Senior Resident (PGY-4, 5)

Generally the senior resident will have the day-to-day responsibility of organizing and running the service to which he/she is assigned. He/She is accountable for all aspects of care (preoperative evaluation, participation in the OR as surgeon or first assistant, providing postoperative care and a post discharge follow-up visit) for all patients admitted to the assigned service. The senior resident also has a greater role in teaching and supervising the junior surgical residents. During the fourth year, the resident will function in a senior capacity on the Trauma Service, the Vascular/Transplant service, the Cardiothoracic service, Elective General Surgery and will also have the opportunity to complete an outside elective of his/her choice pending approval of the Program Director.

During the fifth year, as a Chief Resident, responsibility is for all aspects of patient care with an emphasis on independent decision-making. The basic concept of an increasing level of responsibility is that the fifth year permits fine tuning of a resident's operative, clinical and intellectual skills. This approach results in a sophisticated and knowledgeable practitioner in the art and science of general surgery as well as providing a superior foundation should the resident decide to pursue a fellowship. Graduating residents have also had extensive exposure to both advanced laparoscopic surgery and bariatric surgery.