WellSpan’s Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Fellowship Program
Program Director's Message
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the WellSpan Health Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Fellowship.
Our fellowship is designed for highly motivated surgeons seeking advanced training in complex and reconstructive foot and ankle care within a large, integrated health system. As fellows, you will be immersed in a high-volume surgical environment that emphasizes clinical excellence, sound judgment, and progressive operative independence. You will work alongside an exceptional group of faculty who are deeply committed to education, collaboration, and achieving the best possible outcomes for patients.
In addition to comprehensive surgical training, our program places strong emphasis on preparing fellows for long-term success in practice. Through mentorship and hands-on experience, fellows gain valuable insight into practice management, efficiency, and performance metrics—skills that are essential for a smooth transition into independent practice. Research and scholarly activity are also integral to the fellowship, reinforcing critical thinking and lifelong learning.
We are proud of the supportive, collegial culture we have built across our training sites in Lancaster and York counties. Our goal is not only to train excellent surgeons, but to develop confident, ethical leaders who are well prepared to shape the future of foot and ankle surgery. I invite you to explore our program and consider joining the WellSpan team.
Michael Younes, DPM, FACFAS, MBA
Program Director, Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Fellowship
Clinical Training
Fellows receive extensive hands-on training across a broad spectrum of reconstructive and complex procedures, including but not limited to:
- Total ankle replacement
- Charcot reconstruction
- Cavus and flatfoot reconstruction, adult and pediatric
- Peripheral nerve surgery
- Complex forefoot and rearfoot revision surgery
Fellows typically participate in more than 300 surgical cases per year, ensuring robust exposure to procedural diversity and progressive operative autonomy.
Training Sites
Fellows rotate through multiple hospitals and surgical centers across the WellSpan system, including:
- WellSpan York Hospital
- WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital
- WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital
- Additional WellSpan ambulatory surgical centers
Practice Management Experience
In addition to surgical training, the fellowship includes a secondary emphasis on practice management. Fellows receive structured exposure to:
- Ethical and proficient billing practices
- Clinical efficiency improvement
- Key performance indicators related to surgical outcomes and volume
This component is designed to support a smooth transition into independent practice.
Call Responsibilities
Fellows share call responsibilities across three hospitals and multiple surgical centers. Call rotates every other weekend and holidays, with a typical patient census ranging from 5–15 patients.
Research Requirements
Scholarly activity is a required component of the fellowship. Fellows must:
- Submit at least one manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal
- Present research at the ACFAS Annual Scientific Conference
Living and Working in Central Pennsylvania
Fellows live and work in Lancaster and York counties—regions known for affordable cost of living, strong community life, and rich history. Residents enjoy dining, arts, outdoor recreation, and convenient access to major East Coast cities, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
Application Information
How to Apply
Questions about the fellowship may be directed to:
Michael Younes, DPM, FACFAS, MBA
Email: myounes@wellspan.org
Program Details
- Positions Available: Two, one in Lancaster, PA and one in York, PA
- Program Length: One year
- Program Dates: August 1 – July 31
- Application Deadline: May 1
- Salary: $88,674
- Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; Employee Assistance Program
- Time Off: 17 PTO days, 5 educational leave days, 5 interview days
Notice of Rights Under Federal Conscience and Anti-Discrimination Laws
WellSpan Health and all WellSpan Hospitals comply with applicable Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws prohibiting exclusion, adverse treatment, coercion, or other discrimination against individuals or entities on the basis of their religious beliefs or moral convictions. You may have the right under Federal law to decline to perform, assist in the performance of, refer for, undergo, or pay for certain health care-related treatments, research, or services, such as abortion or assisted suicide, among others, that violate your conscience, religious beliefs, or moral convictions.
If you believe that WellSpan Health or any WellSpan Health Hospital has failed to accommodate your conscientious, religious, or moral objection, or has discriminated against you on those grounds, you can file a conscience and religious freedom complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, DC 20201, 1–800–368–1019, 800–537–7697 (TDD). Complaint forms and more information about Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws are available at http://www.hhs.gov/conscience.
A copy of the complete rule and OCR’s explanatory text, as published in the Federal Register, is available at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-21/pdf/2019-09667.pdf (PDF).
