Residency GuideBooklet 12-11-13

8/16/2019 Residency GuideBooklet 12-11-13

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Surgery ResidencyApplication Guidebook


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Acknowledgements

Managing Editors:Jennifer Chung, Jay Lee, Dr. Michael Englesbe

Contributors:Megan Beems, Jennifer Chung, Anna Eliassen, Stephanie Kingman, Scott Kizy, Jay Lee,

Linda Ma, Arin Madenci, Sarah Ponto, David Ranney

2013, Edition 1

Surgery ResidencyApplication Guidebook


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Introduction

At the end of a four year medical school career, it comes down to this -

doing everything in your power to find the best training programs for you

and to maximize your chances of matching at one of those programs. At the end of the day, this is an imperfect science and each of us have only

gone through this process once (thankfully). This book is a compilation

of advice regarding the match process, and represents our best

efforts to provide you with a reliable source of information specific to

students interested in matching in general surgery (and general surgery

subspecialty integrated programs). We fully acknowledge that there are

many ways to go about this process and we have not attempted to coverevery possible scenario, but rather to provide some guiding principles

and suggested approaches. We wish you the best of luck as you embark

on the Interview Trail and much success when all is said and done!


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Table of Contents

Introduction

Critical Dates in the Application Process ............................................1

Pre-Interview Period:

Finding Mentors ......................................................................................2

ERAS Components ...................................................................................5

Choosing Letter Writers .........................................................................7

Choosing General Surgery Residency Programs ..............................8

Scheduling Interviews ...........................................................................9

What To Do If You’re Not Getting Interview Offers ..........................12

On the Interview Trail:

Getting to Your Interviews - Planning Logistics................................14

Preparing for Interviews ......................................................................16

Interview Day Strategy ........................................................................20

Evaluating Programs ............................................................................22

Thank You Notes ...................................................................................24

Post-Interview Period:

Making your Rank Order List ..............................................................26

Closing the Deal ....................................................................................28

Applying to Integrated Programs .......................................................34Appendices

Sample Application Materials .............................................................37

Sample ERAS-format CVs.....................................................................38

Sample Personal Statements ..............................................................69

Sample Couple’s Match Interview Tracking Spreadsheet .............75


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PRE-INTERVIEW PERIOD


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Michigan Surgery Residency Application Guidebook

1

Critical Dates in the Application Cycle

July 1: ERAS opens – first day you can access the system andbegin filling out your application

September 15: ERAS submission begins – first day youcan submit applications; first day programs can downloadapplications from ERAS

September 15 – 30: A handful of programs begin invitingapplicants for interviews

October 1: Dean’s letter (MSPE) is sent to programs. Majorityof programs begin sending interview invites AFTER they have

received the Dean’s letter.

October 15: Application deadline for a small number of programs

October 24 – 31: A small number of programs hold their firstinterviews during the last week of October

November 1: Application deadline for the vast majority ofprograms

November – January: Vast majority of programs hold theirinterviews during these 3 months

First Three Weeks of February: Faculty meet to rank applicants

3rd Week of February: Rank list due for applicants and programs

2nd Week of March: Match status (matched/unmatched)

released to applicants. Unmatched applicants participatein SOAP (scramble) to secure open positions or preliminary

positions. Specific placement (which program) revealed five

days later on Match Day.

Mid-June: Intern orientation starts for most programs


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Finding Mentors

How to Find Mentors

The process of applying, interviewing, and finally choosing a residency program

is one with many nuances and high stakes. Luckily, you are surrounded bypeople who have gone through the process before you and who have helped

generations of students through it all. Good mentors are a powerful resource

that you should utilize to set you up for success. Ideally you should aim to seek

out and maintain relationships with

mentors in many different professional

stages (resident, full professor,

people in different administrative and

leadership roles, etc.) and who canspeak to different aspects of who you

are and eventually hope to become. As

the mentee, you play a crucial role in

directing and managing the relationship

with your mentor. In order to best utilize

each mentor’s strengths, you should

have a general idea of what eachmentor has to offer and have some

understanding of their background

and biases. Do your homework and be

familiar with where your mentor has

trained, worked, what kind of research

they do, with what other non-clinical activities they are involved, etc. Below are

examples of people you can and should reach out to for advice and the kind of

advice that each might be able to offer:

• Surgery Clerkship directors: Be in communication with them often andearly on in the process. They have lots of experience and advice to offer

and it will be to your advantage to establish familiarity and a good working

relationship. They can offer realistic advice about choosing programs to

apply to considering your credentials, making your rank list, finding other

mentors, etc.

Main Points:

• Have multiple mentors at

different points in theircareer path

• Understand each mentor’s

role and background

and use their knowledge

and advice accordingly

• Consult your mentors

frequently; they are your

best resource!


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• Surgery Residents: Great first-line of advice for the nuts and bolts of the interview season. You can ask about their experiences with specific

programs’ interview days, how they evaluated the programs they saw,

their decision-making process, how to prepare for interviews, etc. Keep in

mind that they have a limited sample size from which to draw some of theirimpressions

• Junior Faculty: Often they will have a good sense of the current status ofresidency programs, recent changes in training paradigms (work hours and

the shift toward early specialization), and have contacts with faculty and

program directors at other programs

• Letter Writers: Ideally your letter writers are faculty who know you welland have worked closely with you. However, they often will also be more

senior faculty and you should be prepared to present a fairly polished front

when meeting with them. This means having an updated CV about which

you should be able to provide more information when asked, a personal

statement that has gone through at least a few iterations and is not in a first-

draft form, and at least a vague idea of what your future interests clinically

and academically might be. Your letter writers will often not be people towhom you will send emails about minor questions, but from whom you can

elicit opinions re: your list of programs, your rank list, and who may be willing

to make calls or reach out to people at programs that you are especially

interested in when interviews are all done

• Residents at other Programs: Any residents at other programs to whom youhave personal connections or who are U of M alumni should be considered

as good sources of inside information. Emailing before or after an interview to solicit advice or honest opinions about things you feel you might not have

gotten an accurate picture of during the interview is reasonable. However,

remember that their allegiance may be at least partially to their program

so you should be reserved and tactful in sharing your opinions of different

programs with them

• Alumni: Use your U of M connections! Faculty and fellows who are alumni

of programs where you are interviewing are usually happy to share theirperspectives. Recent medical school grads and residents who are now at

different institutions are also great resources.


