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Why Choose The Western Pennsylvania Hospital for Your General Surgery Residency?
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, chartered in 1848 as the first public hospital west of the Allegheny Mountains, has been continuously involved in graduate medical education since 1874.In affiliation with Temple University School of Medicine, the Hospital offers a full range of medical education opportunities, including a large number of residency and fellowship programs. With a strong emphasis on providing the entire spectrum of high-quality tertiary care to the diverse population of the community and the tri-state area, the Hospital offers strong clinical programs in all medical and surgical specialties. The General Surgery Residency Program at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital offers the following features:
About the General Surgery Residency Program The General Surgical Residency Program is a 5-year non-pyramidal program that graduates 3 chief residents each year. In addition, there are 5 preliminary positions that are available for residents in the intern year who are interested in pursuing careers in the surgical specialties or anesthesia. The majority of the resident rotations are performed at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Forbes Regional Campus. Two additional clinical sites, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Presbyterian-University Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh, are the affiliated hospital sites for rotations in pediatric surgery, transplantation surgery, and trauma surgery. The resident operative experience is well balanced in each principal component of surgery, containing a sufficient number, distribution and complexity of cases. There is early operative experience as a junior level resident with a high volume of cases at the junior resident level. Recent graduates have accrued between 1,000 and 1,100 cases, and 225 to 250 cases are accrued during the chief resident year. Although there is no required dedicated year of research during the residency, residents are required to have a research project each year of their residency. An annual Department of Surgery Resident Research Day and Hospital Research Day provide a local forum for research presentations. Residents are encouraged to submit their projects to national and international meetings. Funding is provided so residents may attend and present their studies. Residents have presented their projects and studies both nationally and internationally, throughout Europe and South America. Some graduates from The Western Pennsylvania Hospital General Surgery Residency Program have entered clinical practice and others have and been accepted to fellowships after their training. The distribution of those entering fellowships and those entering clinical practice is 50:50. Recent graduates have entered fellowships in minimally invasive surgery (2), colon and rectal surgery (6), surgical critical care (2), plastic surgery (1), breast surgery (1), surgical oncology (1), and cardiothoracic surgery (1).
West Penn Bariatric Surgery CenterThe West Penn Bariatric Surgery Center offers a comprehensive program for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. The program staff includes three surgeons, a program coordinator, three physician assistants, two dieticians, and two psychologists. By 2006, more than 1200 procedures had been performed, and more than 17 scientific publications and numerous scientific presentations had been given by staff of the West Penn Bariatric Surgery Center, resulting in the Center's designation in 2006 as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. General Surgery residents have the opportunity to participate in the preoperative evaluation of bariatric patients, the various operations for obesity (gastric bypass, lap band, gastric sleeve, revisional surgery), and the postoperative management of patients.
Colon and Rectal Surgery and Pelvic Floor CenterThe surgeons in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital offer the latest diagnostic and treatment options to patients with colon and rectal cancer. Using advanced laparoscopic techniques, surgeons remove many tumors with only a small abdominal incision. Surgeons in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery have extensive experience with the technique of ileal pouch--anal anastomosis for patients with ulcerative colitis, which allows patients to be cured of the disease without the need for a permanent ileostomy. Patients with diseases of the pelvic floor, such as fecal incontinence, rectal prolapse, enterocele, and rectocele, are evaluated using such techniques as anorectal manometry, pudendal nerve testing, transanal ultrasound evaluation of the anal sphincter, and defecography. In addition, West Penn's surgeons employ new treatments for hemorrhoids, anal fissure, anal fistula, and other common anorectal diseases. There is a one-year Colorectal Surgery Fellowship at the West Penn Allegheny Health System. The fellowship locale alternates every 2 months between The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital.
Minimally Invasive SurgeryThe Western Pennsylvania Hospital Program of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery is funded by the Tyco/United States Surgical Corporation (USSC) Minimally Invasive Surgery Center of Excellence. More than 250 advanced laparoscopic procedures are performed each year at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, including bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery, hernia repair, antireflux surgery, solid organ surgery, and numerous other advanced laparoscopic procedures. There is a one-year Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
Burn CenterThe 14-bed Burn Center at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital provides residents in General Surgery with a unique opportunity to gain experience in the total surgical and medical management of burned patients. Innovative treatments and the investigation of state-of-the-art skin substitutes provide the opportunity for collaborative clinical research.
Center for Surgical Breast DiseasesWomen who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or other breast diseases receive highly specialized treatment in the Surgical Breast Disease Program at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. The Surgical Breast Disease Program offers women a full spectrum of surgical treatment options, including breast conservation, skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, ductoscopy, sentinel lymph node procedures, and multidisciplinary management of breast cancer during pregnancy. The program also offers surgical management of benign breast lesions.
Resident RotationsGeneral Surgery residents' rotations are planned to meet curriculum and program goals and objectives. The individual resident's rotation schedule may differ slightly from the following sample schedule.
Application ProcessThe Western Pennsylvania Hospital General Surgery Residency Program accepts applications though ERAS. Applications are accepted through December 31. The following support documents are required for your application to be reviewed by the Resident Selection Committee:
You will be notified by e-mail if you are invited for an interview by the Resident Selection Committee. Four interview days are planned during the period November to January. Alternate interview days can be arranged if necessary.
Contact InformationFor further information regarding The Western Pennsylvania Hospital's General Surgery Residency Program, please contact: Pam Chorba, Residency Coordinator The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Telephone: (412) 578-4144 |
