Objectives
Program Details
One Year Surgery Preliminary
Five Year General Surgery Categorical
Meetings, Conferences, Readings, & Research
Meet the Director
Baptist Health System offers two options for training in general surgery: a five-year Categorical program (#1903440CO), leading to eligibility for examination by the American Board of Surgery; and a Preliminary program (#1903440PO) offering preparation for further training in a surgery or related specialty.
The primary objective of our programs is to provide comprehensive training in surgery to prepare surgeons for clinical practice or for additional specialty training. We strive to achieve excellence in patient care for the full range of surgical disorders and to instill an academic mindset toward clinical practice and an appreciation of basic concepts of surgical research. We believe that optimal training of surgeons occurs in a collegial atmosphere, where patients and professional colleagues are treated with respect and sensitivity to their needs as persons.
General Surgery Residency Program - Program Details
Throughout the training program, residents have close relationships with the clinical faculty in both general surgery and the surgical specialties. On several services, a preceptor style of instruction allows direct contact between junior residents and faculty members. Most of the preceptors are experienced teachers, and provide a rich resource for the residents. On other larger services, senior and junior residents work together as teams. As experience increases, residents are given increasing responsibility for management of patients. We expect this graded responsibility to produce surgeons who are technically proficient, who are knowledgeable and highly competent in pre- and post-operative care, and personally able to relate to patients in a compassionate, effective and responsible way.
Training is provided primarily within the Baptist Health System at Trinity Medical Center and Princeton Baptist, which have a total of 995 beds, including a surgical bed capacity of over 200. More than 16,000 major operations and 11,000 minor and ambulatory surgeries are performed each year. Generally residents are assigned for six months of each year at each hospital. In addition to the chief resident's staff service at each hospital, residents are assigned to two or more private services depending on case loads and training requirements. Pediatric surgery experience is obtained at the Children's Hospital of Alabama and transplantation and trauma at University Hospital. A regular schedule of conferences and bedside teaching by experienced faculty members are regular parts of the weekly program. Basic science conferences are also held regularly throughout the year. Residents are typically on call every fourth night.
Residents receive a rich operative experience at the Baptist Health System. Evidence of this is seen in the case numbers:
o Graduating chiefs generally obtain 1400-1600 cases over their five years.
o PGY-1 residents average over 300 cases each.
General Surgery Residency Program - One Year Surgery Preliminary
(NRMP #1903440PO)
There are five positions in the first year for those seeking a firm base of general surgery experience before training in a surgery specialty program.
The Preliminary program is designed to develop judgment, skill and knowledge in the management of problems basic to all fields of surgery. Typically, a resident will be assigned to rotate through six to eight months of general surgery and four-to-six months of electives which are planned to meet the needs of each resident. Experience in clinical research is offered. Most residents have been able to acquire highly desirable positions.
General Surgery Residency Program - Five Year General Surgery Categorical
(NRMP #1903440CO)
There are two positions at each level for residents in the five-year program. During the first three years, residents are assigned to general surgery, plastic surgery, pediatric surgery, neurological surgery, transplantation, cardiovascular/thoracic surgery, and one or more months in anesthesiology, orthopedic surgery, trauma surgery, urology and otolaryngology. The fourth year includes thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, surgical endoscopy, trauma, and general surgery. Some of these rotations may be arranged at other institutions, such as the University Hospital of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Alabama.
During the fifth year, the chief resident is responsible for direction and operation of the staff services and the outpatient referral clinics for six months each at the Trinity Medical Center campus and the Princeton Baptist campus. Under the supervision of faculty members at each hospital, the chief resident cares for patients with the full spectrum of surgical diseases. Endoscopic examinations are performed by the residents. Chief residents work with medical oncologists to coordinate chemotherapy programs for surgical patients.
General Surgery Residency Program - Meetings, Conferences, Reading and Research
Each hospital conducts surgical conferences to provide tracking of morbidity and mortality and regular didactic teaching sessions. Additional conferences in medicine, pathology, radiology and pharmacology are held regularly at each hospital. Regular multidisciplinary conferences, such as tumor board, are also available.
Excellent library facilities available at both locations include computer access to literature searches and other on-line programs. A supervised journal club meets regularly. Residents become computer literate during their training. Tutorial assistance is available for a broad range of software applications, including word processing, graphic spread sheets, data bases, and statistics. Computers are designated for resident use at both hospitals. Residents in the five-year surgery program are provided a PDA.
Residents are expected to complete a clinical or basic research project for publication. Time for full-time research may be assigned and limited funding is available. Using the support of our research office, numerous opportunities are available for successful completion of research projects within the time constraints of the residency program. Residents are encouraged to present their findings at local, regional, or national meetings, and support is available for such presentations and for attending surgical meetings or courses when approved by the program director. Funding is available for resident attendance at national conferences, as well as for a board review course during the final year of training.
General Surgery Residency Program - Meet The Director
William J. Tapscott, M.D.
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Assoc. Program Director: |
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