Resident Experience
Our mission is to provide a comprehensive and well-rounded surgical training program that equips residents with the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver exceptional perioperative care. Through exposure to over 1100 cases, our residents gain invaluable hands-on experience in a variety of surgical specialties, including acute care surgery, trauma and critical care, general surgery, MIS, bariatric and robotic surgery, surgical endoscopy and oncology, breast, vascular, thoracic, plastic, pediatric, transplant, and cardiac surgery. Our program also offers exposure to urology, ENT, neurosurgery, and orthopedic surgery, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and a broader understanding of related fields. By providing a diverse and immersive learning environment, we aim to prepare our residents for successful careers in surgical practice.
Applying to the Surgery Residency Program
The Berkshire Health System Surgery Department participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). This service is provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and streamlines the residency application process.
- The ERAS application must be received by December 1
- To compete your ERAS application, you will need:
- ERAS Application
- Personal Statement
- Dean’s Letter
- Medical School Transcript
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- USMLE Step 1 & 2 or COMLEX Level 1, 2, and 2 PE scores
- Completed applications are reviewed using a holistic process to identify qualified applicants.
Curriculum
PGY-I | ||
Emergency Medicine | 1 Month | |
Radiology | 2 Weeks | |
Anesthesia | 2 Weeks | |
Neurosurgery | 2 Weeks | |
Orthopaedic Surgery | 2 Weeks | |
Surgical ICU | 1 Month | |
Medicine ICU | 1 Month | |
*General Surgery | 7 Months | |
PGY-II | ||
Surgical ICU | 2 Months | |
Transplant [University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center] | 6 Weeks | |
*General Surgery | 8 Months | |
PGY-III | ||
Surgical ICU | 1 Month | |
Cardiothoracic Surgery [Baystate Medical Center] | 1 Month | |
Surgical Oncology | 2 Months | |
*General Surgery | 8 Months | |
PGY-IV | ||
Trauma Surgery [Baystate Medical Center] | 6 Weeks | |
Pediatric Surgery [Baystate Medical Center] | 2 Months | |
*General Surgery | 8 Months | |
PGY-V | ||
*General Surgery | 12 Months |
Surgical Didactic Schedule Sample
Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
0700 | Mock Orals/Case Presentations | Review/Thoracic Conference | Multidisciplinary Breast Conference | Basic Science or SCORE/TrueLearn Review | |
0730 | Cancer Conference | ||||
0800 | Trauma Grand Rounds | ||||
0900 | M&M Conference | ||||
1300 | Multidisciplinary Rounds | Multidisciplinary Rounds | Multidisciplinary Rounds |
Scholarly Activity
As an institution, we have great interest in not only individual patient care but also furthering the science of medicine on a global level.
We strongly support research efforts amongst our residents and faculty. Every year, BMC hosts a Resident Research Forum in which all residents can present their work to the hospital faculty as a whole. This forum includes research work from all residency programs at our medical center, with awards granted to the top performers.
We also hold a monthly research forum focused on the discussion of resident/faculty research and QI projects. A research/IRB representative, biostatistician, medical librarian and our DIO, Liana Fraenkel are available to facilitate the research process.
In addition, our surgical residents are strongly encouraged to present research at local, regional, and national and international meetings:
- New England Surgical Society (NESS)
- International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)
- American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS)
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS)
- Chest Wall Injury Society (CWIS)
Faculty
General Surgery Faculty | Bariatrics/Minimally Invasive Surgery | Colorectal | Endoscopy | Neurosurgery | Orthopaedics | Thoracic | Trauma/Critical Care | Vascular | Vein Care
Marcella Bradway, MD, FACS, FASCRS, Surgery Department Chair
Michael R. DiSiena, DO, FACS – Program Director
2024 Surgical Residents
Program FAQ’s
01
How many attempts to pass the COMLEX or USMLE steps are accepted?
COMLEX score: 500 or higher; 1st attempt is preferred.
USMLE Step 1: a score of 229 or above and Step 2: a score of 230 or above; 1rst attempt is preferred.
02
What if I have not completed all of my COMLEX or USMLE exams?
Please be sure to include the results of all exams that you have completed and include on the application whether any missing exams have been scheduled yet. It is a MA state requirement that USMLE Step 1 & 2 or COMLEX 1, 2, and 2 PE be completed and submitted in order to obtain a medical license, therefore all three exams MUST have been completed and passed prior to May in order to ensure sufficient time to apply for a physician limited medical license.
03
How long since graduating from Medical School is acceptable?
You must have graduated within five (5) years of applying to the program.
04
How many recommendation letters are required?
Three (3) letters or recommendation are required in addition to a Dean’s Letter.
05
Do recommendation letters have to be from institutions/physicians within the United States?
No, your recommendation letters do not have to come from locations in the United States, but we do strongly encourage that most, if not all, of your letters are from surgeons.
06
How many positions do you offer per year?
We offer two (2) categorical and two (2) preliminary positions per year.
07
How many ERAS applications do you receive?
We receive approximately 800 applications a year.
08
When is your application deadline?
The deadline to apply to our program is December 1st.
09
When do you schedule interviews?
Interviews are scheduled from October – December.
10
How can I apply to your program?
We accept applications ONLY via ERAS. Please do not send any applications via email, fax, or phone.