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• Senior faculty: Senior faculty have a great historical perspective onprograms and can assess a program’s stability over the years. They will also

often be familiar with the program directors, chairperson and other senior

faculty at other institutions. However, it is important to note that residency

programs can change rather quickly, and reputation and rumor often lagsbehind the real-time changes that a program might be going through. Thus,

the importance of getting multiple points of view and double checking your

facts

• Surgery Chairperson: At some medical school all students applying ingeneral surgery will meet with the chairperson at least once and will get

a letter of recommendation. It is important to be prepared at this meeting

because it is your chance to make an impression and to communicate the

things that you think make you a unique and outstanding candidate and that

you hope will be highlighted in the letter. Think about your future goals, your

motivations for pursuing a career in surgery, and be able to verbalize a few

key characteristics that you want all the programs to know about you

Approaching Mentors: Be prepared to provide an updated copy of your CV,

personal statement, and to provide any additional information that you think ispertinent to the advice you hope to elicit. For each mentor that your approach,

your familiarity with their background will help you to direct questions that will

make them draw upon their experiences and share their insight on particular

topics of interest


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ERAS Components What’s in the ERAS?: • 3-4 letters of recommendation (includes Chairman’s letter but not the

Dean’s letter)

• CV - activities/awards/publications/etc. - will be entered into an onlineformat

• Personal statement

• List of programs to which you are applying

With each of the ERAS components (personal statement, CV, letters), it really,

really helps to start early. Having your draft CV and PS (even if in a rough, but

presentable draft form) ready for your Dean’s letter writer and other letter writ-

ers will synergistically help make each item more compelling.

Personal StatementFor most people, this is the most difficult part of your application. In general,

you want to fly under the radar by writing something compelling but relatively

bland. The goal is to have a personal statement that is solid. Many of your inter-

viewers may merely skim it for red flags or interesting things to talk to you about

(remember: anything you put in your CV/PS is fair game for your interviewer to

bring up). Cater to the skimmers and write something simple. In order to accom-plish this, the single best thing you can do is just sit down for a couple hours

and write something – anything – and do it early. Doing so will allow you to get

feedback from your letter writers, who probably are or have been interviewers

themselves and know what makes for a solid personal statement.

LettersGive each of your letter writers as much notice as you can to get their letters

in for you (> 2 weeks, if possible), but also give a hard deadline that is severalweeks before you want to submit your ERAS. Many surgeons are procrastina-

tors. Remember to always be extremely cordial with your reminders. At this

point, there may not be much choice in choosing your letter writers, but – as ev-

eryone will tell you – choose surgeons who have worked with you clinically and

ask each if he or she would be able write you an “excellent” or “very strong”

letter. When you email each letter writer, it is often best to set up a physical

meeting to discuss writing your letter and to provide a copy of your CV and PS.Again, giving each writer your CV and PS forces you to get several rounds of

feedback on each item. Additionally, they have more information to highlight in

their letter.


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CVThere are two forms of your CV that you need. First, a CV that you can give to

letter writers to facilitate their writing awesome letters. Second, your CV in

ERAS form. For the latter, just like on the medical school application, you have

a couple lines (~1000 characters) to explain each activity. As you would expect,

be yourself, tell a cohesive story, etc. If available in your Surgery Education

Office, it is extremely helpful to look at examples of previous applications (a few

examples are included in the Appendix). Don’t plagiarize, but use this to find the

appropriate tone, key things to mention, etc. Also, seeing the experiences of the

classes before you will likely jog your memory and remind you of experiences/

awards you received but may have forgotten about. Like your personal state-

ment, start now and sit down and write a CV, then revise, revise, revise afterhaving your advisors look it over.


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Choosing Letter W riters

Surgery Faculty from ThirdYear Ideally, you have stayed in touch with one or two

surgery faculty whom you met during your 3rd year

rotations. C lerkship facilitators are often a good

source, because you have met with them outside ofregular clinical duties and medical student

education is important to them. Try to meet as early

as possible with these surgeons so that your third

year is fresh in their minds.

Other Faculty from ThirdYear I would not recommend including letters from

faculty in other disciplines besides surgery. The only

exception would be if you have done extensive

research with that physician. Many residencyinterviewers appreciate letters from their friends

and other names they recognize. Plus, a surgeon

knows the attributes someone needs to excel in the

field and can best highlight those in a letter.

Research M entorsVery important, especially at academic residency

programs. Instead of just focusing on your clinical

acumen, these letters emphasize a different skill set

that will be important in the future. Moreover, youwill probably have spent more time with these

faculty, so they truly know you better and can write

more anecdotally.

Surgery Faculty from 4thYear The majority of letters will often be from this group.

Sub-Is in May, June, and July are ideal. It is best to

request a letter right after working with someone,

so they can best remember your performance. Youhave learned a lot during your 3rd year and can really

shine during these rotations, giving faculty a lot of

good things to write about.

C hairman’s Letter

Some medical schools will include a letter from

the C hairman of Surgery for all students

applying in general surgery and will set up a

meeting for each student. Be prepared for this

meeting as it may be your first and only chanceto make an impression and communicate things

you’d like highlighted in that letter.

How to Pick Specific Faculty 1. Pick faculty whom you have spent the most

time with and who know you best.

2. Letters from full professors as opposed to

associate or assistant professors may carry

slightly more weight. Letters from faculty whoare well known nationally in their field may also

carry more weight.

3. Pick faculty who can highlight your different

strengths: research vs. technical skills vs.

patient management, etc.

4. Ask for letters with the phrase: “Can you write a

strong letter of recommendation for me?”

5. Try to ask for letters in person with a copy of

your CV, personal statement, and list of

programs. You can also solicit advice about

programs and your personal statement at thethat time

6. Send faculty thank-you notes after they submit

your letters to ERAS

7. Faculty write letters every year, so they know to

expect requests. Try to give as much lead time

as possible and follow up with polite reminder

emails as necessary

ERAS RequirementsA. You can store as many letters as you want in

ERAS, but you cannot send more than 4 to any

one program.

B. “Finalize” each potential letter writer in ERAS

and print a cover sheet before asking for a letter.

“Finalizing” just creates a slot for the LOR to beuploaded and does not mean you have to send

out that letter to programs.

C. ERAS allows you to send different letters to

different programs, which is ideal if you’re

applying to both General Surgery and

subspecialty programs.

D. Although it is possible for letters to be uploaded

after submission of your ERAS application, try

to avoid this. Ask early!


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C hoosing General Surgery Residency Programs

Academic or C ommunity HospitalsLarge academic centers are usually best-suited for those with a robust interest in research and/or other

academic interests outside of a clinical career in surgery. Many academic programs require at least 2 years of

research time during residency while other programs offer optional time for academic development; theseprograms vary from 5-7 years in length. Programs require a certain number of graduating residents each year,

so there is the possibility that you may not be able to complete research or may haveto complete research

depending on other residents’ plans if the research time is optional, as the number of residents doing research

will vary from year to year. C ommunity programs are usually more clinically focused, may have higher case

volumes, and are usually 5 years of clinical training.

