During this rotation you will care for general surgery patients in a teaching community hospital setting. There is a robust and diverse operative experience for you to experience, ranging from ambulatory surgery cases to complex surgical oncology, colorectal, thoracic and vascular cases. This rotation gives residents the opportunity to see what it’s like in a more even paced and relaxed, yet stimulating, environment.

Team: Residents – R4, R2, R1

Each member of this team has a distinct but synchronous role. The R4 runs the service in close consultation with attending physicians. In the AM, he or she will round on the floor with the R1 and the R2 (categorical or prelim). The R4 or R2 will see the Surgical Critical Care patients as well. Having your pick of operative cases for the day is a highlight of this rotation. The R4 is given priority to operate on index level cases, which you excellent preparation for your chief year.
The categorical R2s have a one month preceptor-ship with one of the private attendings at THOCC. Typically, you round with the general surgery resident team in the AM, then go to the OR or to the office with your preceptor. You are responsible for attending ALL offices with your attending, as well as ALL operative cases. You develop a one-on-one relationship with your attending, and this allows you to gain tremendous insight as to their overall practice and continuity of management both in the in-patient and out-patient setting.
R1s are an equal part of the surgical team and getting the intern to Ambulatory Surgery for operative experience is a priority. In addition, you maintain the daily work of the service: discharges, checking AM labs, ordering and following-up on various tests and studies discussed at sign-out, responding to problem patients on the floor and maintaining “the list.”

Patient/OR type: general surgery, colorectal, vascular, thoracic, weight reduction surgery, endocrine, hand surgery, minimally invasive and robotic surgery.

Clinic: Attending supervised General Surgery Clinic Wednesday afternoons

On call, you are responsible for all in-house general surgery patients, line insertions, and for seeing all ED consults. The resident team takes call every Monday and alternating Fridays or Saturdays (Saturdays are a 16 hour shift). Residents get every Sunday off.