Clinical Experience

The clinical training at the University of Washington can be matched at a handful of programs, but not exceeded! The ‘UW surgical product’ even after just one training year is well known and highly regarded around the country. Our Preliminary Surgery graduates are routinely leaders in their residency programs.

We provide graduated responsibility with appropriate supervision in a collegial and supportive environment, designed to produce the highest caliber physician. Our environment is intellectually challenging and stimulating. We span excellence in all aspects of surgical care from multi-disciplinary clinical evaluation, in-patient care, operative technique and decision making, management of post-op complications and team leadership.

The ingredients that comprise this elite training include:

• WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) catchment area for tertiary referrals. Our residents manage the most complex surgical patients available anywhere on a routine basis so the straightforward patients become easy
• World class Level I trauma/critical care and burn experience
• Multi-disciplinary surgical oncology experience at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, one of the top 10 cancer centers in the U.S.
• Pediatric surgery experience at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a quaternary referral center
• High acuity surgery which includes learning from some of the top faculty in the country in: foregut surgery, colorectal, emergency general surgery, thoracic, transplant, complex hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction
• Minimally invasive and robotic surgery presence at all hospitals
• A university level VA hospital
• Large volume, bread and butter general surgery experience in an apprenticeship, community practice model

Some statistics:

• Approximately 150 cases and procedures done in the R1 year
• Over 350 cases completed by the end of the R2 year (far exceeding the 250 requirement) 

 

Training Sites

Five major hospitals along with the clinics of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) are integrated into the Preliminary Surgery teaching program: UW Medical Center-Montlake, UW Medical Center-Northwest, Harborview Medical Center, Puget Sound Veterans Administration Medical Center, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. All hospitals are ~20 minutes apart around the Seattle urban area. Each hospital’s services are staffed by full-time, world-renowned faculty members of the University of Washington School of Medicine. At UW 100% of faculty at all of our hospitals are teaching faculty. Residents work closely with faculty in and out of the OR. Medical students rotate at each training site, giving our residents plenty of teaching opportunities.

 

UW Medical Center-Montlake

As the No. 1 hospital in Seattle and Washington State (U.S. News & World Report), UW Medical Center-Montlake is one of the world's foremost tertiary referral academic health centers, delivering exceptional, multidisciplinary care to patients who come to us from across the globe. Residents rotate at Montlake onto the following services: CT, Colorectal, Emergency General Surgery, Foregut, Hernia, Plastic, SICU, Surgical Oncology (Breast, Endocrine, HPB, Melanoma, Sarcoma) and Transplant Surgery. Services are typical university hospital team-based, academic services. Explore UW Medical Center-Montlake

 

UW Medical Center-Northwest

One hospital, 2 campuses; UW Medical Center-Northwest is a community-based center about 20 minutes north of Montlake. Our residents rotate here during the R2 year where they do high volume, bread and butter general surgery cases in a 1:1 apprenticeship model. The UW Medicine Hernia Center is based at the Northwest campus where it attracts both routine hernia patients and those requiring complex abdominal wall reconstruction. Explore UW Medical Center-Northwest

 

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

The SCCA is listed as one of the top 10 cancer centers in the U.S. (U.S. News and World Report). It is the No. 1 cancer hospital in the Pacific Northwest and Washington state's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center. The SCCA and the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center provide world-class cutting-edge approaches to cancer treatment and prevention. Their goal is to lead the world in translating scientific discovery into the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer. Our residents assume a leadership role in the multi-disciplinary cancer clinics and Tumor Boards at the SCCA even as PGY1’s. Explore Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

 

Harborview Medical Center

As the only designated Level I adult and pediatric trauma and regional burn center in the state of Washington, Harborview serves as the regional trauma and burn referral center for Alaska, Montana and Idaho and the disaster preparedness and disaster control hospital for Seattle and King County. This 413-bed world-class teaching and research hospital is owned by the county and managed by the University of Washington. It is the home of Airlift Northwest. Harborview provides specialized care for a broad spectrum of patients from throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the most vulnerable residents of King County. Residents rotate at HMC onto typical university hospital surgical teams and work side by side with some of the most renowned traumatologists in the world. Rotations include: Burn, ED, Plastic Surgery, Thoracic, Trauma, Trauma SICU, and Vascular. Explore Harborview Medical Center

 

Seattle Children’s Hospital

Seattle Children’s is the only regional pediatric referral center devoted to the needs of children ages birth to 21 in the four-state area of Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho – the largest referral region of any children’s hospital in the country. Resident rotations at Seattle Children’s occur in the R1 and R3 years. Residents work closely with faculty on a typical university hospital team at the main campus. During the week, a resident may travel to the Seattle Children’s Bellevue or Everett surgical clinics working 1:1 with an attending for a full day of routine pediatric surgery cases. Explore Seattle Children’s Hospital

 

VA Puget Sound Health Care System

Since 1923, VA Puget Sound Health Care System has distinguished itself as a leader in teaching, research and patient care while earning prestigious recognition in serving the health care needs of more than 112,000 Veterans living in 14 counties around the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest. With a reputation for excellence, innovation and extraordinary care of our Nation’s heroes, the VA Puget Sound is a university level VA and a regional referral site for VA's northwest region, VA Puget Sound provides care for Veteran populations encompassing Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Oregon. Our VA receives the second highest level of funding in the US. Residents rotate at the VA at each year of residency onto typical university hospital surgical teams. Explore VA Puget Sound Health Care System

 

Rotations

The University of Washington program provides a comprehensive experience with graduated responsibilities designed to produce the highest caliber resident. It is intellectually stimulating with high expectations and standards for all of its trainees, in a supportive environment. You will be challenged and will emerge from your 1 or 2 Preliminary years exceptionally well-trained for your next program.

 

 

Our curriculum encompasses both didactics provided through a wealth of teaching conferences and focused technical instruction provided through simulation labs. We developed the innovative EVATS rotation for our surgical residents and published this in 2003. The EVATS rotation provides time for Emergency coverage, Vacation time, Academic time, and Technical Skills training.

 

Each rotation is 4 weeks in length and no two interns have the exact same rotation schedule. While we do not have electives, we do provide opportunities for sub-specialty rotations for our In-Process Residents on an ‘as available’ basis. On all of these services, the R1 assists in operations and performs procedures. Our R1’s perform approximately 150 cases and procedures.

 

If you stay with us for a second Preliminary year, you will concentrate on the fundamentals of critical care, with primary responsibility in the CTICU and the Harborview Trauma ICU. Rotations on other services, such as transplant surgery, surgical oncology, acute care surgery, and vascular surgery and the general surgery service at Northwest Hospital broaden this experience. The R2 performs operative procedures that build on the skills learned in the first year. By the end of the R2 year our residents have performed over 350 cases, far exceeding the 250 minimum requirement.

 

Training Tracks

Preliminary Surgery Tracks for Matched Residents

The majority of our Preliminary Surgery residents have matched into the following subspecialty areas at UW: Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Urology. If you match into one of these UW programs, a separate application for your preliminary year is NOT required. Your primary Program Director assigns your rotations.

We are very pleased to train Preliminary residents who are headed into different areas of medicine: Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Ophthalmology, PM&R, and Radiation Oncology. A year as a surgeon at UW will give you special insights that will influence the rest of your career. As such we’ve developed special Preliminary Program Tracks that were designed to maximize the educational value of your preliminary year as it pertains to your future specialty. We can even customize it to special interests you have within that specialty. A separate application for our preliminary year IS REQUIRED through ERAS.

Past residents have come from all over the U.S. and head back to programs throughout the country. The strength of our preliminary program resides in our outstanding training in surgery combined with the wonderful esprit d ‘corps between the residents and faculty at the University of Washington. Most residents state that they were drawn to the idea of an ‘adventure’ in a world-class institution located in the beautiful region of the Pacific Northwest before settling down into their categorical program. Many return back to UW for fellowships, having developed relationships with UW faculty and others. Most people who have experienced living in Seattle want to return!

Please be sure to check out what former Preliminary Program residents have to say about their experience – in the Alumni section below.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Anesthesiologists

As Anesthesiology as broadened its focus into the area of ‘Perioperative Medicine’ an increasing number of applicants pursuing a career in Anesthesiology are interested in a Preliminary Surgery year at the University of Washington. This heightened interest makes perfect sense given: (a) the congruent interests of the surgical patient present in our two fields, (b) the opportunity as a surgical resident to see the surgical patient from the other side of the curtain – to include the pre and post-operative management, (c) the ability for an internship in general surgery to provide the future anesthesiologist with a broad-based foundation in the many surgical sub-specialties, (d) outstanding experience in trauma/critical care and burn, (e) an opportunity to refine your procedural skills, and (f) the close working relationship and team approach required by anesthesiologists and surgeons every day for the excellent care of their patients. A preliminary year in surgery is a great choice for an aspiring anesthesiologist. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Program designed specifically for future Anesthesiologists.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations for this program are chosen with a focus on meeting the Anesthesiology RRC requirements required for your R1 year to include: Emergency Medicine and at least one ICU rotation. After this, our focus is to provide a broad based experience in some general surgery specialties (GI, Vascular/Endovascular, CT, Breast, Surgical Oncology) and some of the sub-specialties of Orthopedics and Neurosurgery in both the elective and trauma settings. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