Geographic RestrictionsDo you want to live in a big city, near family, or only on the East C oast? Where is the nearest airport and

how expensive are tickets? You have to live there for 5-7 years, so truly try to imagine your everyday life

there. Many of the top programs have similar clinical and research opportunities, so location really

separates them.

Resident SuggestionsResidents are great sources of information because they have interviewed recently at many of

the programs to which you will apply and may have friends at other institutions. If you hear a

program recommended over and over again, it’s probably worth applying to.

Faculty/M entor SuggestionsFaculty can offer good insight into programs’ reputations. Junior faculty mentors are an ideal

starting point as they are far enough along in their careers to understand some of the pros and cons

of different training paradigms and close enough to the residency process to know about more

recent changes in program characteristics and reputations. Senior faculty have a great deal of

experience to draw from, but their knowledge of programs may be dated, depending on how

closely they follow current events. U sually the Chairman, Program Director and other faculty with

medical education backgrounds are some of the best sources of information because they stay

abreast of new developments and resident education at institutions. The key is to solicit

suggestions from multiple sources and to find where the consensus lies.

Specific Program C haracteristics to Consider1. Research faculty/projects or multidisciplinary research centers that correlate with

your interests/expertise

2. Quality of fellowship programs that residents match into

3. Prominence of particular department of interest

4. Reputation for collegiality vs. hierarchical environment

Main Points:1. Apply to 20-25 programs

2. Include both “dream” and “back-up” programs

3. Talk to many people to solicit advice and suggestions


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Scheduling Interviews

GENERAL RULES:

1. Initiate communication early – Whatever the reason, it’s in your best

interest to initiate communication with programs ASAP. When scheduling or

rescheduling interviews, spots fill up very quickly, so prompt communication

will maximize your chances of getting the dates you want. When cancelling

interviews, an early response will ensure the program has enough time to

offer your spot to another applicant.

2. Be courteous – A program’s surgery education office is responsible for

scheduling and rescheduling interviews. They are the gatekeepers. If you

come off as even slightly rude, they can make your life very difficult. Be

courteous, even if the person you’re talking to isn’t, and you’ll be much more

likely to get your way.

Before Interview Invitations are Sent:

• Make a calendar of all potential interview dates of programs you are

applying. These are often found the program’s website, although some will

not have them posted.

• Once you get an invitation, you can quickly browse through the potential

dates of other programs to minimize clashing and to try to schedule

programs in the same city together

• Invitations are sent by email, and spots ll up very quickly. Check your

email frequently, or you may miss out. Smart phones with “push”

notifications for email are very helpful. “Push” means your phone goes off

whenever you get a new email (you don’t have to manually check it.

• Shameless plug for Apple: If you have an iPhone, you can add noreply@

eraspod.aamc.org to your “VIP” email list and set it so that you get

whatever alert you want when you get an email from them (eg. text, loud

obnoxious alarm etc.)


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Accepting Invitations:

• Respond ASAP – spots ll up very quickly

• Email is the best medium unless directed otherwise • Read the invitation carefully before responding. It often asks for specic

information in your reply

Example: Accepting Invitation by Email

Hello ___________,

Thank you very much for the invitation. I was hoping to interview

on December 4-5 if that session is still available.

[invitation specically requested the following information:]My specic areas of interest are Vascular, Transplant, and

General Surgery. Please let me know if you need any further

information from me.

Thanks again for the invitation. I very much look forward to

interviewing at [program name].

Best,

____________


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Cancelling/Rescheduling/Declining Interviews:

• Don’t worry – programs expect some applicants will cancel/reschedule, so

they are usually forgiving

• Being courteous and professional is of particular importance. Lack of

gratitude when cancelling interviews will burn bridges. • Whenever possible, notify the program AT LEAST 2 WEEKS in advance so

they can reschedule you or offer your spot to another applicant

• If you cancel/reschedule on short notice (< 2 weeks), you need to have a

convincing reason (death in family, severe illness)

• If you cancel/reschedule ahead of time (> 2 weeks), you do not need to give

a specific reason

Example: Cancelling Interview by Email > 2 weeks ahead of timeHi _____________,

My name is ________ and I am currently scheduled to interview

at [program name] on January 12th. Unfortunately, I will have

to cancel my visit. I am very sorry that I will not be able to

make it. Please convey my sincerest apologies to Dr. [program

director].

Thank you again for the invitation. I sincerely regret having

to cancel my visit.

Best,

________________

Example: Rescheduling Interview by Email > 2 weeks ahead of time

Hi _____________,

Thank you very much for the conrmation. I was wondering if it

would be possible to reschedule my interview for December 15th.

December 8th would also work for me.

I understand that a limited number of candidates are

interviewed on each date, and would be happy to keep my

previously scheduled date (Jan 5th) if this is not possible.

Thanks so much. I very much look forward to interviewing at

[program name].

Best,

________________


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What to Do If You’re Not Getting Interview Offers

Key Points • It’s OK to freak out: After that, take a deep breath, talk to your faculty

mentors, and take action

• When to Start Worrying: After the Dean’s letter is released on October 1st.

If you’ve only received a handful of interview offers in the first 2 weeks of

October, you may need to submit additional applications to less competitive

programs.

• Critical Timing: Application deadlines for most programs are October 15 or

November 1st. If you’re starting to worry and want to apply to more

programs, you need to do it before this.

• Remember: Programs offer interviews in several cycles, and applicants

can match to outstanding programs even when they are among the last to

be offered an interview

The Setup

You’ve submitted ERAS and all your letters are in. You’re waiting for interview

offers to arrive and….nothing. Alternatively, you’ve received some invitations,

but haven’t heard back from more competitive programs. Additionally, you

may know other applicants have already received invitations from these

programs.

Timing

Programs can begin downloading ERAS applications on September 15.

Most will wait until after the Dean’s letter is released on October 1 before

sending out invitations for interview. A few programs do issue interviews in

late September, but the majority of programs, especially the larger academic

institutions, send interview invites after the Dean’s letter is released

throughout the month of October.

Another important date to keep in mind is October 15 and November 1. These

are the most common application deadlines for the majority of programs.

If you haven’t received many offers in the first two weeks of October, it

is important to evaluate the need to take some extra steps. This includesworking with programs you have already applied to or applying to additional

programs.


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What You Should Do

1. Talk to your mentors. Bring a copy of your CV (board scores, clinicalgrades, research) and your current list of programs. If there are particular

programs you are interested in, ask if they have connections at those

programs or could connect you with faculty who do. Some faculty willdirectly offer to make phone calls on your behalf for interviews. Ask them if

you need to apply to a few less competitive programs.

2. For programs you have already applied to: Call/email the residencycoordinator, indicate who you are, express your strong interest in their

program and your hope for the opportunity to interview there. If you are

emailing, add a brief sentence with something specific about the programyou are interested in that also pertains to your own strengths/future

interests (e.g. if program is affiliated with large county hospital with lots of

trauma, mention you’ve had experience in trauma research).

