Thoracic Surgery Residency Program

Program Goals

The goals and objectives of this residency program are fostered in an environment of progressively graded clinical and operative experience and responsibility. Within the limits of variability found in a clinical practice an equivalent experience will be afforded each resident, under the guidance and supervision of qualified teaching staff. With this process, each resident will develop mature surgical judgment and operative skills which prepares him/her to provide independent surgical care to patients with a wide range of cardiac and thoracic disorders in a manner appropriate to a specialist in surgery and a candidate for a Diplomat of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. The final assessment of whether these objectives are being achieved is made by the Program Director as recommended by the faculty of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.

Program Philosophy

The philosophy of this residency program is to:

• Provide a robust, appropriately supervised setting in which advanced highly skilled education in adult cardiac surgery, pediatric cardiac surgery, and thoracic surgery can take place.
• Seek opportunities for the resident to acquire an in-depth knowledge and advanced skill in cardiac and thoracic surgical techniques
• Develop academically, and professionally. Skills to be acquired include those of medical knowledge, patient care, practice-based learning and improvement, communication and interpersonal skills, professionalism, and the systems based practice.
• Provide an excellent clinical education and graduated clinical advancement accomplished by directed expert clinical, academic, and social instruction promoting self-directed education, and fostering the refinement of the individual residents clinical, professional, social, and academic pursuits.
• Combined resident mentoring with instruction by faculty including both didactic and Socratic education, hands-on experience, and self--directed learning.