providing and yet shortening the patient journey, have been highly commended locally and by the Scottish Government Orthopaedic Group.

Left: Mr Jariwala with a few of this year’s MCh (Orth) students; Right: Invited International Speaker at the 37th Annual Conference of Gujarat Orthopaedic Association in Ahmedabad, India in 2019.

With his strong academic background and having completed his Higher Degree (MD), Mr Jariwala has been extensively involved in teaching, training and supervision of research projects for undergraduate, postgraduate and for the Master of Orthopaedic Surgery (MCh Orth) Dundee students. He has published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has had numerous presentations both nationally and internationally and has won several research awards. Mr Jariwala has been directly involved in supervision of more than 20 students including MCh (Orth) Dundee students, Orthopaedic trainees, Foundation Doctors and Medical Students from the University of Dundee. Mr Jariwala runs several workshops and symposiums each year on upper limb procedures including Theil cadaveric surgery workshops. He is a keen collaborator and is involved in projects locally out with the Orthopaedics Department, Nationally and Internationally.

The University of Dundee awarded Mr Jariwala an Honorary Clinical Reader status for his wide and varied contributions in March 2018.

Left: Mr Jariwala giving a speech about his time in Dundee at the MCh (Orth) Course 25th Anniversary Dinner in 2018; Right: Organiser of Mini-Symposium on Shoulder Arthroplasty in 2018.