3. For programs you are considering applying to: Call ahead to see if they arestill offering interviews. Once you have submitted your application, email

the residency coordinator to inform him/her that you’ve just submitted your

application and express a specific interest in the program.


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ON THE INTERVIEW TRAIL


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Getting to Your Interviews - Planning Logistics

Once you’ve scheduled your interviews there is a good amount of planning

that is needed to help make the interview trail run smoothly, minimize stress

and help you get where you need to be on time.

The major logistic details that should be addressed before each interview:

1. Getting to the city where the interview is being held

a. Check the schedule for the interview day(s) and social event when

purchasing your tickets. Most programs will have a social event

(dinner or reception) the evening before the interviews and then a

day of interviews following, but there are many variations on this

theme. It is always a good idea to ask when the interview day of

ficially ends, before booking travel

2. Getting from the airport to your next stop, which is usually your hotel or

the social event.

a. There will be times when you will arrive without enough time to

stop by your hotel to drop off bags and change. Plan ahead and

have your outfit easily available so you can change at the airport

and head straight to the venue.

b. Map out how long it takes to get from the airport to your lodging soyou know your time constraints. If you rent a car, you can inquire

ahead of time about the parking situation both for the social event

and on interview day.

3. Getting from the social event to your lodging. You should have a plan for

how to get home after the event so you’re not stranded or stuck staying

later than you want at the event when you have an early day ahead on

interview day.

4. Interview Day: Getting from lodging to interview site. You will usuallyget information about meeting time and location for interview day at

the social event the night before, if not in advance via email. Make sure

you know how to get to the meeting place and know how long it will take

you to get there. If taking a cab, call the evening before and schedule a

pick-up. If walking, allot extra time if walking in heels. Aim to show up

10-15 minutes early.


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5. Interview site to next stop, either back to lodging or to the airport. Again,

plan ahead to determine if you have enough time to go back to your hotel,

pick up your bags and head to the airport. If not, you should

bring your bags with you to the interview day and make sure in advance

that there is a place to leave your belongings, and that the interview day

coordinator is expecting you to come with bags. You should leave yourself

extra time on interview day morning for this.

6. Finally, interview’s done and it’s off to the airport and then home or to

another interview. There may be times along the interview trail when you

will have back-to-back interviews and will be on the road for days to

weeks at a time without a stop back home. Plan and pack accordingly.

Remember to take into account changing time zones when planning

travel. If you check your bag, always carry on your suit in case your baggets lost.

Timing: It can be difficult to plan all these details because interview invitationswill roll in over a few weeks and you may find yourself with schedule conflicts.

Before you find yourself in this situation, you should have a rough idea of which

programs you would prioritize before others, so you feel comfortable cancel-

ling/rescheduling according to the interviews you want most. Some programs

will announce their interview dates and you can create a calendar of possible

interviews to see where potential scheduling conflicts will arise. When sched-

uling logistics, hotel reservations are a safe first step, granted that there are

no fees associated with cancelling or changing a reservation. Because most

airlines do charge a fee for changing tickets, you can wait to purchase tickets

until you are sure you will not run into any scheduling conflicts for a particular

date. Because most interviews do not take place during peak travel season, it

will usually not be difficult to find the flights needed, even when booked only 2-3weeks in advance.

TIPS:• Southwest Airlines: no fee for changing itineraries, free checked baggage

• Some schools may have an alumni network of people willing to host

interviewing students visiting their city

• Find a consistent way to keep all your interviews and travel scheduleorganized, and make sure to update it as you switch/cancel interview

dates


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Preparing for Interviews

The Highlights: • However you practice, make sure you practice and have answers to

commonly asked questions

• Go through your CV and make sure you can succinctly discuss eachaspect of it

• Approach the answer to every question as an opportunity to highlight a

unique aspect of yourself and of your application - be thoughtful,

demonstrate insight

• Get feedback from faculty

The Full Story:Congratulations, you have received your interview invitations, set the dates,

bought the plane tickets, and set up the lodging. It is now time to prepare for

your interviews. Fortunately, to have gotten to this point you have already

bypassed the first cut-off. Over 1000 students apply to each program and most

programs will interview less than 100. You have already made it to the program’s

short list. With that being said, the interview is a very important aspect of your

application and can make the difference between matching at your first choice

and falling lower down your list. Being properly prepared for your interview willallow you an opportunity to display your accomplishments and your personality.

Practicing for your InterviewsThe first step to prepare for your interviews is practicing. Students prefer

different methods to simulate interview situations. Mock interviews provide

a secure environment to practice interview techniques, body posture, eye

contact, as well as common interview questions. You can seek out mock

interview sessions with the school counselors/career advisors or practice witha colleague. Practicing with friends offers a relaxed environment to rehearse

different answers to common questions but lacks the professional opinion on

substance and style that other methods provide. Likely, the best option for a

mock interview is a faculty mentor. Schedule these mock interviews early and

be prepared to take constructive feedback to improve your interview skills.


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Along with mock interviews, being prepared for common questions can help

ease some of the tension involved with surgical interviews. Most students

found that outlining the answers to specific questions is beneficial. While

the outline provides the student a chance to think about a question, it also

maintains an answer’s sincerity in real interviews. Writing answers down

allows a student to work through the proper wording and grammar, but can also

come off as scripted in the interview.

Some Common questions include:Why did you choose to pursue general surgery?

Who are your role models and why?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

What do you look for in a program?

Why our program? Are you hoping to specialize?

Tell us about your research?

What are your hobbies outside of school?

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Why should we choose you?

What traits do you feel are important to succeed in surgery?

It is also important to think of answers to questions specific to your application.

For instance, if there is a specific deficiency in your application, you should be

ready to answer questions regarding that deficiency. Also be ready to describe

any and all aspects of your application. If you included a research project from

prior to medical school, you should be able to describe the project in detail in

your interview. Some interviews have ethical questions so it is important to

develop your own method to answer these types of questions. Think of ethical

scenarios you witnessed during med school and be prepared to discuss thereason you or your team acted in that manner.

Going into your interviews you should also know the assets of the programs at

which you are visiting. Most general surgery programs have good websites

which can provide you with the program’s mission statement, the basic

structure of the program, recent accomplishments of the faculty, research

opportunities, and recent graduate placement. Mentors can also help you by

pointing out a program’s strengths and weaknesses. Having this informationcan aid you in developing well thought-out questions for your interviews.

Gathering this information will also help later down the road when making your

rank list.


