General Surgery - Program Facts

**Click Here** for a Printable PDF version of the Program Facts

---

Program Facts

	We are a fully accredited five year surgical residency program with two graduating residents per year.
	We are currently under good standing with the RRC and were recently approved for 4 years - until 2011.
	Residents complete between 900 and 1200 major cases by the time of graduation.
	Fellowship training:
	While the majority of our graduates choose to go into private practice after graduation, a significant number of graduates have completed fellowships in Critical Care and Trauma, Cardiothoracic, Vascular, Colorectal, and Plastic surgery.
	General Surgery Boards:
	Our graduates have maintained an acceptable pass rate on the General Surgery Boards.
	As a chief resident you are given the opportunity to attend a week long “Specialty Review in General Surgery” course (Osler Course).  Residents are not required to use vacation or conference time days to attend the course and Synergy pays for all travel, lodging, registration and meal expenses.
	Synergy Medical provides free ongoing training and certification to residents in ultrasound, ACLS, ATLS and FLS.
	We have a certified Level 2 Trauma Center and an active Bariatric Center.
	Residents and staff are actively involved in teaching medical students in their third and fourth years of training including: Third year Michigan State University students Fourth year Michigan State University students Third year Ross students Fourth year Ross students
	Synergy Medical has an active 7-10 day international medical experience available to residents which is funded by Synergy and accredited to helping underprivileged nations in: Guatemala Belize Others

Program Structure

Preceptor based – The residency program is structured in a preceptor format. Each resident in years one through four is assigned to a specific attending physician during each rotation. During the rotation, residents are expected to spend their time working with their assigned attending in all aspects of their practice. Call is scheduled separately. We have found the preceptor based format to be very effective at allowing residents to gain experience in how a private practice functions as well as providing extensive operative experience.

Our Surgery Office is a “chief run” service incorporating a chief resident plus junior resident, off-service residents and medical students.

Resident Information

	There are two categorical positions available for each year of residency with two graduating residents per year. We do not currently offer any preliminary positions.
	There are no other surgical residencies or fellowship programs to compete with.

Rotations

Rotations are offered in all the major specialties. All rotations are currently offered in Saginaw with the exception of Transplant Surgery which is offered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. All rotations listed below are for the first four years. Additional information can be found in the curriculum section.


ACGME Program Components 9/22/08

Principle Components	PGY1	PGY2	PGY3	PGY4	PGY5	Total
General Surgery	8	6	8	6	12	40
CC/Trauma	2	1	1	1		5
Vascular		1		2		3
Abdomen-Colorectal				1		1
ENT		1				1
Total Category						50
Secondary Components
Anesthesiology	1					1
Thoracic				2		2
Gynecology		0.5				0.5
Neurosurgery		1				1
Pediatric Surgery			2			2
Plastics			1			1
Transplant		1				1
Research		0.5				0.5
Total Category						9
Non Surgical Clinical Disciplines (6)
Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Gastroenterology
Anesthesiology (counted twice)	1
Pathology	0.5					0.5
Radiology	0.5					0.5
Total Category	12	12	12	12	12	1
Total Rotation Time						60

Call and Hours

	There is one resident on call at each of the two hospitals daily.
	Shifts are from 5 pm to 8 am on weekdays, and from 8 am to 8 am on weekends.
	Call shifts are distributed evenly by resident year with the average number of shifts being 8 per month for first year residents and 6 per month for fourth year residents.
	Call rooms are provided at each of the hospitals. Covenant provides a complete call room facility complete with community area, showers, and a private, secure, and spacious room for surgical residents with a computer, TV, new bed, and high speed internet access. Saint Mary’s hospital also provides a secure, private call room with a TV and high speed internet access. SESAP-13 and Access Surgery (online curriculum) is readily accessible at both hospital call rooms.
	We are compliant with current RRC work hour standards. Residents are not to work more than 80 hours per work averaged over four weeks, no more than 30 hours in a row without a 10-hour break, and are expected to have four 24 hour periods off every four weeks. All residents are required to log their work hours on GMEone.com, a web based tracking site.