For Residents Matching into Virginia Mason Anesthesiology

Many VM Anesthesiology residents have chosen to do their preliminary surgery year at UW. Given the high acuity of our patients, you’ll enter your Anesthesiology residency exceedingly well-trained and ready to handle anything that comes your day. At UW you’ll experience firsthand what a tertiary care university hospital setting is like which can help inform your choice of fellowship or future practice. Also, since the VM residents rotate back through UW as more senior residents, you’ll already know our system and our people.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Dermatologist

Future Dermatologists find that doing a Preliminary Surgery year at UW prepares them well for their Dermatology residency. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Surgery Track designed specifically for future Dermatologists. Our program will give you the opportunity, as a surgical resident, and to understand the patient as a proceduralist. We will also give you foundational skills in burns, melanoma and Moh’s surgery.
We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Residents are given rotations in Plastic Surgery, Surgical Oncology/Melanoma, Vascular Surgery, Trauma Surgery, ICU and Burns. After this, our focus is to provide a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties and the sub-specialties. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Diagnostic Radiologists

Applicants pursuing a career in Diagnostic Radiology have been increasingly interested in pursuing a Preliminary Surgery year. This heightened interest in a preliminary year in Surgery makes perfect sense given: (a) the congruent interests in human anatomy present in our two fields, (b) the opportunity as a surgical resident to see 3-D anatomy in its normal and pathologic states in the OR and correlate this with peri-operative imaging, (c) the ability for a surgery internship to provide the future radiologist with a broad-based foundation in the surgical specialties, (d) the close working relationship and team approach required by Radiologists and Surgeons every day for the excellent care of their patients. Also, for those residents considering a potential career in IR, doing a preliminary surgery year provides critical peri-procedural experience. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Surgery Track designed specifically for future Diagnostic Radiologists.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations are chosen with a focus on providing a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties (GI/Colorectal, Vascular/Endovascular, CT, ICU, Trauma, Breast, Surgical Oncology, and EM) and the surgical sub-specialties. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Emergency Medicine Physicians

Future EM physicians find that doing preliminary year in General Surgery at the University of Washington prepares them well for their EM residency. The opportunity to rotate in the surgical ED at the world-renowned Level I Trauma Center: Harborview, provides a world-class experience in initial triage and management of surgical patients. Harborview is also known for its evidence-based and highly protocol-driven care of all kinds of acute care surgical patients. Our program will give you the opportunity, as a surgical resident, to see the surgical patient from the other side of the ED – to include the pre and post-operative management. This experience will help to foster an understanding for the view of the surgical patient that will help you to provide better care for your future patients and build strong professional relationships with surgical colleagues later. A surgery internship is also the best place to develop comfort with your procedural skills and gain ample experience prior to entering your EM residency. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Program designed specifically for future EM residents.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations for this program are chosen with a focus on meeting the Emergency Medicine RRC requirements required for your R1 year. After this, our focus is to provide a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties (GI/Colorectal, Vascular, ICU, CT, Breast, Surgical Oncology, Acute Care Surgery) and some of the sub-specialties of Orthopedics and Neurosurgery in both the elective and trauma settings. This track includes at least one ICU rotation. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Interventional Radiology

Applicants pursuing a career in IR have been increasingly interested in a Preliminary Surgery year at the University of Washington. This heightened interest makes perfect sense given that proceduralists, whether surgeons or interventional radiologists, approach patients in the same way. In addition, we share: (a) the congruent interests in human anatomy present in our two fields, (b) the opportunity as a surgical resident to see 3-D anatomy in its normal and pathologic states in the OR and correlate this with peri-operative imaging, (c) the ability for an internship in general surgery to provide the future Interventional Radiologist with a broad-based foundation in the surgical specialties and in peri-procedural care, (d) the close working relationship and team approach required by Interventional Radiologists and Surgeons every day for the excellent care of their patients, and (e) development of technical procedural skills. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Surgery track designed specifically for future Interventional Radiologists in consultation with our IR Program Director.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations are chosen with a focus on providing an experience in ICU, Trauma, and Vascular/Endovascular. We then build a broad-based experience in some of the general surgery specialties (GI/Colorectal, CT, Breast, Surgical Oncology, and EM) and the sub-specialties (Orthopedic and Neurosurgery) in both the elective and trauma settings. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

Information for applicants to UW Interventional Radiology Program

Although not a requirement, the UW IR Program Director strongly recommends that those applicants applying to the UW IR Residency fulfill their internship requirement in Surgery. Many UW IR residents have done their year with us. Residents coming from other areas of the country often want to move to Seattle and get familiar with our hospital system and start developing important relationships at the UW which are extremely beneficial and will carry over into IR training. A separate application for your preliminary year IS REQUIRED through ERAS.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Ophthalmologists

We have developed a Preliminary Surgery Program designed specifically for future Ophthalmologists. This program provides exposure to a wide range of general surgery operations and help you to start refining your technical operative skills.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotation

Rotations for this program are chosen with a focus on meeting the Ophthalmology RRC requirements for your R1 year. Residents are given rotations in Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Trauma Surgery, ICU and Burns. After this, our focus is to provide a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties and the sub-specialties. We have a microsurgery module in our WISH simulation center is that is of particular interest to our future ophthalmologists. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physicians

Future PM&R physicians find that doing a Preliminary Surgery year at UW prepares them well for their PM&R residency. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Surgery Track designed specifically for future PM&R residents. Our program will give you the opportunity, as a surgical resident, to understand the surgical patient from earlier periods of an acute illness that lead to the need for rehabilitation. We will also give you foundational skills in vascular surgery, stoma management, amputees, trauma, burns, bariatric, orthopedic and paralyzed patients.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations for this program are chosen with a focus on meeting the PM&R RRC requirements required for your R1 year. After this, our focus is to provide a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties (GI, Vascular/Endovascular, Burns, ICU, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the VA system, CT, Breast, ER) and the sub-specialties of Orthopedics and Neurosurgery in both the elective and trauma settings. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Track for Matched Radiation Oncologists

Future Radiation Oncologists find that doing a Preliminary Surgery year at UW prepares them well for their residency. With this in mind, we developed a Preliminary Surgery Track designed specifically for future Radiation Oncologists. Our program will give you the opportunity, as a surgical resident, to understand the surgical oncology patient from different aspects of their treatment. We will also give you foundational skills in stoma management, bariatric, and thoracic patients.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention.

Rotations

Rotations are chosen with a heavy focus on surgical oncology and multi-disciplinary cancer care. Many rotations will have out-patient clinics at the world-class Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Our residents will present patients at Tumor Board and work side-by-side with future Radiation Oncology colleagues. We will also provide a broad based experience in some of the general surgery specialties (GI/Colorectal, CT, ICU, Trauma, and Burn) where residents will become comfortable with complex wounds. The Program Director is open to accept limited special rotation requests within the pool of options. Most of the time we are able to accommodate them. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do procedures.

 

Preliminary Surgery Tracks for In-Process Residents

Some of our preliminary residents do not yet have a future categorical program home. We’ve found that for many residents this year becomes a blessing in disguise. During the 1 or 2 years in our program you will apply for categorical positions in various specialties. Because of our strong national reputation for outstanding training and our world-class institution, we are proud to have a near 100% categorical placement rate for our non-designated preliminary (NDP) residents. This track record does not come easily and we work hard to maintain it and personally help each resident achieve their goals with a lot of sweat equity. But you can also work hard to ensure your own success as an In-Process Preliminary resident. How? By investing time now – BEFORE you start your internship. The single most important factor for success are strong faculty letters of recommendation from your Preliminary program (not research!). A strong fund of knowledge in General Surgery coming in the door can help you significantly. One way to boost this is getting mostly through a major surgical textbook in the next few months (any one of them will do). Another option is to complete an on-line content-based (not question based) General Surgery Board Review Course before you start residency. This will help you to excel as a resident – make your job more interesting and fun - get strong letters of recommendation – jumpstart your preparation for the ABSITE exam (last week of January each year) – and essentially just invest a little earlier than you expected into your own professional development as a surgeon (which you want to do anyway since you’re planning to spend your life doing it)!

Past residents have obtained categorical positions in the following specialties where they have been very successful: anesthesiology, integrated cardiothoracic surgery, dermatology, diagnostic radiology, emergency medicine, general surgery, neurosurgery, nuclear medicine, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, preventive medicine, integrated plastic surgery, psychiatry, radiation oncology, urology and integrated vascular surgery. About half of our non-designated preliminary residents stay in general surgery.

We have both 1-year (NDP1) and 2-year (NDP2) positions available. Depending on future interests, ERAS ranking for the 1-year and 2-year preliminary positions should be made after consulting with our Program Director at the time of your interview. Regardless of your choice for the NDP1 or NDP2 position, you will always be a part of our UW family! We believe it’s our job to give you the best surgical education available and to help you be successful in your career. We work with you to get you to the next phase of your life, whether that is here at UW or somewhere else.

We are proud of our training program as being one of the top in the U.S. and at the same time valuing an atmosphere of camaraderie and high resident morale. We take pride in training residents with diverse interests and future goals and in treating all of our residents equally – whether categorical or preliminary. Our mentorship program will provide you with individualized attention. You will have a strong ward and clinic experience with opportunities to assess patients independently. You will also have the opportunity to do cases and procedures.

International medical graduates must successfully complete our Certificate Program to be considered for a preliminary position.