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Looking the PartIt is important to keep your clothing professional and conservative. This is not

the time to try out new fashion trends or hairstyles. Men should wear a black,

navy, or grey suit. The shirt should be a solid color, and should be matched to an

appropriate tie. Shoes should be black or brown. Hair should be clean-cut and

combed, and facial hair should be well trimmed. Women should wear dark pant

or skirt suits (with pantyhose!). Non-collared shirts are perfectly acceptable to

wear under your suit jacket. AgainNo low cut shirts or short skirts. In general,

hair longer than shoulder length should be tied. Remember, these interview

days are long and there usually is a tour of the facilities involved, so shoes

should be comfortable. Proper attire at the night-before resident meet-and-

greet events is also important, and ranges from casual to business casual. You

can email the residency coordinator prior to your interview to find out the dresscode. For men, it is usually appropriate to wear black or khaki pants with a

button-down dress shirt and for women a blouse/cardigan with a skirt or slacks

is pretty standard.

Not only do the meet -and-greet events provide a great opportunity for the

residents of the program to get to know you, it also provides the interviewee

an important opportunity to discover the personality of a program. While these

events are normally not absolutely essential, it is always recommended thatyou attend. These events are usually only for residents and interviewees,

however, as mentioned above, faculty may attend at some programs. These

events are usually billed as a relaxed environment to get to know the program’s

residents, but it is important to remember that most programs will seek

feedback from residents following the event. With this in mind remember to

remain professional. Alcoholic beverages are supplied at most of these events,

and while the residents may drink more heavily, keep yourself to a maximum of1-2 drinks. Every year there are embarrassing stories of applicants drinking too

much at these events, and these stories can easily spread to other programs.

Finally, here are some tips to remember when going into your interview. It is

important to be on time. This can be difficult as you may not know your way

around this new city. If you have time, try to find the hospital the day prior to

the interview. Make sure to leave with plenty of time in the morning and to ask

your hotel the easiest way to the hospital. At your interview, remember to benice to everyone you meet. Shake hands, say please and thank you, and smile.

You never know who is watching and who will offer an opinion regarding your

application.


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Once again, congratulations on obtaining your interviews. Preparing for

interviews will help you stand out as a lead contender for the residency

positions. Utilize mock interviews, rehearse your answers to common

questions, and do your homework with regards to the programs at which you

are interviewing. Dress professionally and conservatively. Enjoy your time at

the night-before event, be on time, and, finally, remain cordial and friendly

throughout your interview. Although this can be stressful, remember that this is

an exciting time where you get to meet surgical leaders throughout the country

and visit new cities across America. Have fun!


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Interview Day Strategies

What to bring to every interview:• Copies of your ERAS application, CV, research abstracts

o Interviewers will ask you specifics about your research experiences,

personal statement, or prior activities – it is always good to refresh

your memory! • Consider drafting responses to questions you are totally expecting and bring

this with you

o Ex. Why surgery? What was your most memorable case?

• Can just be bullet points, helpful to review while waiting for ights

Things to prepare for each program:• List of people you are interested in meeting during your visit

o Recent Grads – always good to get the inside storyo Faculty members with your research interests, specialty choice

o Chairs, Program Directors, etc. – Make a list of names and

specialties

• List of the reasons you were interested in the program in the rst place

o You will frequently be asked why you wanted to apply or join the program

• Include specic research interests, strong clinical experiences,

global health, etc. o If you went to the night before, comment on what impressed you about

their residents

• List of questions to ask the program – For both residents and faculty

interviewers

o You will be asked “do you have any questions for me?” more times than

you can imagine

Pre-interview social event: • Expect to see primarily residents. This is your opportunity to see what kindof people the program likes to recruit.

• Make it goal-oriented. Establish specic goals and questions before

arriving. This will give you purpose and help direct you in case conversation

runs dry. Without this, you can easily end up wandering aimlessly and

appearing disinterested. Examples are below:

o Goals: Meet 1 intern (who you’ll be next year), 1 mid-level resident (what’s

transition like?), 1 research resident, 1 PGY-4 (who your chiefs will be),and 1 PGY-5 (what’s the finished product look like)

o Questions: where are you in your training, what specialty are you

interested in, where do you live, what’s the culture of the program like,

any advice for interviews tomorrow (this one can be surprisingly

valuable)


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Interviews:

• Pace yourself, interviews are nerve-wracking so take a breath to organize

your thoughts before answering questions

• Be condent in your responses, always answer questions honestly andsuccinctly

• Don’t be afraid to ask about things you are concerned about – research

funding, specific lab experiences, strength of individual departments

• Illegal questions happen, but an interview is a bad time to take a stand or

make a point!

• Give them whatever info you are comfortable with, but do not get upset

during the interview • You can address any concerns after you nish your interview with the

PD or coordinator

After Each Interview:

• Write notes about what you discussed with each interviewer, it is really

easy to fall out of this habit but it makes thank you notes so much easier/

faster

• You can easily plug a specic sentence about what you discussed, then they know you remembered the conversation

• Also write down any additional questions you thought of after your time

ended and mention them in your note

• Before leaving, ask the residency coordinator for emails/addresses if you

plan to send thank you notes

• Send the residency coordinator a thank you note!


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Evaluating ProgramsShort version:

• Pick criteria, apply them to all programs, expect them to evolve with time

• Keep a journal or spreadsheet and write down your impressions right

after each interview • Use both a qualitative (gut feeling) and a quantitative system (point

system) of evaluating programs

There is no consensus on rankings of the “best surgical programs” because

everyone’s criteria differ. In truth there are a large number of excellent

programs that will train you well as a surgeon. In evaluating programs you

should take into account all of the factors below, knowing that not all are

equally important to you in making your final decision. Take into account things

outside of just your clinical training - i.e. family, academic interests, health

policy, etc. Remember that although the interview is a time for you to sell

yourself to programs, it is also the time when you should be critically evaluating

the programs to make sure they are right for you.


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FACTOR THINGS TO CONSIDER

Location Close to family, friends? Cost of living? Will you enjoy living in this place for 5-7 years?

Social event Was there good resident turn out? Did the residents seem to genuinely like each other

and get along well?

Residents Were the residents fun, interesting, people you could see yourself working with? Are the

residents happy? Can they name specific things about the program that they like?

Physician extenders Is there good support from PAs, NPs, etc. to help you with floor work so you can get to the OR even as an intern and PGY-2?

Program Director,

Chairman

Is the Program Director approachable, do the residents consider him/her to be a good

advocate for residents? Is the Chairman someone who prioritizes resident education and

training and who will keep the program on solid footing?

Didactic curricula What is the curriculum for ABSITE and general didactics? Is there a structured

curriculum for lap skills, surgical knowledge, or is it a do-it-yourself program?

