(NRMP #1903440P0) The preliminary program is designed to develop judgment, skill and knowledge in the management of problems in all fields of surgery. Typically, a resident will be assigned to rotate through 10 months of general surgery and two months of electives which are planned to meet the needs of each resident. Each resident is expected to participate in the program’s research week activities.
(NRMP #1903440C0) There are five categorical positions in the five year General Surgery program. First Three Years: General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Transplantation, Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery, Anesthesiology, Trauma Surgery, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery. Fourth Year: Thoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Colorectal Surgery including Endoscopy, Trauma, General Surgery. Some of these rotations might occur at other institutions like University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Children's Hospital of Alabama and DCH Health System in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Fifth Year: During this year, the chief resident is responsible for managing the staff services and the outpatient referral clinics at Princeton Baptist Medical Center and Grandview Medical Center along with managing several general surgical rotations.
Each hospital conducts surgical conferences including morbidity and mortality conference and regular didactic teaching sessions. Additional conferences in medicine, pathology, radiology and pharmacology are held regularly at each hospital. Regular multidisciplinary conferences, such as tumor board, are also available. Excellent library facilities available at both locations include computer access to literature searches and other online programs. Computers are designated for resident use at both hospitals. A supervised journal club meets regularly. Residents are expected to complete a clinical or basic research project for publication. Hours for full-time research may be assigned, and limited funding is available. Numerous opportunities are available for successful completion of research projects within the time constraints of the residency program with assistance provided on an as-needed basis. Residents are encouraged to present their findings at local, regional or national meetings, and support is available for such presentations. Attendance at surgical meetings or courses may be available when approved by the program director.
A variety of allied health students from local educational institutions rotate regularly to Brookwood Baptist Health for clinical experience. Other programs at BBH include medical student clerkships and electives, Emergency Medicine Fellowship, Pharmacy Residency, Auburn University and Samford University pharmacy student training, and Health Care Administration Residency.

 

 

Throughout the training program, residents have close relationships with the clinical faculty in both general surgery and the surgical specialties. On several services, a preceptor style of instruction allows direct contact between junior residents and faculty members. Most of the preceptors are experienced teachers and are a valuable resource for the residents. On larger services, senior and junior residents work together in teams. As experience increases, residents are given increasing responsibility for management of patients. We expect this graded responsibility to produce surgeons who are technically proficient, knowledgeable and highly competent in pre- and post-operative care, and are able to relate to patients in a compassionate, effective and responsible manner.

Training is provided primarily at Princeton Baptist Medical Center and Grandview Medical Center, which have a total of 877 beds. More than 16,000 major operations and 11,000 minor and ambulatory surgeries are performed each year. Each resident generally averages six-months at each facility. In addition to the chief resident’s staff service at each hospital, residents are assigned to two or more private services depending on case loads and training requirements. Pediatric surgery experience is obtained at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Transplantation and trauma experience is gained at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Trauma experience is also obtained at DCH Hospital located in Tuscaloosa, AL. A regular schedule of conferences and bedside teaching by experienced faculty members are regular parts of the weekly program. Basic science conferences are also held regularly throughout the year. The Brookwood Baptist Health (BBH) General Surgery Program adheres to ACGME duty hours policies.

Evaluation of residents is a continuing process, which includes reports from all preceptors, periodic reviews by the teaching faculty at each hospital, and evaluations during conferences and teaching rounds. Residents are counseled regularly. The American Board of Surgery in-training examination is given annually. Residents evaluate attending physicians and the clinical experience for ongoing program improvements.

Residents receive a rich, operative experience at Brookwood Baptist Health. Evidence of this is seen as residents enter their cases in the ACGME case log system. The graduating chiefs can expect to participate in more than 1100 cases throughout their five years.