 

NDP1 Track

This is a one year position. It is a good option for residents who have strong applications but who may have decided late in the process to make a career switch. It is also a good option for residents who expect to reapply for categorical R1 positions through ERAS and the match. One of the downsides to a P1 position is that you will only be in Seattle for about 2 months before getting your ERAS application together again. Program Directors are always more interested in letters of recommendation from your residency program to see how you’ve done in the trenches and it’s not as easy to get letters that accurately reflect your best performance after just 2 months than it is after 14 months (with the P2 position). However, the flipside is that it is only a one year NRMP commitment.

 

NDP2 Track

This is a two year position. It is a two year commitment.

In our opinion it is the best option for those residents who plan to stay in General Surgery. In addition, some of our strongest non-designated preliminary residents who transitioned into advanced positions in EM, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology and Urology were in the NDP2 program. Regardless of where you might be headed, success is directly related to investment. Committing to two years in a program lets you sit back and relax during your internship and just concentrate on being the best resident you can be. You can get to know the other residents and faculty and experience Seattle. You can experience your life a little bit more prior to looking for a job again and you won’t need to worry during your intern year about applications, letters, ERAS, looking for open positions, moving, interviewing, etc. You will also fully participate in the PGY2 year with its intensive critical care and trauma experience so that by the time you move onto your next program you have gained experience and some maturity as a surgical resident and function at a much higher level in your new program. Also, the NDP2 program gives you the opportunity to significantly strengthen your application.

The second training year also gives you additional flexibility: you can look for open spots at various PGY levels which increases your options. Finally, by the time the faculty write your letters of recommendation, they know you well and can support you in a different and deeper way because you are a ‘proven commodity’. This has been a very successful path for many residents.

 

Conferences

 

The UW Department of Surgery focuses on the development of the total surgeon in the three areas of intellect, skills and humanity. In addition to the usual bedside, clinic, and operating room teaching activities, more formal teaching conferences occur on two levels: department-wide and hospital-based.

Department-Wide

Grand Rounds
Department of Surgery Grand Rounds is held once per month at the University hospital. Speakers include national and international leaders in surgery as well as some of our own UW faculty. Residents have the opportunity to engage all visiting professors in roundtable discussions specifically designed for resident education.

Hospital-Based
Each of our teaching hospitals has a weekly QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’). We strongly believe that review of surgical outcomes and problem-based learning and improvement should be an ongoing pursuit that is woven into the fabric of a surgeon’s daily practice. For this reason, we incorporate review of NSQIP and Washington State SCOAP data into our weekly QI conferences. We also have a large selection of conferences at each hospital based on the clinical emphasis of its services. Some examples are listed below:

UW Medical Center-Montlake

• QA/QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’)
• Team Building and Mentorship Conference – Wednesday. The Program Director meets with each class monthly on a rotating basis (each week a different class). Variety of topics discussed. (Lunch provided)
• How-I- Do-It (HIDI) Conference – Thursday AM. Faculty present their approach to unique surgical problems along with clinical pearls. (Breakfast provided)
• Surgery Team Midday Care Conference (SToMaCh) – Thursday.  Joint conference for faculty and residents. Variety of topics discussed. (Lunch provided)
• Chairman’s Conference – Thursday afternoon. Focused on topic selected by Chairman and Chief resident.  Informal setting, generally focused on leadership, ethics and an informal curriculum.
• Transplant
• CT

UW Medical Center-Northwest

• QA/QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’)

Harborview Medical Center

• QA/QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’)
• Trauma Conference – Monday. Presentations by faculty, fellows, residents on a variety of topics. (Lunch provided)

• Vascular Surgery Morning Conference – Tuesday. (Breakfast provided)
• Trauma ICU Didactics – Tuesday AMs. Unofficially termed ‘Maier Rounds’ for Dr. Maier, overnight admissions presented to the Trauma service.

• Trauma Journal Club – Monthly. (Lunch provided)
• Chest Conference – Thursday. Case presentations in ICU and Pulmonary medicine. (Lunch provided)

VA Hospital

• QA/QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’)
• GI Radiology conference
• Surgery – Pathology conference
• Angiography conference (Vascular Surgery service)

Seattle Children’s Hospital

• QA/QI Conference (aka ‘M&M’)
• Weekly didactic teaching conference
• Pathology conference

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

• Multidisciplinary Cancer Conferences – specific to Breast, Colorectal, Endocrine, Foregut, Liver, Lung, Pancreatic, and Sarcoma services. (Lunch provided)

 

Program-Led

Surgical Science Series

Wednesday morning is a time to enjoy the company of fellow residents and faculty from around the system, to catch up on the latest advances and help foster the camaraderie, fellowship and community that make residency a positive experience. Our weekly didactic conference occurs in a 4 hour, bi-monthly block of time on Wednesday mornings known as the Surgical Science Series. The junior resident sessions occur twice a month and focus on building a foundation in basic general surgical principles. The senior resident sessions occur twice a month on alternate Wednesdays and focus on classical reviews of the surgical literature and evidence-based approaches to specific topics. Some highlights:

• Curriculum: American Board of Surgery’s SCORE curriculum
• Held at a central location. (Breakfast provided)
• Zoom option is available (and recorded for later viewing)
• The flipped classroom format is used. The topic is assigned in advance with an interactive, discussion-based format headed by a faculty member expert in that area.
• Each 4-hour session is divided
  • 2-hour didactic portion (roundtable discussion and mock-oral board questions)
  • 2-hour second session for technical skills/simulation or our expanded curriculum in leadership, quality, coding & billing, academic mentoring, palliative care, residents as teachers, professionalism, global surgery, surgical ethics, and practice management-related topics.

Journal Club
Our residents moved our monthly Journal Club from a restaurant to a faculty home in order to further develop our community. (Dinner provided)

ABSITE Prep
Our Director of ABSITE and Board Review hosts a monthly ABSITE Prep Conference in the fall months preceding the ABSITE.

 

Simulation Training

The WWAMI Institute for Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) is University of Washington’s state-of-the-art simulation center for health education. Our center was one of the first Level 1 ACS accredited simulation labs in the United States. WISH was spearheaded by leaders in the Department of Surgery in 2007, and under the influence of our multidisciplinary faculty has expanded to include a 2000 sq. ft. facility at UWMC and an 8000 sq. ft. facility at Harborview. WISH is a unique resource for our residents that embodies the Department of Surgery’s commitment to innovation in medical education.

Our residents have 24/7 access to surgical equipment, suture material, laparoscopic trainers, and virtual reality modules. This ease-of-access has led our surgical residents to heavily utilize the simulation facilities for independent practice. Every year of training, surgical residents have protected time during their EVATS rotation to advance their technical skills as part of a structured curriculum at each training level that includes modules in robotic and laparoscopic surgery, ultrasound imaging, endoscopy, central line and chest tube placement, surgical airway procedures and advanced trauma life support. These modules eventually lead to certification in Robotics, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS), and Fundamentals of Endoscopy Surgery (FES). Very popular with our residents, is our annual Laparoscopic Rodeo and Robotic Olympics competitions, with prizes for the top performers.

Mentorship

Our Mentorship Program is designed to nurture and train each resident to achieve their full potential and personal career goals during their one or two years at UW. All interns are matched to a resident and faculty mentor. These mentors function to guide our residents in both personal and professional development.

 

Global Surgery

The University of Washington has a strong tradition of participation in Global Health. The University of Washington Department of Global Health was founded in 2007 and is now well-established with renowned leadership.  Several of our faculty have active partnerships with, or have previously worked at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland. We are dedicated to providing residents with opportunities to build knowledge, share experiences, and gain skills in global surgery. The department also offers many activities for all residents interested in global surgery.

 

Research

The University of Washington is one of the top research institutions in the country and provides a fertile environment for research support and collaboration even during a preliminary year(s). Residents if interested, can participate in clinical research through our CBATL, SORCE and HIPRC research units. These free resources are available for our residents to provide comprehensive research support services and assist with project design, IRB application, data analysis, presentation and grant funding.  We are committed to supporting residents with diverse research interests and are even delighted to use our resources to support resident research activities when another UW department faculty is the research mentor (e.g. Anesthesiology, Urology, Radiology, etc). Specific areas of investigative interest for our faculty members can be viewed on our Department of Surgery Research web section.

 

Educational & Research Conferences

Harkins Symposium

In 1955 “The Society of the Golden Pouch,” a spoof surgical society, was established by residents to honor the Department of Surgery’s first Chairman, Henry N. Harkins, at a dinner celebrating his fiftieth birthday. The “founders” intended that the new society would disband at the end of the evening. The Harkins Society, as it was renamed, instead went on to become the Department’s Alumni Society. Its membership includes the Department of Surgery faculty, former residents, and fellows. Today, the Harkins Society is rich with tradition. In celebration, all faculty and residents of the Department of Surgery meet as a community every fall to have a day of educational lectures delivered by our faculty.  In this way we celebrate the great breadth and depth of clinical expertise in our department.

Strauss Lecture

At the Department of Surgery Annual Strauss Lecture, the Strauss/Friedlander family, is carrying on the tradition established so many years ago by Dr. and Mrs. Alfred A. Strauss. Born in Germany in 1881, Dr. Strauss came to Colville, WA at the age of ten. An honor graduate of the University of Washington in 1904 and an outstanding member of the Alumni Association, he received the singular honor of the Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus in 1951. The annual Strauss Lecture is the concluding event to the Harkins Symposium. Prior Strauss lecturers represent the top figures in American surgery.

