Educational Program

Please note that during COVID19 meeting restrictions, some of the didactics below have been conducted via Zoom teleconferencing for the last two academic years. Physical locations mentioned below are being restored to face-to-face meetings in AY22-23. Most meetings have transitioned to in person activity in the spring of 2022. The approach will be determined by the CUAnschutz campus guidelines.

Surgical Core Conferences have been restructured into Half Day Education with protected time. Intern half-day education and PGY-2/PGY-3 half-day education are held on Monday mornings once a month, 8 am to noon, in the Academic Office One building 5th floor conference room (5101), on the Anschutz Medical Campus. PGY-4/PGY-5 half-day education is held noon to 4 pm two Fridays per month in the Academic Office One building. Research half-day education is held Monday mornings 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 educational activities, enhance protected time for educational activities, and simplify clinical coverage during conferences. Core Conferences are part of the PGY-1 through PGY-3 Block Education time, and advanced topics as well as mock oral style questions are presented to the PGY-4’s and 5’s during their Block Education time. Both junior and senior level half-day education include interactive activities in addition to didactics.

Grand Rounds is teleconferenced via Zoom to the training sites off campus. Each hospital site and service also has a morbidity and mortality conference and appropriate regular specialty conferences.

The American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination is given each January to all residents. This, together with faculty evaluations of the residents' clinical activities utilizing the milestone format, provides the criteria to assess each resident's performance and level of preparation for clinical practice and successful completion of the examination for the American Board of Surgery. This material is reviewed at least twice per year by the Clinical Competency Committee and also twice a year with each resident in meetings with a Program Director.

Residents evaluate rotations and faculty at the end of each rotation. This valuable feedback is used to enhance the educational program. Grand Rounds is evaluated each week, with feedback serving to make changes for the following educational cycle.

Below: Photos of various half day education activities.