|
 |
Although clinical experience is the key component of a surgical resident’s education, there are formal didactic conferences as well. Residents are expected to attend weekly Surgical Grand Rounds, weekly Morbidity and Mortality Conference and weekly Basic Science/Clinical Science Conference. These conferences are held in the morning prior to the operative schedule. Resident attendance is required, and during this time, residents are protected from all clinical activity except for emergency care.
Additionally, Journal Club is held monthly where recent surgical articles are critically reviewed by both residents and staff.
Additional specialty conferences are required for residents on particular services, however, all residents are welcome to attend. Trauma Conference is held weekly where case presentations of trauma victims are presented and reviewed. Vascular Surgery Conference meets weekly to discuss vascular patient care. Similarly, Allegheny General Breast Center Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Conference meets once per week. Tumor Board meets weekly to review complex oncologic cases, and residents are expected to attend when rotating on the surgical oncology service. A weekly Colon and Rectal Surgery Conference , as well as a monthly Colon and Rectal Surgery Journal Club are required conferences for those residents rotating on the colon and rectal surgery service.
Each spring, Mock Oral Board examinations are held for both the PGY-4 and Chief Residents. This is a combined effort with four additional training programs in the region and involves faculty from all institutions. Residents are given formal evaluations of their performance.
During the first weeks of residency, all general surgery residents are expected to take and pass the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), as well as attend orientation conferences scheduled during the first two months of the internship year. In addition, many general surgery residents graduate as Advanced Trauma Life Support instructors, obtaining certification during their residency.
|