Resident Research Day & Schilling Lecture

The Department of Surgery Research Symposium and the Schilling Lectureship are made possible by a generous gift from the late Helen Schilling in honor of her husband Dr. John Schilling. The Schillings were deeply committed to teaching, scholarship and research and this event where residents showcase their research supported by faculty mentors–is a great aspect of their legacy.  Every year the department meets together as a community to hear both residents and faculty present their research providing an opportune moment to reflect on both the phenomenal quality of research in the department. The Schilling Lecturers represent a distinguished group of scholars who join us as visiting faculty and help us to award prizes to the top resident presenters. It is with tremendous pride and gratitude that we carry on this tradition.

Annual Department of Surgery Education Seminar

Each spring the residents and faculty of the Department of Surgery gather together as a community for an afternoon focused on surgical education. Each year has a different topical focus. This is a time for us all to learn and grow as surgical educators.

Salary and Benefits

An appointment at UW offers a wide range of benefits as part of your compensation package, including Medical, Dental and Long-term Disability options; matched retirement plans and investment programs; Vacation and sick leave benefits, wellness resources, work/life programs including on-site childcare, tuition-exemption for higher-education courses, and more!

The University of Washington School of Medicine Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME) oversees wellness and benefits to all ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship training programs at UW, including general surgery. The GME homepage summarizes much of the information that follows.

Below are a few specific benefits that applicants often ask about.

 

Salary

The stipend schedule for Academic Year July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022.

Level	Annual Stipend	Monthly Rate
R1	$61,800	$5,150.00
R2	$64,200	$5,350.00

 

Benefits

The University of Washington (UW) offers a wide range of benefits as part of your total compensation package:

• Vacation: 4 weeks. In general, these are divided into a 2-week block and two 1-week blocks. Vacations are taken during or are coordinated with, the EVATS rotation. Exceptions are June 15 – July 15.
• Membership to the American College of Surgeons as an intern.
• Plan for your future with tax deferred investing through the UW retirement option.
• A choice of top medical and dental insurance programs as well as Life and Long-term Disability Insurance.
• Additional annual academic stipends are available and considered by the Program Director.
• The University of Washington Housestaff Association residents and fellows voted to form a union in 2016. More information can be found on the UW Labor Relations website.

 

Travel supported by the Department of Surgery

• Seattle Surgical presentations for R1’s and R2’s, plus presenters.
• Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS) travel fellowships are available each year, supported by the department.
• Papers or presentations developed as a result of work done in the clinical or basic science laboratory of an individual faculty.

 

Transportation/Parking

• The U-PASS provides residents with a variety of low-cost transportation options in the greater Puget Sound area.
• In addition, there is a free shuttle service connecting the major training institutions which runs approximately every 15 minutes from 6am to 7pm Monday through Friday.
• Pay Per Use Parking (PPUP) is required at UWMC and HMC. The daily rate varies based on the number of times you park in a pay period.
• Parking is provided for residents commuting to Wednesday education conferences and Grand Rounds.
• Parking at the VA and Children’s Hospital is free!

 

Fitness Facility

All residents are eligible for membership to the University of Washington Intramural Activities Building (IMA). This facility is host to many indoor and outdoor activities including: studios for aerobic exercise, yoga and martial arts, rock climbing, archery, basketball, handball/racquetball courts, squash courts (International and North American), swimming pool, thirteen tennis courts (six night lighted), volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and a fitness center with over 300 pieces of free weights, cardio and single station weight machines. Memberships may be purchased on a single use, quarterly or annual basis.

 

Where do residents live?

Most residents live in one of the many neighborhoods that are walking or biking distance from one of our 7 training hospitals. Some of the popular areas are highlighted below, as are our major hospitals for orientation purposes. Whether you are looking for an apartment in the center of Seattle’s night life, a single-family home with a yard on a quiet street, or quick access to one of our parks, biking/running trails, or waterfronts, Seattle offers vibrant neighborhoods that make life outside the hospital even more enjoyable. Each neighborhood has a unique flare with a variety of places for residents to live, dine, and enjoy time outside the hospital.

 

 

Survey results from current trainees:

 

 

Of current residents...

• 61% live with a partner
• 26% have a platonic roommate
• 11% have children
• 42% have pets
• 65% have house plants

 

Will I need a car?

• Consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the United States for both biking to work and public transit, many of our residents commute in various ways depending on the rotation they are on.
• Almost all residents eventually get a personal vehicle, which not only facilitates commuting to our 7 training sites but makes weekend escapes to the surrounding state and national parks even easier.

 

Seattle Rankings:

• #1 – City with the Best Outdoor Activities in the U.S.
• #1 - Best Coffee City in America
• #1 – Best Public Transportation in the U.S.
• #1 – Biking City in the U.S.
• Top 10 Most Walkable Cities in the U.S.
• Top 10 Healthiest Places to Live in the U.S.
• Top 10 Best Places to Live in the U.S.

 

Food and Dining

The food and drink scene in Seattle is exploding! You may have a hard time choosing where to eat, and there is something for every budget. Food trucks are everywhere serving up nearly anything you can think of. The website Seattlefoodtruck.com also provides a convenient locator. Many of these make stops close to Harborview for quick lunchtime eats! The restaurants in and around Seattle offer choices for every price point and preference. It seems that nearly every corner of the city boasts its own pho or ramen house, and the International District offers an array of Asian cuisines as well as beautiful markets and shops.

Each neighborhood in Seattle also has its own “urban village” with restaurants and bars lining the main street. The waters around Seattle provide an ample supply of fresh seafood, and many restaurants service locally sourced produce, meat, and dairy for a true farm-to- table experience. You can even eat well on a resident’s salary: several times per year, more than 150 restaurants participate in Seattle Restaurant Week where a 3-course meal is offered for $30.

If cooking at home is more your speed, there are plenty of options. The Pike Place Market is a can’t miss destination for all of your culinary needs, and most neighborhoods have weekly farmer’s markets offering seasonal produce, homemade cheese, farm fresh eggs, bread, and more. Check out seattlefarmersmarkets.org for more information.

While the Pacific Northwest may be known for its expansive supply of craft breweries, there is also an expansive market of locally produced wine and spirits. Within several hours, you can drive east to either Walla Walla, WA, or south to the Willamette Valley in Oregon to visit vineyards where world renowned wine is produced.  Alternatively, within 30 minutes of Seattle in the city of Woodinville are nearly 100 tasting rooms serving Washington wine. Distilleries in Seattle offer tours and tastings, as well.

 

Outdoor Activities

Seattle and the surrounding area provide unsurpassed opportunities for outdoor activities, whatever your passion, experience or skill level. Ask our residents about what to do on the water, in the mountains, or in the snow. They regularly sail, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and fish: Aqua Verde Paddle Club Seattle Sailing Club

 

 

 

Within a short drive of Seattle, residents have access to the Cascade mountains which provide options for hiking and camping in the summer and snowshoeing and skiing in the winter: Washington Trails Association, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, San Juan Islands, Crystal Mountain, Stevens Pass Summit at Snoqualmie/Alpental, and Mount Baker

Alternatively, embrace Seattle’s town pride and support the local sports teams: Mariners,
Seahawks, Sounders, Storm, and UW Husky Sports

 

Arts and Entertainment

Seattle is home to a diverse community and a wide variety of opportunities to explore arts and entertainment.  If the performing arts interest you, there’s the Seattle Opera, Seattle Symphony, ACT theater, and Seattle Repertory Theater as well as Pacific Northwest Ballet.

For those who prefer visual art, Seattle offers the Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park, Chilhuly Garden and Glass Museum, and the Frye Art Museum.  Even the UW Campus features the Henry Art Gallery, displaying contemporary and modern art.  The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, also on the UW campus, has an extensive collection of Native American artifacts and anthropological specimens to peruse.

Those with eclectic tastes will enjoy the Experience Music Project (EMP) Museum, the Museum of History & Industry, and the famous Seattle Gum Wall at Pike Place Market. For every major art gallery or theater, there are many more small galleries, performing spaces, film festivals, and of course, there’s the award-winning and ever-changing public art scene a little off the beaten path. In fact, Seattle is home to over 400 permanent public art works and nearly 3,000 portable works.

 

Community Life in our Department 

When asked, “What’s the best thing about the UW Department of Surgery?” most people quickly answer:  the people. Our people – faculty, residents, staff and our families – are awesome. They are intelligent, committed, driven, warm, generous, kind and fun! So, we try and spend time together as much as we can.   We start with an intern welcome picnic and summer pancake breakfast.  In August we have the Department of Surgery picnic.  September starts our triannual resident socials sponsored by the department and the research resident BBQ.  The Women-In-Surgery group (started by one of our residents) has monthly informal get-togethers at a faculty home where female faculty and residents (plus kids) hang out.   Our annual holiday party is another all-department event that’s memorable each year. Of course, we have all the usual graduation events in the spring along with the resident Oyster Fry.  But one of the UW highlights of the year is Ski Day!

