Surgeons who spend five requisite years in the program receive a much broader educational experience in surgery than is available almost anywhere else, say the program's leaders. The Health Science Center's Medical School offers general surgery residencies to nine doctors a year. It is one of the largest surgical residency programs in the state. In 1998 the Medical School integrated its program with the U.S. Air Force surgical residency program at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. When we looked at the two programs, we saw opportunities for complementary support to improve the education of residents, especially pertaining to the types of diseases they treat and the range of operations they perform.
Surgical residencies are among the longest such educational experiences.
Residents in the San Antonio program gain proficiency in all areas of surgery, including pediatric surgery, penetrating and blunt trauma surgery, liver and pancreatic cancer surgery, and disaster response. Some of these offerings can be traced to the university-military relationship, Dr. Strodel said. For example, while Wilford Hall records more cases of penetrating trauma, such as stabbing and gunshot wounds, our primary teaching hospital, University Hospital, records more cases of blunt trauma, such as injuries from auto accidents. Young surgeons in training must see both types. Integration also provides faculty and residents with opportunities to observe and participate in military-related projects abroad.