Academic/Professional

Development Time

Many academic centers will have the option or the requirement for residents to engage in

some sort of academic development period. Most often this will be for a 2 year period

after the PGY2 or 3 year. What are the resources available (salary/grant support), what

types of experiences are approved (additional degree programs, research, international

experiences, etc.) does the program have mentors that you would want to work with?Sites What other sites will you cover as a resident in addition to the main hospital? Is there a

VA or a city/county/community/private practice hospital experience? Often times you will

have much greater autonomy and higher case loads at training centers like a VA or

county hospital

Strength of specific depts.,

researchers

If you have a specific interest in a sub-specialty or academic topic, inquire as to the

resources and strength of those departments

Stability of program Have there been recent changes in leadership or impending changes that would disrupt

your training? Recent ACGME violations, probation status?

Culture What is the overall culture of the program? Soft and cuddly, malignant, work hard, play

hard, etc. Beware that many programs will have reputations that prove to be false. Make

your own determination after you see the program

Work hours compliance What measures have been put into place to achieve compliance - hiring of physician

extenders, night float, etc.? Are residents routinely working more than 80 hours and

pressured to underreport?

Benefits, vacation

schedule, salary

Not the most important things to base your decision on, but important to note and may say

something about the program’s philosophy

Fit An overall impression of whether or not the program’s structure, resources, people and

culture create an environment in which you think you can thrive


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PROS CONS

Handwritten

Demonstrates thought and attention-

to-detail

Time-consuming to write and deliver

Demonstrates thought and attention-

to-detail

Faculty rarely respond

Must write neatly

Email

Faculty who were impressed will often

reply and say this to you

Faster to write, instant delivery May be frowned upon by “old-

school” faculty or programs

Good if you have bad handwriting

Thank You Notes

When: ASAP – Same day or next day if possible. You want their impression ofyou to be fresh when they read the note.

Who:

For All Programs: Program director + all people who interviewed you (if thechair interviews any applicants, then he/she should get a thank you noteunder the assumption that he/she is fairly involved in the rank process)

If Particularly Impressed: Chair and interview coordinator

How:1. Be sincere, succinct, honest

2. Include specifics about your conversation with the person

3. Avoid being formulaic. Thank you notes are included in your file and can beread by all faculty

4. Avoid specifics on where you’ll rank them (even late in the interview season)

5. Double-check everything (names, spelling/grammar). Errors will reflect

very poorly on you.

Why: Most programs expect to get one – not sending one demonstrates clearlack of interest.

Point: Even the most eloquent thank you note is unlikely to elevate theiropinion of you Counterpoint: A poorly-written, late, or non-existent thank you note CAN

worsen their opinion of you (ex: well-qualified candidate comes off as

arrogant)

Bottom Line: Write your notes carefully and promptly, but don’t slave awayover them

Handwritten vs. Email: Frequently debated point, but largely a matter ofpersonal preference. Doesn’t matter much in the end as long you as send awell-written note promptly.


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POST-INTERVIEW PERIOD


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Example: Thank You Note to Faculty/Resident Interviewer

Dear Dr. _________,

Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me during my

visit. I very much enjoyed hearing your perspective on how the

training for vascular surgery continues to evolve.

Throughout my visit, I was greatly impressed by the program’s

commitment to excellence in patient care and clinical training.

I was also particularly impressed by the residents and faculty.

Their camaraderie and dedication to fostering an outstanding

training experience truly set this program apart from others.

They are exactly the kind of people I hope to work with during

residency.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I was greatly

impressed by the program, and hope to receive strong consider-

ation for a residency position.

Sincerely,

_____________

Example: Thank You Note to Program Director

Dear Dr. __________,

I wanted to thank you again for inviting me to interview at [pro-

gram name]. I very much appreciated having the opportunity to

spend time with the residents currently rotating on the vascular

service.

During my visit, I was greatly impressed by the faculty and resi-

dents. Their collegiality and dedication to fostering an out-

standing training experience truly set [program name] apart from

other programs. They are exactly the kind of people I hope to

work with during residency, and I would consider myself very for-

tunate to have the opportunity to train at such an outstanding

program.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I was greatly

impressed by [program name], and hope to receive strong consider-

ation for a residency position.

Sincerely,

_____________


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Making Your Rank Order List

Everyone is going to have different criteria and reasons rank one place over

another, but beyond that single program or location that you may be banking on,

it can be challenging to feel completely confident about your ROL. Below is the

method I used to figure this all out. It is just one way, but it worked.

Before interviews: After all interview offers and cancellations have been made,

you will have a final list of programs. Go ahead and make a preliminary rank list

and tuck it away for later. For me this was based largely on reputation of the

programs.

During interviews: After you complete each interview and evaluate the pro-

gram, feel free to tweak your list. Some programs might drop quickly in yourlist while others rise to the surface. But treat it like a living document as you

complete interviews and evaluate programs.

After interviews: Congrats! Now it is time to really work on your list. At this

point I had done quite a bit of soul searching and had boiled down my method

for evaluating programs into a few critical elements that would guide my rank-

ing. For me, these were quality of program and reputation, opportunities in the

specialty I am pursuing, and quality of living (based on the lifestyle that matches

my personality).

Step 1: Immediately scratch off any program you do NOT want to train at.So ask yourself, “Worst case, would I rather match here for 5-7 years or

scramble/do a preliminary year?” - this is something that should be dis-

cussed with a mentor. The one caveat is please attempt to rank at least 10

programs on your final ROL. Stats show that every unit less than 10 further

reduces applicant chances of matching.

Step 2: Break your list into groups. My top group was first tier programs Iwould love to go to. The middle group was first tier programs that I kind of

liked or second tier programs that I really liked. And the bottom group was

second tier programs that I kind of liked or third tier programs that I really

liked. (Third tier programs that I did not like got scratched off the list in the

last step!). I ended up with 3, 4, and 3 programs in each group, respec-

tively. From here on, I only moved programs up and down within the same

group. Making progress!


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Step 3: Hash out the details. This was the hardest part for me—zoomingin and figuring out my true preferences. For each group, it might help to

make a separate ROL for each criterion you value. For example, make a list

based purely on location. Then one for quality of program. And so on. Youmight start to see some patterns or at least be able to solidify a few spots

on your list. Refer back to the criteria in the ‘Evaluating Programs’ chapter

for other factors that may be important to consider.

Step 4: Allow plenty of time! As soon as you can enter your rank list, DOIT and CERTIFY IT. Let it sink in for a few days and see how it feels. Then

make adjustments as your frame of mind evolves throughout the month

prior to the deadline. I also recommend getting early input from your stu-dent colleagues, mentors, letter writers, family, and advocates. Eventually

my list settled in and I became confident in my choices.

Step 5: Make sure your ROL is certified. It should say Certified ROL . You’llget a confirmation email and that is it. If you make any changes just hit the

certify button again. But please try to avoid making changes right before

the deadline. Stats show a high rate of regret among applicants who do

this. So give yourself the necessary time. After that, good luck!


