First Year
During the first year, surgical interns spend a few months on off-service rotations, such as ICU, Emergency Medicine, and Nights. They will also complete a block at UH Cleveland Medical Center on the Trauma ICU service. The remaining months are spent covering general surgery, vascular, plastics, and bariatrics at Western Reserve Hospital.
Second Year
During second year, residents spend two months on trauma surgery/trauma ICU at a Level I trauma center. We have affiliations with both UH Cleveland Medical Center and Shock Trauma in Baltimore. Residents have the choice to stay in Cleveland for trauma or to go to Baltimore. Residents also spend one month at Akron City Hospital on Bariatrics/Minimally invasive surgery and the remainder to the time is split between Western Reserve Hospital and UH Portage Medical Center. At UH Portage, residents cover general surgery, plastics, vascular, and trauma. UH Portage is a level III trauma center.
Third Year
During third year, residents have multiple out rotations on different surgical subspecialties.
Pediatric surgery (two blocks), Akron Children’s Hospital
Thoracic surgery (one block), UH Cleveland Medical Center
The remaining months are split between UH Portage and Western Reserve Hospital.
Fourth Year
During fourth year, the residents complete an additional two blocks of trauma, as an upper level, time is spent predominately in the operating room. They also complete one month of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery at UH Cleveland Medical Center. An elective surgical block is built into the PGY-4 year to allow the resident to explore a specialty of interest. The remainder of the year is spent at UH Portage and Western Reserve Hospital
Fifth Year
During fifth year, the residents run the service at Western Reserve Hospital. Fifth year residents have one out rotation on Acute Care Surgery at UH Cleveland Medical Center
Didactics
Throughout each year, there are numerous educational opportunities which are encouraged.
Weekly Didactic Education is scheduled for two hours every Tuesday morning. Our residents also meet together most mornings to do practice questions or explore a special interest topics. On Friday mornings, the residents participate in Journal Club over breakfast.
All General Surgery residents must attend both a monthly tumor board meeting, breast cancer conference, and morbidity/mortality review conference. These review any surgical oncologic cases as well as any pre-operative diagnostic challenges for current cases. There is attendance by the primary care physician, as well as all disciplines involved in the patient care plan including radiology, oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and surgery.
The hospital also hosts regular Grand Rounds on a variety of topics. GME provides Foundation Friday lectures for PGY-1 residents in the first month of residency.
All residents must participate in the ABSITE In-Service Exam annually in January.