Education

	Books provided:
	Surgery, Scientific Principles and Practice, Greenfield et al.   Principles of Surgery, Schwartz
	Access Surgery:
	This is a web based program broken up into 13 four week blocks which includes identified reading assignments, videos detailing operative procedures and questions for each block.  We also have access to journal articles via Pub Med and OVID as well as covering an assortment of on line based textbooks.  The curriculum topics are organized into 28 organ system-based categories divided over 13 blocks to complete a one year course off study.  The numerous educational topics have been categorized by the SCORE-patient care curriculum classification systems. Access Surgery includes the following on-line books: * CURRENT Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment, 12th Edition * Schwartz's Principles of Surgery, 8th Edition * Trauma, 6th Edition * Maingot's Abdominal Operations, 11th Edition * Obesity Surgery: Principles and Practice * Principles of Critical Care, 3rd Edition * Zollinger's Atlas of Surgical Operations, 8th Edition * Skandalakis' Surgical Anatomy * CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, 2nd Edition * Smith's General Urology, 17th Edition * CURRENT Consult Surgery
	Conferences and Lectures:
	Surgical Grand Rounds   Trauma Rounds   Morbidity and Mortality   Basic Sciences lectures   Mock oral lectures - Grand Rapids & Saginaw   Tumor Boards   Journal Club   Surgical Conferences   Tuesday morning textbook review & questions from SESAP/Access Surgery
	ABSITE:
	Synergy Medical participates in the American Board of Surgery In-Service Training Examination
	Board Review:
	The Osler Intstitute 'Specialty Review in General Surgery" - Every year, the chief residents attend this conference with all expenses paid.
	We have been chosen by SAGES as a beta test site for the implementation of a new five year curriculum sponsored by the ACS called SCORE.
	We have been given a grant for the new FLS (fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery) simulation for which all of our residents will be certified.
	Bariatric and trauma centers
	International medical experience
	Medical students
	ATLS, ACLS, FLS certifications

Research

	Saginaw has outstanding research and publication opportunities. Synergy Medical has a supportive Research Department dedicated to helping residents and faculty in their research endeavors.
	Residents are expected to conduct one research project each academic year. The research project is to be presented at the annual J.E. Manning research day. Many residents are able to have their research published or presented at additional conferences with all expenses paid for up to 3 days.
	The Knowledge Services Department provides extensive support for resident research including free access to OVID/PubMed and other medical data bases, free photocopying, inter-library loans and state of the art audiovisual equipment for presentations.
	The Knowledge Services Department is available to residents 24 hours a day.
	Residents are encouraged to present at national conferences.  If chosen to present at a conference all conference, registration, travel and meal expenses are paid for by Synergy for up to three days.
	Residents have actively participated in “Surgical Jeopardy” at the American College of Surgeons annual conference and, if chosen, all expenses are paid for this conference.

Hospital System

Covenant Health Care and Saint Mary’s Hospital are the two principle hospitals in Saginaw that have affiliations with the residency program.

	Combined 968 beds.
	Large patient referral base of over 800,000 which comes from the 14 surrounding counties which include much of the northern and central parts of the southern peninsula of Michigan.
	Dedicated regional Burn and Trauma Unit.
	Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
	State of the art Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit.
	Advanced cardiac and cardio thoracic services.
	Advanced neurosurgical services.
	New, state of the art surgical theaters.
	Advanced imaging and diagnostics capabilities.

Affiliations

	Michigan State University Synergy Medical is an affiliate campus of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU/CHM). Benefits include: resources of a major university, resident academic appointments, opportunity to teach 3rd & 4th year MSU/CHM students.
	University of Michigan Synergy Medical also shares close ties with the University of Michigan. Our residents spend one month in Ann Arbor for Transplant Surgery. In addition, University of Michigan faculty provided several guest lectures through out the year.
	Bay Medical Synergy Medical does not have direct affiliations with Bay Medical Regional Hospital in Bay City, however, surgical residents are given privilege at these hospitals for select rotations.
	Mid-Michigan Hospitals Synergy Medical has an affiliation with Mid-Michigan Hospital in Midland, Michigan, where 4th year residents do a two month thoracic rotation.

