Pediatric Surgery Training Program

The educational and training program is currently limited to general surgery resident, UTHSCSA medical students, and University of Incarnate Word (UIW) medical students who rotate on the pediatric surgery service as part of their general surgery rotations.

The educational goal of the training program is to prepare the general surgery resident to function as a qualified surgical practitioner of the highest level of competence possible, to assure that he or she can manage the pediatric surgical disorders that are likely to be encountered in the practice of general surgery, and to prepare the young surgeon for successfully achieving board certification.

General surgery residents from UTHSCSA and San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) program spend 6 to 8 weeks on service. During this time, they actively participate in all aspects of the surgical care of our patients, and benefit from a heavy operative case load. The pediatric surgery service is considered one service, and includes patients at the University Hospital, Methodist Children’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. All residents may participate in patient care activities at each of these hospitals.

The medical student program is an extremely popular one among the UTHSCSA students. Third year students may rotate on our service as part of their core general surgery requirements, and a fourth year elective rotation is also available for those students who desire more experience in the care of the pediatric surgical patient.

The strength of the program lies in the fact that the trainee is exposed to a large volume and breadth of pediatric surgical pathology which prepares them well for general surgery certification and patient care later in their careers.

  • The clinical training program is the major focus of teaching on the service. Residents are expected to function at a level of independence which is appropriate for their PGY level, previous experience, and individual capabilities. The clinical activities include assistant and primary operative experience; inpatient care and consultation services; emergency department care and consultation services; and outpatient clinic services.
  • The didactic training program is designed along a traditional curriculum of formal and informal lectures and presentations, daily attending rounds on all patients, and self-directed study of materials created and provided by SAPSA, including multimedia and printed materials. Residents and students are given a Learning Objectives guide at the beginning of the rotation which is specific for their level of training, and are encouraged to focus on these objectives during their rotation.
  • Residents and students are encouraged to further their educational experience by participating in clinical research, and are assisted and supervised in this capacity by a SAPSA attending surgeon.

 

Training Documents