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Closing the Deal

The Short Version:

• 3-4 weeks before your rank list is due:

o Settle on a preliminary rank list o Find faculty who will advocate for you at your #1 choice

o Send an email to program directors at your top 3-5 programs

• General rules to follow when communicating with programs:

o Never mislead a program about your rank list

o For your #1 program: tell them in no uncertain terms you’re ranking

them #1

o For everyone else: convey sincere interest, but no specifics onwhere they’re ranked

• When responding to messages from programs:

o Take everything with a grain of salt

o Be prompt, positive, and truthful

• Caveats:

o Not all programs send out emails, even to applicants they will be

ranking highly. Don’t get nervous if you don’t hear anything fromyour top-ranked programs

o Some programs may send out emails that overstate how highly

you will be ranked; never base a rank decision based on these

communications

Examples: • Example 1: Emails Sent to Top 3-5 Programs

• Example 2: Responding to Email from Program Director–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THE LONG VERSION

THE SETUP: You’ve made a preliminary rank list and identified your top choices

YOUR GOAL: Convince your top programs to rank you as highly as possible

THE PROGRAM’S GOAL: Convince their top applicants to rank them as highly aspossible

TIMING: Most programs make their rank list 1-3 weeks before it’s due. Makeyour move before this.


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The rules:

Rule #1: Follow the rules set by NRMP

• Programs can’t ask you specically about your rank list • You can’t ask programs where they’re ranking you

• Both parties ARE allowed to volunteer this information to each other

Rule #2: Never mislead a program about your rank list.

The most common example is telling multiple programs you ranked them #1. You

will not be able to hide from the truth once the match results are released. If a

program thinks you lied to them, you can forget about any future opportunities there (fellowship, faculty positions, etc).

Important Tangent: This rule also prohibits ambiguous statements such as “at the top of my list.” It is too easy to misinterpret this as ranking that program #1.

In addition, program directors weren’t born yesterday. Most will interpret “at

the top of my list” as NOT #1. If a program is not your #1 choice, sincerely state

your strong interest in the program, but avoid any specifics about where you

ranked them.Rule #3: Programs like applicants who like them

The reality: For most applicants, once interviews are finished, your positionon a program’s rank list probably will not change no matter what you do. That

being said, tactfully executed strategies can move you up on a program’s list,

and certainly will not hurt your chances.

What you can do: These steps need to be done 3-4 weeks before the rank list is

due

Ask faculty at your institution to advocate for you. General Surgery is a smallcommunity, so a trusted colleague advocating for an applicant has the most

potential to help. Reserve this for your #1 choice. When deciding whom to ask, the ideal faculty advocate should:

• Know you well and think highly of you

• Have a personal connection to the program director, chair, or institution • Be well-respected as a surgeon

Admittedly, it is difficult to find an advocate who meets all three criteria. That

being said, remember that any advocate who knows you well and thinks highlyof you has the potential to help.


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Send an email to the program director: Directly communicating your interest in the program is a crucial step (see Rule #3), although it is admittedly lower yield

than having faculty advocate for you. Think of it as a “box to check” for your top

3-5 programs. Emails need to be succinct and sincere (see Example 1). Specific

instructions are outlined below:

• For your #1 program: State in no uncertain terms that you are ranking

them #1

• For programs ranked #2-5: Sincerely state your strong interest in the

program, but avoid specifics about where that program is on your list. For

example, do not tell your #2 program they are “at the top” of your list (seeRule #2).

Responding to messages from programs: Programs will sometimes throw you abone. Typically, this happens after they have made their rank list. The program

director will contact you and tell you anything ranging from “we were very

impressed with you” to “you’re ranked to match.” Here are some pointers on

how to react to this:

• Take everything with a grain of salt. If a program is reaching out to you,you know they like you. The question is: how much ? Applicants tend torank programs more highly if they think they were well liked there.

Programs know this, and often tell many applicants (not just their top 10)

that they were “very impressed” with them.

• Respond promptly (within 24 hours). Delays in responding make youappear uninterested and leaves programs feeling slighted (see Rule #3).

If contacted by email, respond immediately. If contacted by phone, let itgo to voicemail first. Then, listen to the message, think about how you’d

like to respond, and then call them back.

• Be positive in your response. Even if that program isn’t in your top 3-5,you need to convey sincere interest in the program. If they ranked you

highly, you want to keep it that way in case you don’t match in your top3-5 (see Rule #3).

• Remember Rule #2. You should definitely tell your #1 program that you’reranking them #1. For everyone else, tell them you’re sincerely interested,

but avoid any specifics about where you are ranking them.


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Example 1: Emails Sent to Top 3-5 Programs:

Dear Dr. _________ (program director),

I hope this email nds you well. < I wanted to let you know thatI will be ranking ________ #1 on my rank list. > OR < Havingnished interviewing, I continue to be greatly impressed by __________. > The strength of clinical training and researchopportunities clearly set the program apart from others. It

would be an honor to have the opportunity to train at such an

outstanding program, and I hope to receive strong consideration

for a residency position.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I hope I willhave the opportunity to work with you in the near future.

Sincerely,

___________

Example 2: Responding to Email from Program Director

Email Sent From Program Director to 30+ Applicants (why you

should take everything with a grain of salt):

Dear ____________,

Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to visit us

in __________ and learn about our program. All the faculty and

residents were greatly impressed by you and your accomplishments.

We all thought you would be a great t for our program and could

do very well here. I hope you will seriously consider us for

your future surgical training. Feel free to contact me if you

have any questions about our program.

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving,

______________ (program director)


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Email Sent from Program Director with Reply (if program not ranked #1):

Dear ___________,

I wanted to thank you once again for your interest in ourprogram. All of us who met with you were thoroughly impressed

by you, and we would all be thrilled to have you become a part

of our program. I hope that we were able to convey to you our

eagerness and commitment to train and mentor you to become an

accomplished clinical surgeon and surgical scholar and to achieve

whatever goals you set for yourself.

We plan to rank you as one of our top ___ applicants, assuring

that you will match here if you choose to do so. If you shouldmatch elsewhere, we hope that you will consider us for future

fellowship training or faculty positions. We also hope that you

will keep us apprised of your progress, and that you will feel

free to contact us at anytime if we can be of assistance to you

in any way.

We wish you much success.

Sincerely yours,

____________ (program director)

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dear Dr. ______________ (program director),

Thank you very much for your message. I was greatly impressed byyour program during my visit. The strength of clinical training,

supportive culture, and breadth of research opportunities clearly

set ___________ apart from other programs. It would be an honor

to have the opportunity to train at such an outstanding program.

