Residency Program - Curriculum
PGY-1
During the first year, residents will encounter a broad range of learning challenges focusing on outpatient, emergent and elective care, preoperative evaluation and post-operative care. Early operative experience is the norm. Rotational experiences include general surgery, vascular surgery, trauma, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, and anesthesiology.
PGY-2
The second year is designed to further broaden the resident’s experience in surgery and surgical subspecialties. Rotations include general surgery, trauma, surgical critical care, vascular/transplant, urology, cardiothoracic surgery, and surgical oncology.
Elective Research Year
One resident after the PGY-2 year will be offered the opportunity to spend a year doing investigative work. At the end of the year, that resident will reenter the clinical cycle at the PGY-3 level. Residents pursuing an academic career through fellowships have found this year extremely useful and productive.
PGY-3
The third year resident has further experience in general surgery, trauma, vascular/transplant, surgical critical care, as well as elective time and a gynecological surgery rotation.
PGY-4
Senior residents rotate in three month blocks of time in the fields of pediatric surgery, trauma, cardiothoracic, and general surgery. They are expected to “run” their services during this year. A rotation at a non-urban hospital is expected to familiarize the resident with practice in smaller communities and to provide a wide diversity of experience.
PGY-5
The chief resident year is devoted to the major components of general surgery. Chief residents serve nine months as chief on the three general surgery services and three months as chief on the vascular service. In addition, they participate in hospital and departmental governance, assist in administering the program (call, rotational, and vacation scheduling) and provide leadership in running the conference curriculum and visiting professor schedule.
All rotations take place within the University of Tennessee Medical Center except gynecology (St. Mary’s Medical Center), pediatric surgery (Children's Hospital), and the rural hospital experience (Morristown-Hamblen Hospital). The elective month may be spent at another institution.
The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine
Department of Surgery
1924 Alcoa Highway, Box U-11
Knoxville, Tennessee 37920-6999
(865) 305-9230
(800) 596-7249
FAX (865) 305-8894