Please review the How To Be Competitive For Surgery Residency presentation for information on what to consider for your application.
FAQs
There are many factors to consider as you begin to plan for a surgical residency. Here are some answers to common questions for prospective surgery applicants.
Q: I am interested in surgery as a career. Where should I start?
A: Request surgery career advising. The Directors of Medical Student Surgical Education are excellent resources to discuss surgery as a career, the realities of getting into surgical residency programs, and how to prepare for the upcoming application cycle.
Q: Are there any books that are good resources to prepare for a surgical residency?
A: Yes – There is an online book offered through the American College of Surgeons titled So You Want to be a Surgeon. Students should also read Getting into a Residency by Iserson.
Q: What Sub-I electives should students interested in surgery take?
A: Students should take Sub-I electives that give them direct working contact with full time surgical faculty. This will be helpful for future Letters of Recommendation. Here is a list of important Sub-Is to consider for prospective General Surgery Residency applicants:
- SURG 661 – SICU – Seattle VA
- SURG 664 – General Surgery – Seattle VA
- SURG 688 – General Surgery – UWMC
- SURG 691 – SICU – HMC
Additionally, electives in Gastroenterology, Radiology, and Anesthesia would be recommended to prepare students for a surgical residency.
Q: Would you recommend against an “Away Rotation” in October and November?
A: In general, yes, it would not be recommended to do an away rotation during this time unless one of the follow specific reasons apply:
- You need to be in a particular city for residency and are trying to give yourself an advantage at the rotation site.
- You need to show a program that you a capable and competitive student in spite of what may look like a weak record on paper.
Q: What is the best time to take off for surgery residency interviews?
A: January – this is when you are likely to have important residency interviews and will need to be flexible. You may have interviews starting late November and into December but January is a common time to interview.
Q: Is a Preliminary General Surgery application a good backup for my primary residency application?
A: Although many academic based General Surgery residency programs traditionally had several undesignated preliminary positions in the past, the number of these positions has decreased dramatically in recent years. Most preliminary spots now are designated for those who just need one year before going into an advanced residency, such as IR, dermatology, radiation oncology, etc. The number of true undesignated preliminary spots has declined significantly. Based on this, using preliminary surgery positions as a back up to an Ortho, Urology, OB, etc. application is unlikely to produce many interviews or be very productive.
More questions? Feel free to reach out to the department or arrange for Surgery Career Advising for more one on one guidance.