Educational Program

Elements of the General Surgery educational program include Half Day Education days, Grand Rounds, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE), Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), and evaluations.

Surgical Core Conferences have been restructured into Half Day Education with protected time. Intern half-day education consists of informational didactics and core conferences. The PGY-2/PGY-3 (Junior) Half Day Education includes ABSITE preparation and professional development conferences. Both Intern and Junior half days occur once every 4 weeks on campus. The PGY-4/PGY-5 (Senior) Half Day Education days consists of advanced didactic and professional development topics, journal clubs, and mock oral style questions, which occur twice a month on campus. Research half day education is held once per quarter and is supplemented with Intro to Research Bootcamp meetings at the beginning of the academic year and Return to Clinical Bootcamp meetings at the end of the academic year. This is to consolidate and enhance protected time for educational activities and simplify clinical coverage during conferences.

Grand Rounds take place almost every Monday throughout the academic year. They can be attended in-person or accessible via teleconferencing for residents at off-campus training sites. Grand Rounds is evaluated each week, with feedback serving to make changes for the following educational cycle. Each hospital site and service also have a Morbidity and Mortality conference and specialty/service-specific regular educational conferences.

Each January, the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination is given to all residents. This exam, in combination with faculty evaluations utilizing the milestone format, provides the criteria to assess each resident’s performance and level of preparation for clinical practice.

Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are tracked using the SIMPL app. This material is reviewed at least twice per year by the Clinical Competency Committee. It is also reviewed twice a year with each resident in meetings with either the Program Director or an Associate Program Director. Residents also evaluate rotations and faculty members at the end of each rotation. This valuable feedback is used to enhance the educational program.

Below: Photos of various half day education activities.