Resident Curriculum and Educational Goals

There is a delicate balance in any surgical residency program between service, experience and education. The Wayne State University /Detroit Medical Center General Surgery Program offer an outstanding educational opportunity for residents. There is a vast amount of surgical knowledge and clinical practice to be learned in the five years. In addition to daily ward rounds and teaching rounds at all the hospitals, there are teaching conferences at each hospital and an overall teaching program specifically designed for core surgery residents.

Goal # 1– Increase general surgery residents’ clinical knowledge base of the six core competencies mandated by the Accreditation of Graduate Medical Education

Resident Competency Program

First year residents in the Department of Surgery are required to participate in the Resident Competency Program (RCP). The goal of the program is to provide educational training to surgical residents to promote the development of their skills in the areas of patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, communication, systems-based practice, and practice-based learning. These sessions are generally held on Friday mornings from 10:30a.m.-12Noon.

Goal # 2 – Increase residents overall knowledge of surgical basic science and clinical science.

Basic Science Reading Program: Required for PGY 1 and 2 Residents

The education process starts with a programmed reading of a surgical textbook. Sabiston's textbook of surgery along with O'Leary's Surgical Basic science textbooks are used for the reading program. This is required for all 1st and 2nd year residents. Thus, both of these books are read twice during the first two years. One day a week 1st and 2nd year residents are excused from their ward responsibilities to take a test on the assigned reading of the previous week. This test is then gone over in detail with a full-time faculty member to correct and highlight areas of misunderstandings. Controversial areas are especially noted and discussed. Scores are kept of these tests and the resident's progress is watched through the year. Thus, this is enforced reading. This is a very popular program with the residents and the results have been very positive as regards to the in-training examination.

Goal # 3 – Increase residents’ knowledge of critical care

Critical Care Reading Program: Required for PGY 3 Residents

The reading program is directed towards critical care. Organized programmed reading of Scientific American critical care medicine chapters are scheduled throughout the year on a weekly basis. Weekly tests and discussion are held with full time faculty members. The goal of this is to give the third year resident expertise in all aspects of critical care management

Goal # 4 – Residents review and interpret surgical literature

Read, Review and Interpret Medical Literature: PGY 4 and 5 Residents

Senior residents present at weekly program wide morbidity and mortality conferences. They present their complications and are expected to know the literature regarding not only the complication but also the surgery performed, etc. This requires detailed reading of the surgical literature and the senior resident becomes well versed because of this in the literature. Faculty of course is allowed to inquire of the chief resident aspects of the case that may be interesting to them. Junior residents are required to attend this conference but rely on their senior residents to present the cases.

Goal # 5 - Educate junior residents, senior residents and faculty on new and updated developments in surgery

Grand Rounds Conferences

After each Death and Complications session, which is held every Wednesday morning at Harper University Hospital, there is also a Grand Rounds Conference. Grand Rounds are scheduled throughout the academic year. The surgical faculty, visiting professors and chief residents participate in giving one hour presentations on a contemporary subject in general surgery. General Surgery residents are required to give a presentation on a topic of their choice. Also included in Grand Rounds, are lectureships sponsored by the Wayne State Surgical Society and the Alexander J. Walt lectureship in which nationally renowned surgeons lecture to residents, faculty and staff.

Goal # 6 – Residents are expected to stay current on a variety of surgical topics by reading the General Surgery publication listed below:

Selected Readings in General Surgery

The publication Selected Readings in General Surgery is produced on a monthly basis and has a good review of the literature in selected topic areas. Resident subscriptions to this publication are subsidized on a 50% basis as this publication is held in high regard by the surgical faculty.

Goal #7 – Reinforce clinical expertise, clinical decision-making and clinical care to all levels of surgery residents through educational conferences

Hospital Conferences

Residents receive a variety of educational conferences at each rotation. Below is a list of hospitals that offer educational conferences for surgical residents:
• Wayne State University Department of Surgery
• Harper University Hospital
• Detroit Receiving Hospital
• Sinai-Grace Hospital
• John Dingell Veterans Administration Hospital
• Children’s Hospital of Michigan
• Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center

Goal # 8 – Enhance academic and clinical research skills of surgical residents.
Research Rotation:

General surgery residents have an option to enroll in a research rotation. Residents who participate in research conduct clinical lab and basic science experiments to enhance the knowledge base and clinical outcomes in surgical care.

Goal # 9 – Assess the medical surgical knowledge and clinical competence of all surgical residents through a written examination

American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE)

The yearly in-training examination is held in January as it is in all training programs across the country. The in-training examination is watched closely by the program director to identify residents who may need more concentrated study and more organized reading. Residents who have inadequate scores on the in-training examination will be matched with a faculty mentor to guide them in their study in hopes of raising performance on the in-training examination and surgical boards.

Goal 10 # – Assess the medical knowledge and clinical competence of senior residents through an oral examination

Mock Orals

All senior residents are required to participate in a simulated Mock Oral examination with a panel of surgical faculty.