History provided by Dr. Hugh Foy, Professor Emeritus: “Ski Day was initiated in Feb 1979 by Chairman, Dr. John Schilling. Dr. James Carrico was the Program Director. It was a time of transition and change; Harborview had been an “every other night” program and the crush of clinical volume, particularly at HMC where there was only one Chief resident was difficult to say the least. There was no food service in-house, only vending machines. Vacation was limited to 2 weeks. HMC “shifts” were typically 40 hours on, 8 off.  The ER rotation was 27 hours on (24 hrs plus follow-up clinic) – 21 off.  Salary was in the bottom 5th percentile nationally, and there was no such thing as meal reimbursement or parental leave. Faced with a high attrition rate and low morale, the residents met and drew up 14 significant issues that were felt to be critical for their continued ability to safely deliver care. In a “let them eat cake” astute political move, Schilling told Carrico to “buy them a keg, rent them a bus and send them skiing for a day.”

This event is held each year on President’s Day from 7am-7pm. It is supported by department funds and faculty good will and is a time to promote resident morale and camaraderie.  Although the Department can no longer fund a keg, as an alcohol-free event, it still pays for the lift tickets.

Meet our current trainees >>

Alumni Statements

Many write to us after joining their new programs.  Here’s what some of our residents have to say about our Preliminary Surgery program.

 

Matched Residents

Anesthesiology Track

“I am from outside of Omaha, NE and went to medical school at the University of Oklahoma. I'm very glad that I chose to do a prelim year with the University of Washington. After making a late decision to pursue a career in Anesthesiology, the Department was very supportive in getting me experience and networking opportunities with the Department of Anesthesia. This largely contributed to me matching here at UW, which was my top choice!  While not working in the hospital, I have had tons of fun in the beautiful nature the PNW has to offer. Even during COVID I have had a blast, and there is always a new delicious restaurant to discover.  I would definitely recommend UW to other applicants, and would encourage them to be open about what they hope to gain from the experience so the program can work to support them.” 

R. Miller, MD – P1 UW Surgery….University of Washington Anesthesiology

 

“I already take great pride in the UW system and appreciate the year’s training I’d received. I’d summarize my UW prelim year as being part of a powerful institution that cares for the most complex and/or acute patients, yet with the support of residents and faculty, I was able to handle, learn, and enact the care that had to be rendered. The residents were immediately welcoming, sociable, talented and enthusiastic, and I enjoyed many great professional and social, outside of work, interactions throughout my year with my teammates. My work as a surgical intern at UW has instilled organizational and general cognitive skills. I am very appreciative of the surgical intern year currently as an anesthesia CA-1. I understand the pace and workflow of the OR, in particular at case starts and ends, by far the most active time for the anesthetist. Having done many OR starts with patient preparation, positioning etc., I fumble less doing the anesthesia roles during these steps. Good anesthesiology involves awareness of the surgical procedure (i.e. blousing anesthetic/analgesic to anticipate stimulating points in surgery) and I feel much more confident about the surgical procedure on the other side of the curtain to know how to tailor my anesthetic plan for the case and how to manage my workflow (charting, administrative duties, preparing supplies/meds for the day) because I am familiar with the process of the surgical case just by looking at the operative field. It is nice to have some familiarity during a VERY new job. Lastly, and particularly because of the high-acuity of Harborview, I feel very confident in my ability to interpret and intervene on the unstable patient, i.e. fluid resuscitation, transfusion. Glad I got to be a part of the UW system, couldn’t think of a better foundation for my career.”

J. Cohn, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Stanford University Anesthesiology

 

“The time goes by so fast and when you look back you are amazed at how much experience you’ve gained in what seemed like a very short time. The faculty and senior residents at the University of Washington really encourage independent patient care planning and they are always available to provide the right amount of guidance and supervision. UW’s General Surgery program is always working to stay at the top of their field and I think they produce some of the best residents in the country. I am glad to have started my training at the University of Washington because I know that I had one of the best groups of surgeons training me.”

L. Felts, MD – P1 UW Surgery….University of Kansas Anesthesiology

 

“Surgery at UW has been an extremely stimulating experience. The faculty are very supportive and encouraging, and take a genuine interest in the welfare of the residents. We have excellent team dynamics, and are able to significantly grow in knowledge with each rotation. We emphasize heavily on outstanding patient care, and I feel that I have become a stronger and well-rounded physician because of my training at UW.”

I. Jacquez, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Indiana University Anesthesiology

 

Dermatology Track

“I want to sincerely thank you for giving me the best year of training I could ever imagine. I could not have asked for a better year during which I learned extensively more than I ever anticipated. The culture of our program is rich with collaboration, guidance, and trust-building collegiality. This was a character-building experience that exposed me to a world of academic surgery that pushed me to improve and excel. The discipline and work ethic I mastered by the end of my year will last me a lifetime and it is all thanks to the brilliant leadership and culture of the training program I was fortunate to experience. I cannot thank you enough for the unique opportunity you gave me and I will keep your head high as I enter my next chapter. Thank you once again so much for providing me with such a strong foundation for my academic career in dermatology. I really believe that the discipline and clinical training at UW Dept of Surgery kept me way ahead the pack in the past few years. There is no better place than UW Surgery!”

H. Ezaldein, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Case Western/University Dermatology

 

Diagnostic Radiology Track

“My decision to come to UW was based on my desire to see diverse pathology and to be amongst the best residents and faculty. In that respect, UW had exceeded my expectations. I’ve had the opportunity to care for patients suffering from all manner of disease from extensive NSTIs and fourniers gangrene, to necrotizing pancreatitis, to interstitial lung disease requiring transplant and everything in between. What I realize now is that in making my choice, I overlooked the greatest strength of our Department of Surgery: The quality and character of its members. My colleagues are amongst the kindest and most supportive people I know. The residents and faculty make coming to work fun everyday. In retrospect, I can think of no better reason to choose UW for a prelim year.“

C. May, MD – UW Preliminary Surgery….Brigham and Women’s Diagnostic Radiology

 

“Things are going extremely well, and I feel very much at home here. As much fun as I had in the OR, Radiology remains to be my calling. I have to say though, compared to my colleagues who did internal medicine or transitional years, I am at a definite advantage when it comes to clinical necessity and understanding of indications.”

J. Skrok, MD P1 – UW Surgery….Johns Hopkins Diagnostic Radiology

 

“I was happy to match to the UW for my preliminary year in Surgery where I also matched in Radiology. My primary interest is in Interventional Radiology and as I will be sharing so many patients with surgical services, it made perfect sense for me to complete a year of surgical training prior to this. Having completed now just about a third of that year, I am very glad that I’ve done this. Not only will I be familiar with all of the systems that I will be starting with next year, but I have also already participated in multiple Tumor Boards with multi-disciplinary care teams seeing no end of difficult and fascinating cases. The extension of this is seeing the intra-operative correlation to all of the imaging and getting to appreciate first-hand the gross pathology outside of the reading room. Both my surgical faculty mentor and Dr. Horvath, the program director, have made sure that I am getting the most out of my year. It has been a great combination of a large university’s exposure to a variety of pathology and a smaller program’s devotion to personalized training.”

R. Linville, MD – P1 Surgery….UW Diagnostic Radiology

 

“I absolutely believe the opportunity I had to train at UW and everything I learned while training there helped me get this fellowship (amongst other accolades during my residency). I am working on getting credentialing completed for my upcoming fellowship in musculoskeletal radiology at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Thank you and Happy Holidays to everyone at UW!.”

Z. Qazi, MD – P1 Surgery….George Washington University Diagnostic Radiology

 

“I just want to send you one last thank you for my preliminary surgery year at UW. My preliminary surgery year was an invaluable experience. It gave me a good foundation in surgery and clinical medicine as I move forward with my radiology residency next year. I was impressed by how kind and open my upper-level residents and attending physicians were with me. I was unfamiliar with many aspects of surgery, but I felt my teams were supportive and built a great learning environment. I was also impressed by how receptive the program was to feedback from residents; changes in schedules were quickly done to accommodate more flexible workloads for interns and give them more chances to go to the operating room. Overall, I can walk away from this program saying that I was well-trained in approaching basic clinic problems and managing them competently. And finally, even though being a surgeon is not my goal, I appreciated how Dr. Horvath, the program director, actively encouraged me to tie-in radiological concepts to what I was seeing in the OR and in the wards with the goal of making this year useful for my career ahead. I would recommend this program to those, like me, who are pursuing radiology as a great clinical foundational year. I gained a tremendous amount from it the year. I had great training and met some amazing physicians. I'll never forget it.”

E. Vidal, MD – P1 Surgery….Cottage Hospital Diagnostic Radiology

 

“The pleasure has truly been mine to be part of such a wonderful program and welcomed into the UW Department of Surgery family. I remember our conversation via Skype when you first described the program to me and I knew since that time that it would be a great fit for me and the perfect environment for training as a preliminary Surgery intern. Everyone in the department was extremely welcoming right from day one. I began my intern year on night float, while many may have been apprehensive to start on a night rotation carrying an entire inpatient census, I felt confident since my senior residents always had my back, allowing me to learn management of recent post-operative patients as well as management of possible complications that may arise in the inpatient setting and stepping in whenever necessary. This indeed became the theme throughout the year as I continued on a wide array of rotations. I believe that the variety of rotations was also extremely useful in diversifying my experience, from learning how to manage complex trauma patients in the TICU, to running a floor comprising of a large census on the Trauma team at Harborview to learning about the finer intricacies of surgical subspecialties while at the UW. The commitment of the faculty to constantly provide and encourage teaching was remarkable, often taking time even at the end of a call shift, in a busy clinic or in the operating room to impart clinical pearls. Thank you for this wonderful experience. I am deeply appreciative of the entire department efforts into making me a better trainee and physician. As I leave for New Hampshire to begin my training in Radiology, I look forward to beginning a new journey there but hope to continue to cherish and cultivate my roots and connection to UW.”

