Procedural exposure is excellent at this level. The goal of the third clinical year is the development of surgical skills. The PGY3 resident spends the third year serving as an intermediate resident on the surgical services, where the resident participates in a large number of major procedures. The fourth and fifth years are senior years, when the resident is the most senior of the resident staff. In addition to the development of surgical expertise, the goal of these years is to develop management and leadership skills.
Operative experience is diverse and in-depth.
Residents have been operative surgeons on 900 to 1,000 major cases by the time of their graduation from the program. Beginning in 2001, our categorical positions will be six years in length, including five years of clinical training and one year of research. Research may be done in basic science or clinical outcomes. Residents have the choice of doing research in campus labs, under the tutelage of mentors in basic science, or at other academic institutions. Outcomes based research may be possible in cooperation with the School of Public Health.