Boston University Medical Campus
Surgery

One of the primary educational goals of the surgical residency program is to foster an atmosphere of critical thought and self-improvement in all resident teaching activities. All teaching conferences, rounds, and symposia stress the principles of practice-based learning. 

“The Agnew Clinic”by Thomas Eakins, 1889.D. Hayes Agnew was a respected surgeon who taught at the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Morbidity and Mortality Conference (all integrated and affiliated institutions):

This conference is held weekly at all integrated and affiliated institutions. Critical evaluation of the management of cases is stressed in this forum. The Chief Residents or R4/R3 residents present all morbidity and mortality on their respective services. The residents are responsible for either defending management decisions or criticizing them, based on their understanding of the data gathered in each case and the current literature.   

Surgical Grand Rounds (all integrated and affiliated institutions):

Grand Rounds are held weekly for surgical faculty, residents, and medical students. A subject of surgical importance is presented and discussed in depth by experts in the field. Time is left after each presentation for questions.

An anatomy lecture at Boston University School of Medicine in the late 1800s.

Tumor Board (all integrated and affiliated institutions):    

This conference is held monthly at all integrated and affiliated institutions. Both faculty and residents present interesting oncology cases. The pathophysiology of the respective tumor as well as current management are discussed.   

Morning Report (BMC):

This conference is held each Thursday morning by the Chief of Surgery on the East Newton Campus (BMC) and the Chief of Trauma at the Menino Pavilion (BMC). The conference is for senior residents and faculty. All morbidity and mortality, as well as challenging cases, are presented. Management decisions are reviewed and criticized. This conference provides a more intimate setting to allow senior residents to benefit from faculty experience.  

Chief’s Rounds (BMC):

Chief’s Rounds is a weekly conference held on Tuesdays with the Chief of Surgery.  The senior residents present interesting or complicated cases including a critical literature review.     

Core Curriculum Conference (all integrated and affiliated institutions):

This conference is based on the American College of Surgeons core curriculum, which is e-mailed to the residents on a weekly basis. A multiple-choice examination is given to the residents based on the weekly core curriculum topic. The conference is held in two sessions every Wednesday morning. This first session, held for the benefit of the R3-R5 residents, prepares the residents for the certifying examination of the American Board of Surgery. The second session, held for the benefit of the R1-R2 residents and medical students, deals with basic science and pathophysiology. 

Surgical Quality Improvement Conference (BMC):

This conference is held monthly on the East Newton campus. The conference discusses initiatives by the Division of Surgery to improve outcomes and the quality of care for surgical patients.   

Medical/Surgical GI Conference (BMC): 

The Medical/Surgical GI Conference is held monthly on Tuesdays. Surgical residents present interesting cases from the Chief’s and Mozden surgical services to a combined audience of gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal surgeons. Current management as well the current literature is discussed. 

Vascular Conference (BMC): 

Vascular conference is held weekly by faculty members of the Smithwick Service. Open, as well as endovascular cases, are presented by the residents. Management of the cases is discussed.        

Monday Walk Rounds at the VA (BVAMC):

This ward round experience, which is conducted by the Chief of Surgery at the Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center (BVAMC), is attended by all faculty and residents. All cases currently on the surgical service are reviewed. Residents must demonstrate a critical understanding of the data available on each case as well as be able to justify current management. 

VISITING PROFESSORSHIP PROGRAMS (BMC):  

Each year the Division of Surgery sponsors a variety of visiting professorships in the areas of Trauma (Clowes Visiting Professorship), Vascular Surgery (The Smithwick Visiting Professorship), and Surgical Oncology (The Mozden Visiting Professorship). In addition, a surgical symposium, the Smithwick Symposium, is held by the Division with rotating clinical emphasis.

Each of the professorships takes place over a two-day period, during which the visiting professor interacts with residents and students in a variety of settings, including clinical rounds, clinical seminars, case presentations, and scientific seminars. The culmination of the visit is a keynote address by the visiting professor. These professorships incorporate a variety of clinical and basic science topics. Attendance is mandatory for all surgical residents, and elective surgery is not performed during the visiting professorships.        

RESEARCH SYMPOSIA AND CONFERENCES:

Resident Research Update (BMC):

This conference is held as a Surgical Grand Rounds once a year to highlight ongoing research projects in which the residents are involved.

Grasberger Research Symposium (BMC):

This is an annual research symposium, which provides an opportunity for the surgical residents and fellows to present original basic and clinical research. The symposium was established in 1990 in memory of Robert Grasberger MD, an outstanding graduate of our residency program, who died in 1986. The symposium is administered like a scientific conference. Residents submit abstracts and are given 10 minutes to present their research, which is followed by a 10-minute discussion period.  

SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE:

Critical Care Lectures (BMC):

Each Wednesday, the Surgical Critical Care Department presents critical care lectures as part of the continuing curriculum in the fundamentals of Surgical Critical Care. Most of the topics are in part or wholly devoted to basic science. The Surgical Critical Care Department also holds a weekly seminar on Thursdays. These seminars focus on a variety of topics relevant to surgical critical care. 

Trauma/ICU Rounds (BMC):

Every Friday, trauma/ICU rounds are held in the Menino Pavilion, the largest Level 1 trauma center in New England. The residents benefit from the expertise of the Chief of Trauma as well as the trauma/critical care faculty. Cases are discussed from the surgical critical care perspective and future treatment plans formulated.

Medical students in the labs of the original
Boston University School of Medicine in the late 1800s.