Sincerely,

___________


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Applying to Integrated Programs

There is a growing trend toward integrating general surgery residency and sub-

specialty training. Currently there are integrated training programs in plastic,

vascular and cardiothoracic surgery. As many of these integrated programs

are relatively new, few in number, and highly competitive, applicants to these

programs should take into account many specific considerations that differ

from applicants applying solely to general surgery programs. The decision to

apply to integrated programs and the approach to doing so is nuanced and

should be discussed with faculty mentors, but the brief guide below covers

some of the highlights.

Getting your application ready:

• TALK TO YOUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR to determine whether you will applyonly to integrated programs or whether you will apply to both integrated

and general surgery programs

• It is completely ok, and very common, to apply to general surgery

programs in addition to integrated programs; however, in this case you

should:

o Have two completely separate applications- one for your general

surgery and one for your integrated • This means SEPARATE personal statements

• If possible, have different sets of letters of recommendation

o For example, having 4 letters of recommendation all from

vascular surgeons looks suspicious to general surgery

programs

o It is helpful for your integrated LORs to have one from

the program director- but try not to include this one in your

general surgery application o On the other hand, having some general surgeon letters

in your integrated application will not hurt you (but it is

helpful to have some letters from faculty within your

integrated field)

• You should never apply to both the integrated program AND the

general surgery program within the same institution because

programs may see this and you will lose out in both • For your general surgery application, you will still need the Chair of

Surgery letter

o Err on the side of full disclosure and be completely honest during

your meeting with your Chair, letting him/her know you will be

applying to integrated programs.


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How to choose which and how many programs to apply to: • Again, review your resume with the program director of the integrated

program at your institution (if you have one) and the Chair so they can

gauge your competitiveness and give you advice tailored to you

• Always overapply and cast a wide net- interviews are very difcult toschedule, and especially with integrated programs they may only offer

one or two dates, so if you apply to 20 integrated and 20 general surgery

programs, you may only be able to schedule 16 integrated and 3 general

surgery…

Difficult scenarios during interview season: • Most integrated programs know you’re also applying to general surgery

programs, and many of them would say you would be crazy not to, so donot worry if they ask you about this, just BE HONEST

• If your general surgery application is suspicious for you having applied

to an integrated program (heavy vascular or CT research projects,

multiple letters of recommendation from vascular or CT attendings,

personal statement, etc), you WILL get asked about whether you also

applied to integrated programs

o If this happens, DO NOT LIE. Tell them the truth but follow with why

you decided to apply to general surgery programs too and use this as

an opportunity to mention why you applied to their program specifically

• The advice you will get about whether to disclose your application to

integrated programs up front during your general surgery interview

is mixed- however, in my experience, whenever I mentioned this to

general surgery programs, I felt disregarded for the rest of the interview

• Be ready to answer the question: “So, is general surgery your backup?”

o (The answer is NO, even if in your case it is…)


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On the interview trail: • You will be interviewing with the same 20-40 people at most places

o Making acquaintances/friends quickly will relieve the financial burden

of interviewing- share hotel rooms, cabs, etc.

o Make a google doc so that everyone can put their name, phone number,and where/when they are interviewing at specific places so that you

can contact them/make plans together

• NEVER say anything negative about any person or program, as this will

come back to you because the circle is so small (although you should

never do this anyway)

• HAVE FUN! Interviewing is awesome because you are networking with

great faculty across the country. Make a good impression regardless ofyour interest in the program because it really is a small world


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APPENDICES


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Sample Application Materials

The appended documents are samples of real application materials from

successfully-matched senior medical students and current residents. They

are a limited sample, but are meant to illustrate the spectrum of interests

and strengths that make a successful candidate. You will notice that some

applicants were especially strong in research, some in academics, and

others in leadership and extracurricular activities. There is no one prototype

for a general surgery applicant just as there is no one way to best train a

general surgery resident - every applicant and every program has its unique

characteristics, strengths and weaknesses; the point of the interview process

is to help you find the program that best fits you, and the goal of this guide is to

help you have the best chance of matching at that program.


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General Surgery Programs interviewed:

Michigan

UNCDuke - MATCHED

Johns Hopkins

UT Southwestern

Pittsburgh

Brigham and Women's

Northwestern

Mayo ClinicWash U / Barnes Jewish

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My first encounter with surgery occurred when I was in sixth grade. One

afternoon in February, I developed back pain that rapidly worsened over

the next several hours. My parents took me to the emergency room, where

a pediatric surgeon was consulted and brought up the possibility of

necrotizing fasciitis. Exploratory surgery confirmed the diagnosis.

Postoperatively, I developed septic shock and went back to the

operating room twice for further debridement and wound closure.Although I was only eleven at the time, the experience sparked my

interest in surgery. Later in college, as I considered pursuing a

career in medicine, I often thought of the doctor who had performed the

surgeries and managed my care. These efforts allowed me to make a

complete recovery. My family and I were able to return to our normal

lives. I wanted to have this kind of impact on the lives of others, and

that was my motivation for pursuing a career in medicine.

Once I entered medical school and began considering different

specialties, surgery seemed like a natural place to start. Not

surprisingly, I was initially drawn to how surgeons treated the mostcritically ill patients, and the potential impact they could make on

the lives of these patients and their families. During my clinical

rotations, I was also impressed by how surgeons took ownership of

patient care, from preoperative evaluation to performing surgery and

managing postoperative care. Having trained as an engineer during my

undergraduate studies, I was also drawn to the methodical, data-driven,

and results-oriented approach of surgery. The strongest impression,

however, was made after I reflected on the diversity of surgeries I had

scrubbed during my clinical rotations: laparoscopic appendectomies,

below-the-knee amputations, liver transplants, Whipple procedures.

General surgery was the only residency program that would provide me

with such a broad base of clinical training while allowing me to

visualize pathology with my own eyes and correct it with my own hands.

At this point, I already knew I wanted to work with critically ill

patients – now I knew this was the way I wanted to do it.

Throughout my clinical rotations and research, I found that my

undergraduate training in chemical engineering has been one of my

greatest strengths. It provided me with a strong foundation in

leveraging scientific fundamentals and statistics to objectively inform

decision-making. As with surgery, engineering was also team-based andresults-oriented with a focus on effective communication. From a

research perspective, I was able to utilize this foundation throughout

the research process, whether it was coordinating and training a team

of my peers to collect data, drafting manuscripts and responding to

reviewer feedback, or presenting findings at surgical conferences. I

look forward to continuing to build on this foundation at the next

level of training.

Looking towards the future, my goal is to become a specialized surgeon-

scientist at an academic center with an active role in clinical

practice, research, and teaching. Ultimately, I hope to make the most

of my career in surgery, whether it’s providing care to patients,

improving clinical practice through research, or training the next

generation of physicians.


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Department of Surgery

2110 Taubman Center

1500 E. Medical Center Dr.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Residency GuideBooklet 12-11-13

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Transcript of Residency GuideBooklet 12-11-13