From the Chiefs
Dear Applicants,
We sincerely welcome you to our website, and hope that we can convey the rich tradition that we possess in our surgical training program. It is our true belief that our program is among the top training programs in the country, based on our clinical volume and experience, our research opportunities, and our heritage of leadership within the field of surgery.
Our training program offers a tremendous clinical experience – operating begins on day 1 as an intern and continues right up to graduation day. Interns generally code up to 200 cases, based on selective operative rotations at Columbia-Presbyterian but largely on our Overlook Hospital rotation, where residents routinely perform 4-6 cases per day. The operative experience increases in both degree of difficulty and number as a PGY2. A significant responsibility of managing an entire service is taken on as a PGY3 and PGY4, rounding our busiest and most complex services. The operative volume for our residents during these years increases concurrently, and PGY4’s are routinely placed in the position of “teacher” to medical students and other junior residents in the OR. Our PGY5 year is a special, dedicated operative year during which the finer technical skills are acquired for only the most complex cases that we perform (complex hepatobiliary with or without vascular reconstruction, vascular cases, upper GI surgery, and chief level laparoscopic cases). We pride ourselves on training technically gifted surgeons capable of future fellowship training (indeed, the majority of our residents proceed to cardiac, transplant, vascular, laparoscopic, hepatobiliary, or pediatric fellowships). The flexibility of the PGY4 and PGY5 years allows elective time – residents frequently act as fellows and perform fellow level cases during this time. Finally, senior residents are given full decision making capabilities for all patients on their service. As an applicant, two main points must be highlighted from our program: complex operative volume and senior resident responsibility. For residents wishing to enter a fellowship program, we believe that our residents are the most prepared to function as a fellow or junior attending. Our residents participate in organ harvests as the sole surgeons, take residents through complex cases, and are treated as attendings. These experiences, we feel, are the the stepping stones to becoming a great resident, fellow, and finally, attending.
Working at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center can be a humbling, yet inspiring experience. Across the board, the other departments of the hospital are outstanding, nationally ranked, and collegial. The Department of Surgery has a committed focus on technology, and it is not uncommon to be involved in using a new device, procedure, being involved in a training course, being filmed for a TV show, or participating in a clinical trial. Likewise, publicity generated from these events is not uncommon.
Finally, our dedication to research must be highlighted. With the most research grant money of any institution in the NY area and the country, we offer research to all residents after the PGY3 year. Within the Medical Center are hundreds of surgical opportunities, as well as basic science, translational and clinical research. We are blessed to have a vast staff of dedicated surgical scientists, appointed within our department, in addition to our surgical staff who perform research. Both our dedicated scientists and clinical surgeons performing research have been nationally recognized for their achievements. Our residents who leave residency to perform research typically end with 10 first author peer reviewed manuscripts, numerous presentations, book chapters, and abstracts. The collaboration with the undergraduate campus is available; the INCHOIR group is the pre-eminent clinical outcomes research consortium in the country, responsible for large clinical trials (such as the REMATCH trial for LVAD’s).
Our department is expanding – we have hired more surgeons than we have added residents. This results in a busy experience for us. Yet, our support services (PA’s, NP’s) allow us to be more involved in senior level care/research while giving help for basic intern-level care. Our atmosphere is one of optimism for our field, innovation, and a willingness to lead the field into the future.
New York is still the most exciting city on earth and is one of the safest big cities in the country. No where else can you leave the hospital late at night, meet for dinner with your residents and still experience the vibrant nature of the city and its people – on ANY day of the week. The ability to maximize your free time, pursue your interests outside of medicine, and engage in social outlets is one of the most important things in residency – We can safely say that no city can offer what NYC can offer.
Please come visit us, explore NYC, and see what we have to offer. We strongly feel that our program is one of the top select programs in the country.
Sincerely,
Combiz Rezayat & Isaac George
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