Categorical program

NRMP No. 292019

First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Fifth Year

Trainees in the categorical program complete rotations in general surgery and at all four MGH hospitals, spending approximately equal time at each hospital. The five-year residency program is fully approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Rotations are of one or two months' duration at the PGY 1 and PGY 2 levels and of two months' duration at the PGY 3, PGY 4, and PGY 5 levels.

During the PGY 1 and PGY 2 years, residents are exposed to general surgery, plastic surgery, urology, trauma surgery, pediatric surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, anesthesia, and cardiovascular/thoracic surgery and transplantation. Residents also rotate to the Burn Unit at Cook County.

Beginning at the PGY 3 level, MGH residents spend longer periods of time in general surgery, as well as cardiovascular/thoracic surgery and trauma surgery. Before entering the third year, residents are screened by the program director and the members of the Surgical Joint Conference Committee to determine whether they are ready for advancement.

At the fourth year level of training residents perform, under direct supervision, the majority of the surgical procedures on the particular services through which they rotate. At this point, the resident is allowed to make decisions, but must justify all conclusions to the attending staff surgeon. During this year, there also is a senior level experience in pediatric surgery and vascular/thoracic surgery. Fourth and fifth year residents are allowed to attend a major educational conference.

In the fifth year of training, residents function as chief residents. In addition to general surgery, there are rotations as chief resident on the trauma service and in colon and rectal surgery. During training, residents are given increasing responsibilities with both in-patients and outpatients. Residents who prove to be excellent physicians, well acquainted with the basic sciences and possessing the technical ability to perform surgery, are gradually introduced to the position of surgeon-in-charge.