Salaries and Benefits - effective July 1, 2010

Post Grad Year	Salary	Educational Expenses	Vacation
PGY-1	$44,572	$1,000	3 weeks
PGY-2	$46,148	$1,250	4 weeks
PGY-3	$47,690	$1,450	4 weeks
PGY-4	$49,216	$1,750	4 weeks
PGY-5	$50,547	$1,750	4 weeks

	Health Insurance
	Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Michigan, $40 co-pay, prescription coverage
	Dental Insurance
	Includes annual care and orthodontia
	Life Insurance
	2x annual salary, free to employee
	Long-Term Disability
	$2000 to $2500 monthly benefit, no-cost
	Vision Insurance
	Covers frames/lenses/contacts every 24 months
	Malpractice Insurance
	Synergy Medical funded, $100K/occurrence, $300K aggregate
	Membership Dues
	Provided to appropriate specialty associations & American College of Surgeons
	Sick Leave
	12 days per year, maximum accrual of 60 days
	Vacation Leave
	1st year - 3 weeks, 2nd & up - 4 weeks.
	Travel & Conference Reimbursement
	Provided for educational and research related conferences
	Educational License
	Expense reimbursed for all years of residency
	Transitional Reimbursement up to $1,000 to include accreditation expenses (ie: limited educational license)
	Employee Assistance Plan
	Counseling for staff and family provided at no cost
	House Staff Computers
	Provided at no cost with free LAN and Internet access
	Flexible Benefits Plan
	Pre-tax deduction for dependent or medical care
	PDA Reimbursement
	Residents receive funds to purchase a PDA
	Free unlimited Internet access & e-mail

Additional Perks

	As a chief resident you are given the opportunity to attend a week-long "Specialty Review in General Surgery" (Osler course). Residents are not required to use vacation or conference time days to attend the course and Synergy pays for all travel, lodging, registration and meal expenses.
	Residents receive a stipend at the beginning of each academic year which covers meal allowance as well as lab coats.
	Resident assistance is available with a home mortgage down payment. (the housing market is so affordable in Saginaw that many residents choose to buy their homes instead of renting).
	Synergy Medical provides free training to residents in ultrasound, ACLS, ATLS, & FLS.
	Traveling in and out of the area is facilitated by a very convenient Midland/Bay City/Saginaw (MBS) International Airport.
	Saginaw is a one and one-half hour drive or less to most metropolitan areas in Michigan (Lansing, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint). Lansing and Ann Arbor are home to Michigan State University and the University of Michigan respectively.
	Saginaw is a safe, family-oriented community with good schools and lots of local activities for the family.
	Mid-Michigan provides tremendous opportunities for outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, boating, skiing, mountain biking, and golf.
	Birch Run, one of the largest outlet malls in the country is just a thirty minute drive from the hospitals.
	Saginaw has over two dozen affordable private/public golf courses. Michigan has been rated in the top five of states for golf courses per capita.
	Synergy Medical has an active 7-10 day international medical experience which is funded by Synergy and accredited to helping underprivileged nations in Guatamala, Belize, and other places.
	Residents who present at national or local conferences have all expenses paid for by Synergy for up to three days.
	Residents are given an opportunity to participate in “Surgical Jeopardy” at the American College of Surgeons annual conference with all expenses paid for by Synergy Medical.
	Residents are provided ongoing training and certification in ACLS, ATLS and FLS which is paid for by Synergy Medical.

How to Apply

	Synergy Medical Education Alliance participates with the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
	Synergy Medical is also a proud participant in the NRMP Couples Match.