S. Pannu, MD – P1 Surgery….Dartmouth Diagnostic Radiology

 

Emergency Medicine Track

“When I look back on my time as a UW general surgery resident, I will most remember the fantastic people. Peers who were kind, humble, intelligent, team players and friends. Amazing seniors and chiefs who provided most of my early learning, and who probably deserve the bulk of the credit for my clinical maturity to date. Attendings who stood as pillars of our institution, great role-models and mentors. I will spend the rest of my career thankful for the personal and clinical growth my time at UW afforded me, and the incredible people that facilitated it. I want to thank you for the exceptional quality of training I received. The strongest aspect of UW is the extraordinary breadth of clinical exposure afforded by a program with a large tertiary/quaternary academic hospital, a nationally-recognized children's hospital, the only level I trauma center for a 5-state region, and a major VA referral hospital. I operated on a routine gallbladder and a large sarcoma in the same week, and have taken care of so many patients with pathology I thought I'd only see on my boards that it's become routine. Another excellent aspect of the training at UW is the quality of our critical care exposure. As a R2 I've been challenged to assume an intimidating degree of responsibility for the care of some of the most critically injured people in the entire northwest United States, and while I certainly have lots more to learn I am comfortable and confident in my foundation in critical care. I feel exceptionally well prepared for my future as an EM physician, but would feel equally prepared to assume the role of a senior resident in a surgical program.”

“I’m writing with an update. Things are going great in Las Vegas! I've already relied on my surgery training; a few days ago a patient came in with what turned out to be a solid rock of mucus plugging her trach. I was the only one in the room who felt comfortable manipulating it, and I ended up taking over the room and taking one of my seniors through swapping the trach over fiberoptic scope with an ET tube. The patient did fine! So I know I've said it before, but thanks again for everything!”

J. LoMonaco, MD – P2 UW Surgery….University of Nevada, EM

 

Interventional Radiology Track

"As a UW IR/DR resident, I can't recommend the UW General Surgery preliminary year highly enough. My clinical education was superb, with a good balance of OR time and clinic time, and my chiefs and attendings worked to provide me with experiences that would benefit me as an IR resident. For instance, I scrubbed into a number of laparoscopic RFAs as surgeon junior, with the attending taking me through the case, and those same attendings spent hours with me during liver tumor clinic teaching me the fundamentals of liver CT and MR. Perhaps more importantly, the relationships that I built with the surgical residents and attendings have already been and will continue to be incredibly valuable during my continued training at UW; there's nothing more reassuring than calling a clinician about a sick patient in the ED and having one of your closest friends or most respected mentors pick up the phone".

G. Laidlaw, MD – P1 UW Surgery….University of Washington, IR

 

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Track

“My time at UW was intense and fast-paced. Big hospitals, lots of complicated patient, great cases. The people were fantastic, from the co-interns to the chiefs to the attendings were great to work with. Everyone was excited to teach and learn. I had always heard that in general, prelim interns got treated worse than the categoricals, but I never felt like that at UW. I was always treated with friendliness and respect even though my final destination was not surgery. The learning was good, the work was practical and useful. Seattle is a great place to live, great variety of landscapes and a very fun culturally diverse city, lots of outdoor things to do, family friendly activities abound as well. It was a great decision to do my prelim year in surgery at UW. Thank you!”

B. Wayment, MD – P1 UW Surgery….University of Utah PM&R

 

“My experience as a preliminary resident in UWGS program has been nothing short of spectacular. I chose to do a surgical year at UW over some other “easier” prelim programs to challenge myself and learn the pertinent surgical needs of PM&R patients, and I have no regrets about my decision. The faculty are encouraging and supportive and always strive to provide a high-quality educational experience. I love my co-residents and the approachable seniors that do such a good job of making us comfortable and taking us under their wings. Additionally, I am embracing the equal opportunity that I get as a prelim resident to participate actively in the OR and in patient care and get the most out of each rotation. Lastly, but certainly not the least, to start residency in the amazing city of Seattle and the beautiful Pacific Northwest has been an unexpected blessing, and I can see myself coming back to this region to live and practice here once my PM&R residency is completed.”

Peter K. Park, DO – P1 UW Surgery….Washington University PM&R

 

Radiation Oncology Track

“I hope this email finds you well. I look back on my preliminary surgery intern year at UW year fondly as one of tremendous growth and camaraderie. I had an amazing Preliminary Surgery year – a genuinely positive experience. The spirit of the faculty and residents I worked with at UW was amazing and set me up for success in my residency. Thank you!”

M. Zhang, MD/PhD – P1 UW Surgery….UCSF, Radiation Oncology

 

“I wanted to follow up and let you know how valuable I have found my time as surgical prelim at UW to be for my future plans of becoming a radiation oncologist! The opportunity to rotate through so many different surgical services in this cancer focused prelim year and learning how to do the initial work ups with cancer diagnosis though the resections of biopsies, in both pre and post chemoradiation patients has been an incredibly important experience for me and one that will be valuable as I collaborate with surgeons and medical oncologist in the future. I’ve found the experiences at the SCCA tumor boards and seeing the individual conversations that medical, surgical and radiation oncologists have with a patient on the breast cancer service to be one of the highlights of this year. Working with such a great group of residents, faculty and staff has made this clinically challenging year at times quite enjoyable and made for a rewarding year. I’m writing enthusiastically in support of UW’s surgical prelim program and really hope to encourage future radiation oncology residents to peruse this challenging path in the future because the experience has been worth it! Also I’d love to tell them that this program has done a great program treating me just like one of the categorical surgical residents and any concerns about whether  or not this is a malignant program should be allayed. This is a great program!!”

N. Eustace, MD/PhD – P1 UW Surgery….City of Hope, Radiation Oncology

 

In-Process Residents

P1 Program

“As a non-designated one-year preliminary intern interested in urology, I desired to attend the University of Washington for primarily two reasons: 1) UW’s general surgery and urology residency programs are among the best in the nation and 2) Dr. Horvath is an outstanding advocate for non-designated prelims. UW—as a medical institution—offers outstanding exposure to a wide breadth of hospitals, is a leader in the surgical field, and is a well-respected name nationwide. The experience I gained as an intern and UW’s name recognition undoubtedly contributed to my success as a re-applicant. Additionally, having a nationally recognized surgeon like Dr. Horvath contacting programs on my behalf and setting up meetings with UW’s urology department were advantages few other urology re-applicants had from their institution’s program director. The UW program helped create my rotation schedule to expose me to the urology department prior to the urology match as well as outlined a plan for me to take off days to interview. Ultimately, I had to take one day off and interview at one program to land an R2 urology position outside of the match at a program I’m thrilled to join. My choice to come to UW for my prelim year was the best decision I could have made and I could not have been successful without the help of everyone at UW.”

S. Greenberg – P1 UW Surgery….University of Massachusetts, Urology Program, R2

 

“My path after medical school was to complete a 1 year surgical internship before serving several years as a GMO in the Navy, after which I would begin an orthopedic surgery residency. I chose to move cross country to Seattle from where I went to medical school in Philadelphia because of both UWMC’s outstanding reputation as well as Harborview Medical Center’s world renowned excellence in trauma care. I made a great decision. I was able to work a significant amount of time with several orthopedic surgeons and obtain strong letters of recommendation for my ortho application while getting a complete and broad education in surgical knowledge and technical skills.”

LT R. Stancil, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Lieutenant U.S. Navy…UW Orthopedic Surgery

 

“Doing my prelim year at the University of Washington was an excellent choice. Certainly, I am pleased with the outcomes, having secured an opening at my desired program in Urology. It was by no means an easy year, but that was anticipated, and I knew coming into the year that I would not achieve my goals without a great deal of hard work. They were very accommodating with my efforts and offered a great deal of advice and support along the way. They helped organize a schedule that would maximize my exposure to my desired field at the right points of the year. They found ways to accommodate my interview schedule and helped in polishing my portfolio.”

J. Dagenais, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Brigham and Women’s Urology, R2

 

"I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to do my preliminary surgery intern year at UW. During my intern year, I was treated no differently than the categorical residents and got wide variety of experiences including scrubbing into OR cases as first assistant in many instances. The support and camaraderie at this program is unmatched to any other program in the country. Being in Seattle, it is a great place to have good work life balance with plethora of opportunities including great places to hike and great restaurants around the city. The program offers many opportunities for resident wellness including a day off for a ski trip for residents, where all the junior and senior surgery residents can bond and build a closer relationship outside of work. In addition, Dr. Horvath was very supportive of giving time off for interviews and making sure that you are successful beyond your intern year. Overall, the experience and prestige of University of Washington goes well beyond intern year and the skills/knowledge I have gained so far is partially due to my intern year at UW for which I cannot be more grateful for!

I’m writing with an update. I hope this email finds you well. I am emailing to touch base with you that I will be applying for interventional radiology fellowship. Out of all the programs I am applying to, I am very much interesting in coming back to UW for fellowship due to my positive experience during my surgical intern year.”

