Colon & Rectal Surgery Resident Training

The colon and rectal surgery residency program at the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center provides a dynamic educational experience for the resident. The duration of the residency is 12 months.

The faculty in the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery comprises the largest group of colon and rectal surgeons in New England. We are dedicated to excellence in clinical care, research and education of colon and rectal residents, general surgery residents and medical students. The faculty have made a commitment to work together closely to support a colon and rectal surgery residency program, and foster clinical and academic excellence.

The residents are based at the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. The institution has a general surgical residency program and has academic affiliation with Tufts University School of Medicine. Lahey attracts a large volume of medical students from Tufts and other institutions rotating on the surgical service. The academic environment at the institution is outstanding, and the academic mission is supported strongly by the administration. Lahey Hospital & Medical Center supports residency programs in numerous other specialties, including gastroenterology, internal medicine, radiology and other surgical disciplines.

All of our residents become proficient in the care of patients with complex colorectal disease. Residents who matriculate in our program will benefit from a high volume of tertiary care cases, an intense experience in advanced laparoscopic intestinal procedures, and a high volume of patients with inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal malignancy. Involvement in ongoing clinical research efforts, both local and multi-institutional, exposes the resident to investigation in the colorectal field, and hopefully spurs future independent investigation.

The faculty provides supervision of the resident at all times in all settings, including the outpatient office, the operating room, the endoscopy laboratory, and the inpatient wards. There is protected time for didactic conferences specifically tailored to the education of the residents, which include core curriculum lectures, case management teleconference with other sites, morbidity and mortality conferences, research meetings, inflammatory bowel disease conference, colorectal cancer case management conference, grand rounds, visiting professor conferences, and journal club.

Residents are required to perform at least one clinical research project during the year, with the expectation that the abstract from this work will be submitted for consideration of presentation at a peer-reviewed national/international meeting, and the manuscript submitted for consideration of publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Research topics are formulated and faculty mentors identified via group discussion with the residents, faculty and faculty member in charge of departmental research.

The faculty work closely with the residents on a daily basis as virtually all patient care involves the residents. All educational activities are directed toward the residents. We are constantly striving to improve the educational environment for the residents.

The curriculum has been carefully designed to provide an excellent clinical, didactic, and research experience for the colon and rectal surgery resident, without negatively impacting the experience for the general surgical residents. Because of the high volume of colon and rectal surgery patients cared for, and the relatively small number of general surgery chief residents, there have not been any conflicts between the two specialties. Colorectal residents and general surgery chief/senior residents do not have primary responsibility for the same patients.

The faculties are committed to create and maintain a vibrant, first-rate colon and rectal surgery residency program that provides excellent clinical education, stimulates critical thinking and spurs further research in colorectal disease.

The department offers an ACGME-approved, one-year residency in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the PGY-6 level. Two positions are offered each year. Requirements include completion of an ACGME-approved General Surgery residency and completion of an electronic application. Applications are reviewed after a complete application has been filed including the required supporting documents. Applicants selected for an interview will be offered personal interviews on dates to be determined during the months of September and October. Positions are determined through the National Resident Match Program. Applications can be completed through www.aamc.org/eras.

Any questions should be directed to Jean Marie Fraser.