Surgical Residency Program
The mission of the Massachusetts General Hospital surgical residency program is to attract the best possible individuals and to train them to be outstanding clinical surgeons.
The mission of the Massachusetts General Hospital surgical residency program is to attract the best possible individuals, and to train them through clinical exposure and through formal and informal conferences to be outstanding clinical surgeons. In addition, the department strongly encourages and supports these residents interested in laboratory science to obtain additional scientific training. All residents who desire time out of the residency for additional laboratory experience are supported in those endeavors by the Mass General Department of Surgery, regardless of whether the research experience is at Mass General or elsewhere. In addition, residents may elect a leave of absence to pursue studies in outcome research, MPH or MBA. It is the goal of the department to provide the residents with the tools to advance the field of surgery and become surgical leaders in their areas of interest.
To accomplish this mission, the department has developed a residency program based on mutual trust and respect between the residents and staff. We feel that surgical residents are mature adults who come to Mass General because of a sincere desire to become excellent surgeons. They are well-motivated and don't require a rigid set of rules. Rather, they are required only to take good care of their patients, carry out their responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and to take responsibility for themselves. We believe this philosophy has resulted in a relaxed atmosphere with excellent esprit de corps.
More than half of the residents elect to take time away from clinical residency, usually two years, for research. The department is extremely supportive of this and will help the resident find an appropriate laboratory for this experience, be it at Mass General or elsewhere. The department has six endowed fellowships for support of resident research and guarantees salary support for any resident during this research experience. With this availability of funds, residents often have opportunities to work in the foremost laboratories in the country. Several residents have completed PhDs during their research experience.
Operative Experience
The breadth and depth of surgical experience in the residency program is extensive. All residents obtain more than adequate experience to meet the requirements of the American Board of Surgery and the experience in complex major cases is particularly strong. Operative experience is progressive and begins in the first year, with advancement in complexity of cases with experience. The average number of major cases done by each resident over the course of the residency is approximately 1,200.
Conferences
While the major thrust of the residency is clinical experience, there are numerous conferences as well. Each service has a weekly morbidity and mortality conference which all residents and staff attend. There are clinical case conferences weekly for Trauma, GI, Surgical Oncology, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery. Grand Rounds are held on Thursday morning, and a Basic Science Lecture course is held on Saturday morning. The Chief of the Department, Dr. Andrew L. Warshaw, holds weekly conference on Friday afternoons, both for education and communication.
Call Schedules
The call schedule on most rotations is 1/4. All call schedules are designed for the resident's educational experience and the continuity of care of patients, rather than service needs.
Rotations
The surgical residency at the Mass General consists of five clinical years encompassing the broad range of surgery. All residents complete the requirements for certification by the American Board of Surgery. The residency is one of graded responsibility with adequate supervision at all levels. Due to the flexibility of the residency with respect to research experience, there is some flexibility in clinical rotations, but the accompanying table gives a general outline of rotations at various years. It should be noted that almost all of the rotations are at Mass General, which is thought to improve quality control of the educational experience. Rotations to outside hospitals are in place only when they provide a particular experience which is essential to the resident (pediatric surgery, head and neck surgery, community general surgery, etc.)
PGY1
General Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Burn Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
Urology
Neurosurgery
Anesthesia
Transplantation
Community General Surgery
General Thoracic Surgery
PGY2
Surgical Intensive Care/Cardiac Surgery
General Surgery
Emergency Ward/Trauma
Plastic Surgery
Community General Surgery
PGY3
Surgical Intensive Care Unit
General Surgery
Emergency Ward/Trauma
Burn Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Head and Neck
Transplantation
Night Float
PGY4
Community General Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Cardiac Surgery
General Surgery
PGY5
Trauma Surgery
General Surgery
Benefits
Vacation
Residents are provided with ten (10) days of vacation the first year of residency and one month per year in the subsequent four years. Efforts are made to provide vacations in the month desired. All one-month vacations are taken as a single block to prevent interference with the educational experience of rotations, to provide an adequate block of time off for the resident, and to prevent the necessity of cross-coverage on services.
Insurance
Hospitalization and medical insurance is provided by the hospital, as are disability insurance and malpractice insurance.
Parking
Parking is available to house officers in the hospital's parking garages. A stipend is provided in the salary to cover the cost.
Salary
2008/2009
PGY 1 $52,064
PGY 2 $52,568
PGY 3 $55,089
PGY 4 $57,623
PGY 5 $60,617
PGY 6 $66,000
PGY 7 $69,000
PGY 8 $72,500
Appointments to the first year of general surgical training are administered under the National Resident Matching Program. Application is made through AAMC Electronic Residency Application Service, ERAS.
Required application materials:
1. 500-word personal statement
2. Dean's letter
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Three (3) names of supporting references are required in the application form (communication with them requesting letters of recommendation is the responsibility of the applicant)
Additional application requirements and information (if applicable):
- ECFMG certified at time of application
- Pass scores on USMLE Step 1 and both parts of Step 2 by matched date
- We sponsor J1 visas.
All candidates for positions in the categorical five-year program are required to be present at an interview given at the hospital each year. A schedule of the dates, usually in January, is sent to candidates in early December. Confirmation of the intention to participate in the interview is required. A prior interview is not necessary, but students are welcome to visit the department when convenient to more fully familiarize themselves with the training program and hospital. Candidates for preliminary positions do not participate in the formal interview process. Selected applicants will contacted to schedule an individual interview.
Residency Contact Information:
Siobhan Brown
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
617-726-2800
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