Names in the programme record: Rafael J. Diaz-Garcia
Profile completeness100%
Comprehensive · Core fields complete
DECISION SUMMARY
Key facts at a glance
Eligibility
Entry requirements published; international route unconfirmed
Funding
Baptist Health's 2026–2027 schedule lists USD 83,000 at PGY-6 and USD 86,000 at PGY-7; the programme page does not specify the appointed postgraduate level.
Deadline
2027 appointment Match rank-order lists closed 29 April 2026 and Match Day was 13 May 2026; the next cycle is not yet published on the reviewed NRMP page
Duration
1 year
Hands-on
Unclear — confirm privileges
Clinical exposureApproximately 700 annual cases per fellow across hand and upper-extremity surgery, microsurgery, adult and paediatric care, trauma, rehabilitation, elective elbow and shoulder sports medicine, protected research, monthly bioskills laboratories and teaching.
Participation levelClinical participation and hands-on restrictions must be confirmed directly with the host.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
Can an international surgeon apply?
—Not published
International applicants
Eligibility requires graduation from a United States ACGME-accredited orthopaedic, general or plastic-surgery residency and Florida licensure eligibility; an Indonesian-only qualifying residency route is not published.
?Confirm directly with host
Clinical role
Clinical or combined training pathway; exact duties remain appointment-specific. Hands-on participation and operative restrictions are not explicitly published.
≈Partially published
Medical registration
Applicants must be eligible for an unrestricted Florida medical licence and must register for the NRMP match.
—Not published
Language
No formal language requirement is published by the cited source.
—Not published
Visa or work authorisation
Visa sponsorship is programme-specific and is not established by ASSH directory inclusion.
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY90% of core application fields verifiedChecked 23 Sep 2026 · Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-03-22
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ positions✓ commencement / intake✓ funding✓ benefits✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ registration✓ deadline✓ application process✓ required documents✓ application portal✓ official contact✓ faculty✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— accommodation / relocation · not published by the cited official source— Language requirement not published · not published by the cited official source— visa / work authorisation · not published by the cited official source
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadline2027 appointment Match rank-order lists closed 29 April 2026 and Match Day was 13 May 2026; the next cycle is not yet published on the reviewed NRMP page
Commencing dateJuly 2027 appointment year; the 2026 central Match is complete
Application route / cycleNRMP Hand Surgery Match for July 2027 appointments: Match opened 11 February 2026, ranking opened 25 March, rank-order lists were due 29 April and Match Day was 13 May 2026. That central cycle is complete; applicants should check the host and NRMP for unfilled positions or the next published cycle.
Board-eligible graduate of a United States ACGME-accredited orthopaedic, general or plastic-surgery residency
Eligibility for an unrestricted Florida medical licence
Completion of an Orthopaedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery or General Surgery residency before appointment
Programme-specific licensing, credentialing and specialty prerequisites still apply
Application documents
Published by official source
NRMP registration
ASSH Universal Hand Surgery Fellowship Application
Personal statement
Curriculum vitae with scholarly activity
Three signed recommendation letters, including letters from a hand surgeon and residency programme director
Medical-school transcripts
Three examination score reports
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
FIU and Baptist Health publish a one-year, two-position ACGME programme with roughly 700 annual cases, eleven named faculty, microsurgery, sports and paediatric exposure, detailed eligibility, documents and 2026–2027 benefits. No dated current application deadline is published.
Intended for: Eligible surgical graduates pursuing advanced hand, upper-extremity or microsurgery training; qualifying specialty is programme-specific
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
Sixteen to twenty-four paid days off, up to five educational days, educational and licensing reimbursements, health and welfare cover, retirement, free parking and programme research and bioskills support under the 2026–2027 benefits schedule.
HOST INSTITUTION
About Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Baptist Health South Florida
A two-position FIU and Baptist Health programme using adult, paediatric, ambulatory, sports, bioskills and research sites across South Florida.
Hand & Microsurgery training and clinical practice
Appointment status: Official profile identifies a physiatrist and interventional pain physician, not a hand surgeon. His role in the hand fellowship requires confirmation.
Jose Mena is a physiatrist at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care whose work focuses on spine and back disorders and interventional pain care. His official biography also lists team physician responsibilities for FIU athletics.
Orthopaedic Spine Surgery FellowshipSpine · University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics / Jackson Memorial Hospital · Miami, Florida, United States
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