Stanley J. Dudrick, M.D. Program Director and Associate Chairman

Chairman of the Department of Surgery receives national award

Overview

The Department of Surgery at Saint Mary's Hospital offers a comprehensive six year training program in General Surgery. The program is community based and boasts a close affiliation to Yale University in nearby New Haven, Connecticut. The residency program provides a balance of supervision, responsibility, and independence during training that allows the resident, upon completion of the program, the confidence and skill to practice general surgery or to pursue sub-specialty training. Historically, nearly one half of the residents completing this program have pursued further training in cardiothoracic, colon and rectal, plastic and reconstructive, or vascular surgery. The program is a non-pyramidal six year program. Preliminary surgical tracts at the PGY I and PGY II levels are also available.

The General Surgery Residency Program provides diverse clinical experience in all areas of general surgery. Operative experience in the areas of GI, oncology, thoracic, vascular, laparoscopy, trauma, gynecology, urology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, plastic, and endocrine surgery is available at Saint Mary's Hospital. Further operative experience in burn, plastic and reconstructive, cardiothoracic, transplant, and pediatric surgery is provided through rotations at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Training in the areas of endoscopy, critical care, anesthesia, emergency and trauma is also provided during the clinical training years. One year of basic science research is expected during the third post-graduate year at Yale University School of Medicine.

The Department of Surgery offers a variety of didactic lectures and conferences. Residents at all levels present and participate in these conferences. Weekly conferences include morbidity and mortality conference, trauma rounds, ICU rounds, Yale visiting professor conference, vascular conference, case report, and general surgery curriculum review. Visiting professor lectures, tumor board, journal club, basic science lectures, trauma grand rounds, GI conference, radiology conference and surgical pathology are scheduled monthly conferences.

Curriculum

First Clinical Year

During the first year of training, the resident rotates through seven months of general surgery, one month each of orthopedic surgery, urology, neurosurgery, emergency and anesthesiology. The resident is encouraged to participate in one of many ongoing clinical research projects.

Second Clinical Year

During the second year of training the resident rotates through two months of cardiothoracic surgery, one month of burn, plastic and reconstructive surgery and one month of transplant at Yale-New Haven Hospital. The resident also completes four months of rotation in both critical care and emergency/trauma.

Post-Doctoral Research Year

The unique opportunity of basic science and clinical research at Yale University School of Medicine is provided during this year. In the past, residents have performed basic research in the areas of gastrointestinal physiology, plastic and burn surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. The resident is also awarded the opportunity to present his or her research at a variety of local, regional and national meetings as well as publish in peer review journals. During this year, endoscopy training at Yale-New Haven Hospital and the West Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center is planned.

Third Clinical Year

During the third year of clinical training the resident rotates on general surgery teams at Saint Mary's Hospital. This exposes the resident to a variety of cases in the areas of GI, vascular, thoracic, endocrine, pediatric and oncologic surgery. The resident plays a central role in management of these patients and on the trauma team. The resident also has a three month rotation for surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Clinical research is encouraged during this year.

Fourth Clinical Year

The senior resident gains experience in more advanced surgical cases. The resident spends the year on the General Surgery/Trauma teams at Saint Mary's Hospital. The fourth year resident is also responsible for supervising junior residents in the critical care and emergency/trauma rotations. Other responsibilities include providing medical student lectures and running the general surgery out patient clinic.

Chief Resident Year

The chief resident has a wide variety of clinical and administrative responsibilities. During this year, one gains experience in advance surgical techniques and oversees patient management by direct supervision of all junior residents. The chief resident serves as principle physician for all house general surgery and trauma patients. Administrative duties include managing resident rotation and on-call schedules, organizing the didactic lecture schedule for resident education, and participating in educational and policy-making committees of the Department of Surgery and Saint Mary's Hospital.

About Saint Mary's Hospital 

Established in 1906, Saint Mary's Hospital is a Catholic, non-profit, 347 bed, acute care teaching hospital. It is closely affiliated with Yale University School of Medicine and the Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. Saint Mary's is committed to providing a full range of integrated health care services to all 250,000 residents of Waterbury and the Central Naugatuck Valley. The Mission Statement clearly defines the hospital's commitment to the community.

