Applicants
All application information must be submitted to the Department of Surgery through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). All eligible applications are accepted. The application deadline is November 10, 2023.
Medical Education
- Graduates of LCME-approved US and Canadian medical schools
- International Medical Graduates who have valid ECFMG certificates of who have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by and LCME-accredited medical school
- Graduates of American Osteopathic Assoc accredited Osteopathic Medical Schools
Visa Status
Visa status for international Medical Graduates must fall within the following categories
- Eligible to seek J-1 visa
- Permanent Resident or Alien status (i.e. "greencard")
- In accordance with UT GME guidelines, this program does not sponsor residents for "H" type visas.
Resident Selection / Applicant Eligibility (GME Policy #110)
Interviews are required for consideration. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview via e-mail in September. Please be sure to include your e-mail address as part of your ERAS application.
Applicants are selected for interviews based on:
- Medical school transcript
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- USMLE or COMLEX scores
To ensure that all residents/fellows meet minimal standards, the Graduate Medical Education Program requires that all residents/fellows entering any Memphis-based graduate medical education program sponsored by the University of Tennessee College of Medicine on or after July 1, 2009 must have passed USMLE Steps 1 and 2 (CK) or equivalent examinations (COMLEX-USA or MCCQE).
Any Agreement of Appointment or offer letter will be contingent upon passing Steps 1 and 2 (or equivalent exams). Each resident/fellow is responsible for providing copies of passage of Steps 1 and 2 (CK) or equivalent examinations to the program director and GME Office and will not be allowed to start training until this documentation is submitted. A valid ECFMG certificate will be accepted as proof for international medical school graduates.
Accepted or matched residents and fellows who have not passed Steps 1 and 2 (or equivalent examinations) by July 1 will be released from their contract.
- US Clinical Experience (USCE) is not required; however, it is encouraged.
Applicants are selected for residency based on the above criteria and on personal interviews. UTHSC sponsors J1 visas ONLY.
General Surgery Applicants' Interview Dates
- November 8, 2023
- November 15, 2023
- December 6, 2023
- January 10, 2024
- January 17, 2024
A virtual Meet & Greet will be held on Tuesday evening before each interview session. Virtual interviews begin the following day at 7:00 a.m. and end approximately at 2:00 p.m.
Brief Interview Schedule:
Tuesday Night:
- Virtual Meet & Greet with residents
Wednesday:
7:00 a.m. Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conference
8:00 a.m. Surgery Grand Rounds Conference
9:00 a.m. Program Overview ~ Alexander Feliz, MD, Program Director
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Interviews with David Shibata, MD, Chairman, and three faculty
2024-2025 Trainee Compensation Rates for ACGME-Accredited Programs
| PGY Level | Base Annual | with Disability and Life Benefits* |
|
PGY 1
|
60,492
|
61,152
|
|
PGY 2
|
62,880
|
63,540
|
|
PGY 3
|
64,896
|
65,556
|
|
PGY 4
|
67,596
|
68,256
|
|
PGY 5
|
70,476
|
71,136
|
|
PGY 6
|
73,068
|
73,728
|
|
PGY 7
|
75,876
|
76,536
|
*In addition to the base salary, those residents participating in the disability and group life insurance programs provided through GME currently receive an additional $660 per year for disability and life insurance benefits as shown above in Column 3. Residents not participating do not receive this stipend.
For more resident salary information, please see GME Policy #210.
Fringe benefits include:
- Lab Coats – 4 coats are provided by GME
- Computer Literature Searches and Photocopying
- Access to recreational facilities
- Use of Computer Education Resource Center
Library Resources
Residents and fellows have access to the UT Health Science Center Library. This includes catalog and database searches, e-books, e-journal finder, and study carrels. Please contact the library to get an access code for use with all on-line services of the library.
Insurance
Residents and fellows may obtain healthcare (health, dental, and vision), life, and
disability insurance. A detailed overview of insurance is available on the GME Insurance page.
University Health also offers a number of services to support employees, including housestaff.
See GME Policy #230 and #240 (Protection Against Liability) for more information.
Leave
Residents and fellows may take up to:
- three (3) weeks of annual leave per a twelve-month period
- three (3) weeks of sick leave per a twelve-month period
- up to 10 days per twelve-month period for educational leave (granted with the approval of the Program Director)
- up to 12 weeks FMLA and/or four months leave (paid or unpaid) for the birth or adoption of a child
- three (3) days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member
See GME Policy #220 for specifics on leave.
GME Policies and Procedures
A full list of resident/fellow Policies and Procedures is available on the GME web site.
Research time away from clinical rotations is available, but not mandatory. Residents may take two years out of clinical rotations for dedicated research time. Past residents have participated in Basic Science animal labs and in a Master of Science in Epidemiology degree program during their research years.
There are clinical research opportunities in all fields – General Surgery, Trauma/Surgical Critical Care, Surgical Oncology, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, etc.
Pediatric Surgery
- PI – TBA
Pediatric Surgical Oncology
- PI – Dr. Andrew Davidoff
Located at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, this laboratory has focused on basic science research in gene therapy and immunotherapy of solid tumors, neuroblastoma in particular.
Trauma/Critical Care
- PI –
Clinical research focuses on injury prevention, resuscitation, pneumonia and other aspects of trauma and surgical critical care. Basic Science research has focused on vascular conduits, pneumonia, etc. There is an opportunity to complete a Master of Science in Epidemiology degree at the University of Tennessee.
There is also ample opportunity for clinical research for residents who do not wish to spend time in the lab. Our residents have presented/published clinical research papers on pancreatic surgery, peptic ulcer disease, appendicitis in children, pod-casts in resident education, pneumonia and trauma/critical care.
Are there minimum score requirements for USMLE Step I or Step II?
There are no minimum score requirements; however, our program is very competitive
and higher scores will give you a better chance of getting an invitation to interview.
How many residents are in your program?
We are approved for eight PGY-1 categorical residents per year for five clinical years.
Additionally, we currently have nine PGY-1 preliminary residents including pre-urology.
Do you require US clinical experience?
US clinical experience is not required, but recommended.
Do you accept visas?
Only J-1 visa is accepted.
Is there a requirement on how many years since graduation from medical school?
No, there is no requirement, but most of our residents come directly from medical
school.
Are your residents required to do research?
Dedicated research years are available for residents in good standing. These years
are usually taken after the second or third clinical year.
Program Director
Department of Surgery
910 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: 901.448.7635
Fax: 901.448.7306
Residency Coordinator
Department of Surgery
910 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: 901.448.7635
Fax: 901.448.7306
Email: ctooley@uthsc.edu