Resident-led research grounded in patient care

About TORRC

The Toronto Orthopaedic Resident Research Committee (TORRC) is a resident-led initiative dedicated to fostering a culture of academic excellence and inquiry within orthopaedic surgery.

Our mission is to support, connect, and empower orthopaedic residents and medical students to engage in meaningful research that advances patient care and the field of musculoskeletal medicine.

Through structured programs, mentorship, and collaboration with faculty and clinical researchers, TORRC serves as a hub for research activity within the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Toronto.

SUPPORT

Structured programs and mentorship that lower the barrier to high-quality clinical research

CONNECT

A network of residents, students, faculty, and clinical researchers across U of T sites

EMPOWER

Original research that improves patient care and shapes the future of musculoskeletal medicine

Research
Repository

The TORRC Research Repository is a centralized internal resource designed to support ongoing resident research collaboration within the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery. Access is restricted to authorized resident members through the UofT Orthopaedic Surgery Portal.

Access the Repository

Fellowship

The TORRC Medical Student Orthopaedic Research Fellowship (MS-ORF) is a structured research opportunity for medical students with an interest in orthopaedic surgery. Fellows are paired with resident and faculty mentors to complete a defined research project.

What You'll Gain

  • Hands-on research experience
  • Mentorship from residents and faculty
  • Opportunity to present work
  • Strong academic foundation

Who Should Apply

  • Medical students at any stage
  • Interest in orthopaedics or research
  • Willingness to commit to a project
  • Curiosity over credentials
Applications open on a rolling basis. Submit your interest and a brief CV through the application form.
Start Application

Leadership

Faculty Leads

Dr. Bheeshma Ravi
MD, PhD, FRCSC
Dr. Amir Khoshbin
MD, MSc, FRCSC

Resident Leads

Dr. Robert Koucheki
SSTP
Dr. Aazad Abbas
SSTP
Dr. Geoffrey Schemitsch
SSTP
Dr. Bahar Entezari
SSTP

Program Assistants

Dharsan Ravindran
Technology and AI Lead
Enzo Rabbath
Medical Student
Ali Haider
Medical Student

Publications

  1. 2026

    Comparison of volar distal radius and iliac crest bone grafts in the treatment of scaphoid non-union with humpback deformity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Ghaderi N, Tahir U, Abbas A, Koucheki R, Hall B, Paul R, Persitz J, Zuo KJ.

    Hand Surgery & Rehabilitation  ·  Art. 102740 · DOI: 10.1016/j.hansur.2026.102740

    A meta-analysis of three comparative studies (166 patients) found no significant difference in union rates between volar distal radius and iliac crest bone grafts for scaphoid non-union with humpback deformity. Distal radius grafts showed modestly faster time to union and lower donor-site morbidity, though certainty of evidence was very low.

    Scaphoid non-union Bone graft Hand surgery Meta-analysis
    PubMed DOI
  2. 2026

    Opportunistic screening for osteoporosis using chest X-rays and deep learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis

    Skaik K, Abdallah JP, Koucheki R, Lex JR, Ahn H, Toor J, Ravi B, Larouche J, Abbas A.

    Bone  ·  Vol. 210, 117923 · DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2026.117923

    Deep learning models applied to chest radiographs show promising diagnostic performance for opportunistic osteoporosis screening. Across 12 studies and 200,796 patients, internally validated models achieved pooled sensitivity 0.85 and specificity 0.83, with external AUCs ranging 73.4–94.6%.

    Deep learning Osteoporosis Screening AI
    Pubmed DOI
  3. 2026

    Artificial Intelligence in Pelvic Fracture Diagnosis and Outcome Prediction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    Wang KJ, Abbas A, Schemitsch GW, Raleigh M, Lex JR, Felice H, Nousiainen M, Whyne C, Ravi B, Koucheki R.

    ScienceDirect  ·  PII: S2949761226000337

    A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the performance of artificial intelligence models for the diagnosis of pelvic fractures and the prediction of clinical outcomes — synthesizing evidence across published studies to assess readiness for clinical translation.

    AI Pelvic fracture Diagnosis Outcome prediction
    ScienceDirect

Journal Club
& Research Workshops

Journal Club

Quarterly conversations on the literature

TORRC Journal Clubs are opportunities for attending physicians and residents to discuss recent papers published within orthopaedics. They are organized roughly every three months — a chance to read closely, critique generously, and bring evidence to the bedside

Arthroplasty Trauma Sports medicine Spine Pediatrics

Research Workshops · Fall 2026

Hands-on sessions to sharpen your research toolkit

Starting fall 2026, TORRC will organize dedicated workshops for medical students and residents — talks from research experts, plus an open-floor segment where you can share progress and get advice from peers and attendings. A low- pressure environment to troubleshoot projects.

Systematic reviews Machine learning Product design Statistics Grant writing

Get Involved

Whether you're a medical student looking for your first project, a resident with a study to launch, or a faculty member who'd like to mentor — TORRC is the door. Drop us a line and we'll route you to the right collaborator.

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