Program Description

The categorical surgical residency program is a comprehensive, five-year residency program in general surgery and the preliminary internship year is ideal for individuals interested in a surgical subspecialty, anesthesiology or radiology.

The program adheres to the guidelines of the Residency Review Committee for Surgery, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Surgery and is in complete compliance with the new ACGME work hours regulations. At all levels, residents average less than 80 hours of work per week and have at least one full day off every seven days.

The surgical program is non-pyramidal. Residents are expected to progress according to established criteria, and performance is evaluated every four to six months. A new web-based evaluation system is in place. Residents evaluate the program, the faculty and each other twice a year. Two categorical PGY-1 positions (C-19) are offered and two chief residents complete the program each year.

Two preliminary track PGY-1 positions (P-18) are available to individuals planning further training in areas other than general surgery. The first year can be customized for those with special interests or needs.

All first-year postgraduate trainees experience rotations in general surgery, subspecialty surgery and critical care. Increasing responsibility for evaluation and treatment of patients is a major part of the entire five-year experience. Personal experience in surgical procedures is provided throughout all levels of the program and begins early in the first year.

Throughout the five year program residents are exposed to a broad range of surgical specialties, working with highly qualified surgeons in the following fields: bariatric, breast, ambulatory, endocrine, gastrointestinal, laparoscopic, pediatric, oncologic, thoracic, trauma and critical care, urologic and vascular surgery. Residents are also involved in orthopedics, neurosurgery and plastic surgery. The hospital is an American College of Surgeons Verified and State of Connecticut Designated Level II Trauma Center, a multidisciplinary cancer center and an American College of Surgeons-designated cancer program.

An extensive surgical laboratory is a key component of the residency program. The program offers a wide range of skills training, including open surgical simulation and extensive laparoscopic simulation. Stamford Hospital also offers robotic surgery training on a large number of specialties using the Mimic, the hospital's robotic simulation device.

While the volume of cases is large, there is still sufficient opportunity for conference and reading time. Graduating chief residents handle all of the complex cases common to general surgery and, because there are no surgical fellows in subspecialties, a wide variety of clinical material is available. Graduating chief residents handle an average of over 1000 cases over a five year span, placing them in the 95th percentile amongst chief residents nationally.

Physician assistants provide coverage of subspecialty services so that resident time on subspecialties may be devoted to education. Additionally, students from Quinnipiac University's PA program also work in the program. Third-year medical students from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons rotate to the surgical service on a full-time basis, providing intellectual stimulation for both residents and faculty.

For current information about salaries and other benefits, go to our portion of the FREIDA website.