Teaching Conferences

A broad range of hospital conferences covering the entire medical spectrum are available to the residents. All surgery residents are required to attend the following regularly scheduled surgical conferences:

1. Morbidity/Mortality Conference
2. Basic Science Conference
3. Anatomy Conference
4. Selected Surgical Readings Conference
5. The Research Methods and The Research Works in Progress/Critical Evaluation of Literature Conference.

The conferences, with their assigned readings, form a surgical curriculum providing surgery residents with exposure to the entire breadth of literature on general surgery. These conferences are offered during “Protected Time” and residents are excused from all other duties during scheduled conferences.

The Anatomy Conference includes a formal course in anatomy with cadaver dissection, supervised by a professor of anatomy from the University of Washington. This conference is offered yearly during the fall. The Basic Science Conference runs annually from July through June with a series of experts on topics such as cardiac care, fluid and electrolyte management, respiratory physiology and therapy, etc. The Selected Readings Conference is given monthly throughout the academic year and is based in part on the selected readings program provided by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and in part on a major surgical textbook. A subscription to the Selected Readings articles is provided to all of the general surgery residents. Additionally, each resident is provided with Current Surgical Therapy by Cameron and a personal textbook allowance.

Other conferences within the medical center include the following:

DIDACTIC CONFERENCES
2006-2007 ACADEMIC YEAR

Externship
An externship/sub-internship experience is offered to qualified fourth-year medical students. This experience is not essential to appointment as an intern. For more on the externship program, click here.

Post-Residency Training and Goals of Residents
In recent years, approximately 68% percent of the chief residents have chosen to enter post-residency fellowships in one or another surgical field, including cardiac, thoracic, vascular, plastic and colorectal surgery. All have obtained excellent appointments in university-based programs. Swedish does not offer post-residency fellowships.  All of the program graduates have entered the clinical practice of surgery.

Surgical Sub-Specialty Experience
Experience in sub-surgical specialties is normally limited to the first and second years of training and is intended to provide general familiarity with the problems and conditions seen, and the techniques and therapies used, in treatment within the specialty. The responsibility for instruction in these areas lies with the staff of the specialty service. Surgical residents are assigned to and work with the specialty surgeons on those services.

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