Welcome  History Overview Rotations Research Affiliates

Rotations

PGY1  |  PGY 2  |  Research  | PGY 3  |  PGY4  |  PGY 5

PGY 1
At the beginning, the program emphasizes basic preoperative and post operative care, critical-care medicine, basic surgical technique and intraoperative management.

The program requires first-year residents to take the following courses before the start of clinical rotations:

• Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS) of the American College of Surgeons, and
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support Course (ACLS) of the American Heart Association

Thereafter, residents spend seven months on various general surgical rotations including the general, vascular, cardiothoracic and plastic services.  Most of the time is spent at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  However, two months are spent at affiliated hospitals giving residents exposure to a broad range of surgical practices.  There is ample opportunity to perform cases in the operating room and to build necessary, basic operative skills.  Every resident spends a month in the surgical intensive care unit where, with appropriate supervision of senior residents and faculty, they learn to assess and manage critically ill patients.  Daily rounds with the trauma team and the transplant team add to this educational experience.

The balance of the year is spent on various subspecialties: orthopedics, otolaryngology, urology and neurosurgery.  Residents learn to manage a variety of both common and unusual problems on these services.  In order to be in compliance with the 80 hour work week, we have instituted a night float system whereby 1 month of the PGY 1 year is spent covering first call from 6 PM to 6 AM on some of the general surgery and transplant services.

Throughout the year, faculty emphasize one-to-one interaction, offering personal instruction and supervision to each resident.

PGY 2
During the second year, residents continue to refine their basic skills.  Three months are spent on the general surgical services and 1 ½ months are spent on the busy trauma service.  Residents have an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience with resuscitation, evaluation and operation and subsequent critical care management of severely injured patients.

Residents spend the remaining months exploring various specialty areas within general surgery both at Jefferson and at our affiliates.  The rotate on the cardiothoracic service at Jefferson and learn burn management at the Crozer Chester Burn Center.

As with the PGY 1s, a night float system has been instituted and the PGY 2s cover first call for 2 to 3 weeks during their PGY 2 year.

Research Year
Residents spend one to two years in the laboratory and usually work within one of the laboratories in the Department. The purpose of this year is to educate residents in the principles and practices of surgical research and assist them in obtaining high quality fellowships. This year is typically added after the third clinical year but may be after the second year.

PGY 3 & 4
Residents devote time in the third and fourth years to general surgery, with an emphasis on their particular interests.  Senior residents have primary responsibility for all preoperative evaluation and postoperative patient care.

Under the close supervision of attending faculty, they assist with and perform operations of increasing complexity both at Jefferson and its affiliates, including pediatric surgery at the Alfred I. DuPont Institute.  Instructors give residents further exposure to colorectal surgery, fiberoptic endoscopy, vascular and thoracic surgery, transplantation and trauma.

PGY 5
Residents serve as one of six chief residents in the final phase of training.  On each rotation and surgical service, the chief resident is directly responsible for managing all patients, preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively.  All outpatient surgical clinics at the university and its affiliates are under direction of the chief residents, who  may consult with attending faculty.

In the last year, residents reach a new level of maturity in surgical decision making and technical proficiency.  They finish the six-year program with an average of 1100 to 1300 cases as an operating surgeon.  By the end of the program, each resident is encouraged to have produced two publications worthy of acceptance in a peer reviewed journal.