H. Narayanan, MD – P1 Surgery….George Washington University, Diagnostic Radiology

 

“This is a long overdue thank you for all your help in my surgical career to this point. I will be completing my program at Christiana Care this coming June. Subsequently, I will be starting at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship. It has been a long road, but I fully believe I could not have done it without my preliminary year at your program. You pushed me in my clinical knowledge which has paid off immensely. I know you will continue to push your prelims to their full potential, treat them no differently than the categorical residents, and place them in excellent programs. Thanks again!”

D. Berkheim, MD – P1 UW Surgery….Christiana Care General Surgery…Univ of Nebraska Cardiothoracic Surgery

 

“After the halfway point in my second year in my new program, the contribution of the lessons and values learned at UW to my current training is still incredible. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have worked with you and everyone at UW. Thank you!.”

T. Hiremath, MD – UW P1….Einstein Hospital, General Surgery, R2

 

P2 Program

"I will start by saying that doing my preliminary two years in surgical residency at UW has been a wonderful experience and opened the door to several opportunities to continue my training at top programs thanks to the effort and support of the Program Director and faculty who will promote you and advocate for you if you are good in what you do. As a program, UW is one of the top programs in surgery. Having said that you’ll get top training and it’ll pave your way towards your training at other programs. I must say though you’ll only get the best out of it if you give your very best. After a lot of research and conversations with multiple people I chose UW for my two preliminary years and if I had the chance to go back, I would have made the same decision. It is great being part of the UW family.”

T. Hoyos, MD – P2 UW Surgery….University of Wisconsin, General Surgery, R3

 

“I hope all is well. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the time and investment you and the Department of Surgery devoted to my training at UW. I'm finding my work very rewarding, and am extremely thankful to be pursuing my training in neurosurgery here at MCW, but I reflect almost daily on the foundations of surgical management and critical care training. I was somewhat apprehensive when I signed on for two years of preliminary general surgery training, as most people outside UW hadn't heard of similar programs, however, following your advice, it was certainly the best path I could have chosen. I never felt I was treated differently than the categorical residents. The time I spent rotating through the different services taught me a myriad of skill sets that I find myself calling upon often, and I wouldn't trade the experiences I gained for anything. Harborview nightfloat taught me to quickly evaluate and treat common post-surgical acute changes, never to worry alone, and how best to manage common post-operative complaints. The general surgery services taught me how to appropriately manage multiple types of inpatient problems that can arise, the value of ERAS pathways, and how to integrate with other hospital services. Surgery B rotations taught me the basics of surgical oncology, the benefits of a team approach with medical oncology and radiation oncology, and how to properly close difficult incisions with oncoplastics principles (and of course how to properly throw a vertical mattress stitch to close those large melanoma defects). Cardiothoracic surgery showed me the value of efficient surgical technique, and how to thrive with the challenge of autonomy. Surgery A taught me the basics of how to see and evaluate a consult, how to quickly triage between sick and not-sick patients, and how to properly present a patient to a senior or attending in the middle of the night (this is a skill I've been complimented on probably the most, learning to give the one-liner including your assessment if you think a patient needs an operation immediately or not). I am incredibly thankful as well for the critical care skills I gained. Burns taught me how to present a patient thoughtfully, and in totality. TICU taught me general principles of trauma management, how to properly resuscitate a patient, how to approach a sick crashing trauma, and how to maintain sharp clinical concern overnight. CTICU was also invaluable, seeing some of the sickest patients in the hospital, taking me to the very fringes of what are interventions can effectuate. Above all, I learned how to manage a surgical patient as a whole, not to treat one malady while ignoring others. General Surgery taught me to see the patient in totality, and to treat appropriately based on critical analysis and evidence-based treatments whenever possible. Little phrases stick with me, "patients come first", or "you can be a doctor, or you can call a doctor", as one of my chiefs so aptly put it. These are lessons I will never forget, foundations that will continue to guide me through the management of my patients in the future, and learning that I hope to continue to build upon as I progress though my training. I cannot express my thanks enough to the entire UWMC Department of Surgery, and will always be appreciative of the time and effort placed into my training.”

D. Aaronson, MD – UW P2....Medical College of Wisconsin, Neurosurgery

 

“Being from Vancouver, Canada, the chance to train at one of the top surgical training programs in the country was a dream come true. In my opinion, being a P2 has a lot of advantages. D uring the first year, you are able to really learn how to become an effective intern, without the stress and added time constraints of re-applying in the Match. The second year is filled with a broad critical care experience, including the TICU and CTICU, which helps build a solid clinical foundation, while allowing for flexibility throughout the interview process. I knew going in, that this program would give me a solid base to start my surgical training. What I didn’t expect was the support and comaraderie that this program has. From faculty, to fellow residents, you truly feel like a family, and no different than the categorical residents! The relationships I made as an intern, and subsequently as an R2, I know will continue throughout my career. I can wholeheartedly say that coming to UW was the best decision I ever made, and I can’t thank the faculty and my fellow residents enough for an amazing 2 years!”

A. Kainth, MD – P2 UW Surgery….St Louis University, General Surgery, R3

 

“I want to thank you for everything you did during my Preliminary Surgery years. I really appreciate everything, I always felt support from you and the faculty and that you were genuinely interested in my professional development and personal development. I thank GOD that I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful person like you, and I know that I got a categorical spot because I trained at UW and you spoke with everyone on my behalf. Thank you so much for everything. I will always be part of the UW Surgery family and I am proud of it.”

A.P. Vitela, MD, MS – P2 UW Surgery….MedStar Health System, General Surgery, R3

 

“My time at the University of Washington came with unexpected benefits. As a 2 year preliminary resident, I was allowed work with focus on how I was becoming a young doctor. It gave me opportunity to explore my field of interest in while building a strong foundation of technical and clinical skills. I was supported in pursuing the career of my choice, with residents and administrators assisting me with great flexibility throughout the interview process. Here in Seattle I got to ski throughout the winter, and in the summer hike the coast, the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascades, while living in a progressive and exciting city. But more than that it taught me how to care for others. It let me put patients first and work as part of a tremendously compassionate team. The energy and attitude of those around me, and the complexity of the care I was asked to provide, drove my development as a well-rounded young physician. It has taught me to think and develop my plans independently, while ensuring I am never without support when I need it. It’s left a lasting imprint on the kind of person and doctor I am.”

M. Florack, MD – P2 UW Surgery….Allegheny Hospital, Orthopedic Surgery

 

“Christmas is upon us and I am taking the opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. It has been few months since I left the University of Washington and I see every day what a vigorous and in depth training I had as a junior resident.

I am blessed having learnt the foundation of surgery in this outstanding Institution. The organized and analytical thought, evidence based approach and thorough patient management are qualities I was taught from day one at University of Washington; and now these qualities make my work easier, smoother and more productive. The ICU training as a junior resident at UW, in retrospect, is a precious inheritance which will stay with me throughout my surgical training and career. I cannot even imagine a better place to build the foundation of surgery.

It is difficult to express in words how proud I feel being part of the UW surgical community, even for a brief period of time. My training in cardiothoracic surgery is very rewarding. I am very happy to belong to this specialty. Every time I participate in a cardiac procedure or take care of a thoracic or cardiac disease process I confirm to myself this career choice. My wife and I miss Seattle and our friends, however, every day Indianapolis occupies another small piece in our heart and we are slowly settling down in Midwest.”

P. Vardas, MD – P2 UW Surgery….Indiana University, Integrated Cardiothoracic Surgery

 

“I hope this email finds you well. It has been a while since I wrote to you. I just wanted you to know that I accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Thoracic Surgery Section at the Washington University School of Medicine. The first six months have been great. As you may remember I completed my General Surgery Residency and I finished my CT Fellowship here. This could have not been possible without your help. My family and I are always grateful for that. I know the program still exists and I would ask you to continue to help as many Preliminary Surgery residents as you can. It really changes lives. Thank you.”

R. Nava, MD – P2 UW Surgery….Washington University, General Surgery

Recruitment & Selection

We interview approximately 100 candidates each year from across the U.S. for 21 Preliminary Surgery positions. We do not prefer applicants from any particular geographic region of the country and rather enjoy welcoming residents from across the spectrum of the north/south/east/west. We train graduates of all medical schools based strictly on their qualifications. We are as interested in training future surgeons as we are in training future anesthesiologists, radiologists and everything else! Our Preliminary specialty tracks are specifically designed to formulate an educational plan customized for each resident.

As part of our commitment to training future leaders, we recognize the importance of diversity in maintaining excellence in education, advocacy, and research. We encourage applicants from URiM backgrounds to apply to our program as we support our University’s mission to further our community through diversity and inclusion.

 

Application Process & Dates

Our application deadline is October 21, 2020 for the Preliminary Surgery Program. Interview invitations will be extended in late November, 2020. On the same day, we email everyone who applies to our program with a decision.

We are happy to review special requests for Preliminary Surgery interviews until the NRMP closes in February of each year. We recognize that circumstances change, especially for applicants in some of the early matches (e.g. Ophthalmology, Urology). So please feel free to contact us!

Residency positions for the Preliminary Surgery program at the University of Washington are matched via the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

• NRMP number for the 2-year preliminary position is1918440P0
• NRMP number for the 1-year preliminary position is 1918440P3

 For NRMP numbers for our General Surgery (Categorical) Surgery Program please visit those webpages.

UW Department of Surgery participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), hosted by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

• We do not accept paper applications.
• Applicant photos are downloaded from ERAS and useful in the ranking process, therefore it is considerably advantageous for applicants to submit their photo.
• We strongly encourage completion of the USMLE Step 2 CK exam as early as possible and ultimately, prior to January 1 of the application year.

