Program Overview
The General Surgery Training Program is composed of five clinical years. In addition, an optional research experience is provided to those residents who demonstrate a strong interest in a particular field of research. All of our graduates have gone on to become board-certified surgeons since the first graduating class in 1942. During our most recent site review by the Residency Review Committee, we were granted unrestricted permission to graduate five categorical general surgery residents per year, and we are fully compliant with the 80-hour work week requirements. We are wholeheartedly committed to providing a matchless surgical training experience that stimulates and equips our surgical leaders for tomorrow.
The experiences in patient care and operative procedures are broad and provide graded responsibilities in all aspects of surgery. Our trainees are competent, well-trained surgeons ready to handle a broad range of surgical problems and procedures. Both Categorical positions (individuals accepted to complete the entire general surgery residency) and Preliminary positions (those ultimately pursuing subspecialty residencies at this or another institution) are available.
The North Carolina Baptist Hospitals, Incorporated (NCBH) and the affiliated institution, Forsyth Medical Center, provide over 1500 acute care and intensive care beds. Baptist Hospital has a total of 41 operating theatres (7 pediatric, 34 adult inpatient and outpatient). In addition, NCBH is the regional Level I Trauma Center, providing a mixture of both blunt and penetrating trauma for management by the general surgery program.
The clinical program incorporates a broad range of rotations and patient care experiences in general surgery and the respective surgical specialties. The first two years of training are focused on general care of the surgical patient, critical care medicine and basic surgical skill acquisition. During the third and fourth clinical years, the resident has the opportunity to function as the senior resident on respective services, thereby gaining progressive maturity of surgical judgment and technical skills. During the chief residency year, the individual is expected to oversee the care of their respective surgical services and assume the role of the “operating surgeon” on most procedures. The operative experience gained during his/her residency is both broad and complex in areas of hepatobiliary, trauma, and upper abdominal vascular procedures. In addition, senior responsibilities on pediatric surgery and transplantation provide a depth of experience in these areas of surgery.
The teaching program is enriched by an annual surgical symposium and Distinguished Visiting Professor Lectureship.
Last Updated: Sep 20, 2006