Clinical Services
In-Patient Services

Saint Mary's Hospital provides acute care in the medical fields of cardiology, dentistry, endocrinology, family medicine, gastroenterology, infectious disease, internal medicine, nephrology, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, oncology, pediatrics, psychiatry and pulmonary medicine. Anchored by the general surgery training program, acute care is available in surgical areas of general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and urology. State-of-the-art medical and surgical critical care units are available for the comprehensive management of seriously ill patients. Saint Mary's also boasts a number of fully staffed support departments including anesthesiology, emergency, radiology, laboratory medicine and pathology.

Saint Mary's Hospital is committed to providing ongoing graduate medical education and continuing medical education. Residency training is available not only in general surgery, but also in primary care medicine and pediatrics. Fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine is also available. The hospital's affiliation with Yale-New Haven Hospital and the School of Medicine has strengthened these programs both clinically and academically.

Out-Patient Services

Saint Mary's Hospital has kept pace with the growing demand for out-patient services. A new Same Day Surgery Care Center serves as the central focus for management of out patient care at Saint Mary's. A stream-lined approach allows patients undergoing outpatient procedures in the operating room, GI suite, radiology or other areas to enjoy efficient care in a state-of-the-art environment.

In addition to the Same Day Care Center, out patient care is provided at the Adult Primary Care Center which houses the medical and surgical out patient clinics. Comprehensive primary care is provided by the primary care residents and full-time medical staff. The full-time Pediatric staff and residents provide primary out-patient Pediatric care. Subspecialty care in the out-patient setting is available in the areas of General Surgery, Orthopedics, OB/Gyn, and Urology. By utilizing the extensive network of out-patient facilities, the surgical resident is able to gain substantial pre- and post-operative management experience.

Waterbury and the Surrounding Area

Waterbury is located in the Central Naugatuck Valley along the Naugatuck River in Connecticut. Waterbury and the surrounding area offers great diversity in recreation, culture, housing and education. The nearby communities of Litchfield and New Haven are filled with historical and cultural sites as well as fine shops and restaurants. There are multiple towns along the coast of the Long Island Sound which also supports sailing and other watersports. The Connecticut State Park system allows hiking, canoeing, camping and a variety of other activities in a beautiful undisturbed environment. New England resorts in the region are popular for skiing and other wintersports. Waterbury is within driving distance of Hartford, Cape Cod and Newport. Its proximity to New York and Boston allow easy access to urban excitement.

Besides the public school system, there are a number of renowned private preparatory schools in the Waterbury area. In addition, there are a number of colleges and universities located within Waterbury or within a 40 minute commute of the city. These include:

Yale University

University of Bridgeport School of Law

University of New Haven

University of Connecticut School of Law

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

University of Connecticut School of Social Work

Trinity College

University of Hartford

Wesleyan University

Fairfield University

Saint Joseph College

Sacred Heart University

Paier College of Art

Tables Surgical Experience Total Cases per annum 6813 out patient 3251 in patient 2163 A.M. admit 1321 Case Breakdown General Surgery 3287 Orthopedic Surgery 1085 Gynecology 874 Urology 641 Neurosurgery 467 Surgical Resident Cases Surgeon Asst. PGY 1 99 86 PGY 2 31 15 PGY 3 296 55 PGY 4 268 48 Chief Resident 266 50 Total (General Surgery) 780 339 Total (incl. Sub-specialty) 980 645 Yearly Out-Patient Visits Adult Primary Care (Surgery, OB/Gyn, Medicine) 24,668 Pediatric 23,546 Mental Health, Joseph Center, Dental 31,902 Emergency Department 56,392 Annual In-Patient Admissions Surgery Admissions 3155 Same Day Surgery 2818 Rotation Schedule The General Surgery Residency Training Program and Saint Mary's Hospital provide the following benefits to all residents: Benefits Malpractice Insurance Health & Dental Coverage Meal Allowance Disability Coverage Moving/Relocation Stipend Vacation Time (15 days per year) Free covered parking Pension Plan William Finkelstein Medical Library (available 24 hours) periodicals, medical textbooks, Med Line Search, interlibrary loan. Annual Stipends (2002-2003) PGY 1 $41,317 PGY 2 $43,320 PGY 3 $45,370 PGY 4 $47,072 PGY 5 $52,208 PGY 6 $53,805