 

Interview Day Process

Virtual Interviews

For those who accept an invitation to interview with our Preliminary Surgery program, we hope to make your virtual interview a valuable and educational experience. We will be hosting all our Preliminary Surgery interviews in group format via Zoom. Further information and scheduling details will be emailed to you.

After our group interview, we welcome communication and questions. Please note that our preferred mode of communication is e-mail and we kindly ask that you do NOT send any hand-written letters or cards. In sticking to the true ‘green’ spirit of the Pacific Northwest, we strongly encourage all our applicants to save a tree and be paper-free!

Because of the binding nature of the match, it is important that you are familiar with the conditions and requirements of our program before ranking us. Our Residency Position Appointment Agreement and its addendum detail the terms and conditions of residency at the University of Washington. Please follow this link to review information regarding Prospective Residents and familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of residency at the University of Washington and sign the Acknowledgment Form.

 

Travel and Hotel Accommodations

Our Address

Department of Surgery BB487
1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle WA 98195

 

Getting to Seattle

Driving from the NORTH

From I-5 southbound, take the #168B exit (this is a left exit towards Bellevue/Kirkland) to State Route 520. Take the first exit off SR520; the sign will point to Montlake Boulevard. Turn left onto Montlake Blvd. and cross the bridge. Turn left at the first traffic light, which is NE Pacific Street. Go to the S-1 gatehouse on the south side of the health sciences complex. (Note: There is a fee to park in this lot. Please pay at the gatehouse, which opens at 7am. We are unable to validate parking.)

Driving from the SOUTH

From I-5 northbound, take exit #168B onto State Route 520 (towards Bellevue/Kirkland). Take the first exit off SR520; the sign will point to Montlake Boulevard. Turn left onto Montlake Blvd. and cross the bridge. Turn left at the first traffic light, which is NE Pacific Street. Go to the S-1 gatehouse on the south side of the health sciences complex. (Note: There is a fee to park in this lot. Please pay at the gatehouse, which opens at 7am. We are unable to validate parking.)

Driving from the EAST

Take State Route 520 to the Montlake Boulevard exit. Continue north on Montlake Blvd. and cross the drawbridge. Turn left at the first traffic light, which is NE Pacific Street. Go to the S-1 gatehouse on the south side of the health sciences complex. (Note: There is a fee to park in this lot. Please pay at the gatehouse, which opens at 7am. We are unable to validate parking.)

 

Getting to the Conference Room

If Driving

• When you pull away from the S-1 gatehouse, turn right and then make an immediate left into the S-1 parking garage.
• At this point you have an option to drive up (to the left) into the middle level of the garage or drive down (to the right) into the lower level. We suggest parking in the middle level of the garage as it is the only level that provides direct access into the medical school. Try to park towards the far end (east end) of the garage.
• Enter through the door labeled “Hospital” along the north wall at the far end.
• Follow the hallway to the end. The doors at the end of the hall (on the right) will open automatically. Go through the doors to the elevators.
• Take the elevators up to the 4th floor.
• Exit the elevator slightly left and walk straight down the hall. You will find RR401 about 3/4 of way down the hall on the left.

If Dropped Off

• Enter the UW medical center through the main entrance located behind the circular driveway. You will be on the third floor of the hospital and the information desk will be directly in front of you.
• Turn right and walk to the end of the lobby.
• Turn left and take the Pacific elevators to the 4th floor.
• Exit the elevator and turn left through double doors. The carpeted floor will change to bare floor. Walk approx. 100+ feet down the hallway.
• Turn left down the first hallway and follow it past a set of elevators. RR401 will be on your right.

 

International Medical Graduates

Students and graduates of foreign medical schools should view our Certificate Program for International Physicians, which is a pre-requisite for those who seek Preliminary residency positions in our program. Canadian applicants should contact the Canadian Residents Matching Service.  F-1 Visa holders must receive pre-approval prior to ranking.

Policy For Student VISA Holders

The University of Washington has a new visa policy requirement for students that are currently on F-1 student visas. In the event you match with the University of Washington Preliminary Surgery residency program, your F-1 visa will convert to an Optional Practice Training (OPT) for the R1 year.

• In the past, residents on OPT would then apply for a H-1B visa. The University hopes to continue to provide H-1B visas to residents on OPT. However, we cannot guarantee this process will continue in the future.
• Assuming H1-B visas will continue to be offered to OPT students, the new visa policy requires that we receive pre-approval from our GME office and the International Service offices in order to place you on our rank list.

Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals that are selected to interview with our program will be provided with a list of documents/data that will be required by our GME Office.

We will not be accepting applications this year (2020-2021) in accordance with UW SOM guidelines due to COVID-19.

Certificate Program for International Medical Graduates

Each year the Department of Surgery at the University of Washington offers 3 visiting sub-internship positions to international medical graduates who are interested in pursuing a preliminary position in our residency program. Upon completion of this 8-week, clinical sub-internship program, international medical graduates may apply to our preliminary residency program via ERAS. All applicants who apply BEFORE completing our Certificate Program will not be considered.

SURG CP688 P-Subinternship in General Surgery for International Physicians – 8 weeks

The objective of this course is to permit the international physician to work in a US teaching hospital as well as further develop knowledge of surgical disease and enhance the ability to manage comprehensively the problems encountered in surgical patients. Physicians will function at the intern level under close supervision of the staff and housestaff. Diagnosis, preoperative care and postoperative care will be stressed. The management of surgical emergencies and outpatient follow-up of discharged patients will be included. The subintern will attend some operative procedures on their assigned patients and will participate in all rounds and teaching conferences. This course will provide an opportunity for the physicians to perfect clinical skills in dealing with medical as well as surgical problems and will permit the physician to assume added responsibility. This program will be for preparation for participation in the UW surgical residency programs. Successful graduates of this program will be considered for a one or two-year non-designated preliminary residency position in the Department of Surgery. Physicians will spend a minimum of 160 contact hours participating in this program and will participate daily for the entire 8-week period. Physicians in our International Physician’s Certificate Program will receive 16 continuing education units and a certificate upon successful completion of the program. Certificates will be awarded by the University of Washington at the end of the academic year.

 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to enroll in this course you must meet the following qualifications:

1. Current ECFMG certification (issued since 2000) in all three areas of the exam.
2. USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores of 220 or better on each. The exam(s) must have been taken in the last three years and you must have passed all parts of the exam (including clinical knowledge and clinical skills) on the first attempt. Official USMLE transcripts are required. USMLE score reports will not be accepted. You may request your transcripts by contacting ECFMG.
3. A medical degree earned in the last seven years (if your degree is older than 7 years, you do not qualify for this program).
4. Attestation that you have not been subject to review, challenges, and/or disciplinary action, formal or informal, by an ethics committee, licensing board, medical disciplinary board, professional association or education/training institution (if you have, you do not qualify for this program).
5. Valid certification of US citizenship, landed immigrant status, or qualify for an F-1 student visa.
6. You are planning to apply for a preliminary surgery residency position at the University of Washington (we do not accept applicants that do not intend to apply to our preliminary program).
7. Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your clinical patient care skills and potential to function as a resident.
8. Excellent expressive and receptive English skills. Some past participants have not been successful solely because their English was not adequate.

Tuition for the course is $1956*, plus a $50 application fee, and $39 quarterly registration fee for a total cost of $2045. The full amount is due at the time of registration. Tuition is subject to change on annual basis and is regulated by the University of Washington.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND APPLICATION OR REGISTRATION FEE WITH YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.

 

Application

Please submit the following documents in the order listed by mail to the Manager of Surgical Education (address listed below):

1. UW Dept of Surgery Coversheet (Please fill out this form.)
2. Copy of current ECFMG certificate
3. Official USMLE transcript with Step 1 & 2 scores (score reports will not be accepted)
4. Copy of medical school transcript
5. Current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
6. Written statement explaining your career goals and why you are seeking this opportunity
7. Three letters of recommendation

COMPLETE applications must be sent via regular or express mail as below. Application materials sent via email are not acceptable.

Regular Mail (includes USPS Priority w/ Delivery Confirmation)
Gina Coluccio, Manager of Surgical Education
University of Washington
Department of Surgery
Box 356410
1959 NE Pacific Street
Seattle, WA 98195-6410 USA

Express Mail (FedEx/UPS)
Gina Coluccio, Manager of Surgical Education
University of Washington
Department of Surgery
Room BB-487
1959 NE Pacific Street
Seattle, WA 98195-6410 USA

 

Thank you for your interest in the program and we look forward to receiving your application. Please direct all questions to Gina Coluccio, Manager of Surgical Education / coluccio@uw.edu.

PLEASE NOTE: All documents must be received before your application will be sent to the Program Director for review. You will receive an email confirming that your application was received and submitted. The review process takes approximately 4-8 weeks, after which you will be notified via email regarding your acceptance. We ask that you do not contact our office to inquire about the status of your application.

 

Virtual Q&A Sessions

Since recruitment season has gone virtual this year, we will be hosting a VIRTUAL VISIT this fall to help answer questions you may have about our Preliminary Surgery Program. If you are unable to join us for a VIRTUAL VISIT, they can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

You can sign-up for future visits here.

Joanna Ames
Residency Program Operations Specialist and Recruitment Manager, Surgical Education
James17@uw.edu
206-543-3654