The Atlanta Medical Center (AMC) General Surgery Residency Program has proudly trained residents since 1942. In 1958, the program was accredited by the ACGME. We prepare motivated physicians to become confident and competent in general surgery.
The setting is a Level I urban trauma center that annually admits more than 3,000 patients with diverse injuries. General surgery residents receive early operative experience and finish with 1,200-1,400 cases. This intimate program is distinguished by the close connection between residents and attending staff, and the strong esprit de corps among residents.
Hands-on, experiential learning starts in the first year and continues throughout the residency. Teaching faculty is deeply committed to providing the best in surgical education. Faculty members are always available and fully integrate their clinical practices into the training program. Residents also learn from outstanding community surgeons at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center and our integrated teaching sites.
Clinical rotations include: General Surgery, Trauma Surgery/Surgical Critical Care, Vascular Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Transplant Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Thoracic Surgery and Breast Surgery.
The first year (PGY-1) experience includes 2 months of Plastic Surgery, 2 months of Vascular Surgery, 4 months of Trauma and 4 months of General Surgery, all at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center.
During PGY-2 residents complete 1 month of Transplant Training (Piedmont Hospital), 3 months of General Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center), 4 months of Trauma (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center) and 4 months of General Surgery (WellStar North Fulton Medical Center).
Year 3 (PGY-3) requires the following rotations—2 months of Pediatric Surgery (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Hospital), 2 months of General Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center), 4 months of General Surgery (WellStar North Fulton Medical Center) and 4 months of Vascular Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center).
During PGY-4 surgery residents devote 2 months to General Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center), 4 months to Trauma (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center), 4 months to Vascular Surgery/Colorectal Surgery (Piedmont Fayette Medical Center) and 2 months of Hepatobiliary Surgery (Piedmont Atlanta Hospital).
Chief (PGY-5) year rotations include 4 months of Vascular Surgery/Colorectal Surgery (Piedmont Fayette Medical Center), 4 months of General Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center), 1 month of Hepatobiliary Surgery (Piedmont Hospital), 1 month of Thoracic Surgery (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center) and 1 month of Breast Surgery (WellStar Cobb Hospital).
WellStar AMC surgery residents are strongly encouraged to participate in research projects that lead to publication and/or presentation at regional and national scientific meetings. Travel involved with publications and presentations is financed by the Graduate Medical Education program.
All WellStar AMC residents become certified in ATLS, FLS and FES; those interested may become ATLS instructors.
WellStar Atlanta Medical Center offers qualified third and fourth-year medical students the opportunity to pursue a core or elective clerkship in General Surgery. The focus is on hands-on training in an exciting urban healthcare environment with diverse and often complex patient conditions.
The clerkship program is affiliated with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and Mercer University School of Medicine. Students apply through their home medical school and are required to submit an application through the Alliance for Clinical Experience Matching and Placement Program; ACEMAPP (https://acemapp.org). We also accept applications through the Visiting Student Application Service; VSAS for the fourth-year rotations.
Clerkship participants work out of the main WellStar Atlanta Medical Center Campus in downtown Atlanta, as well as our AMC South Campus on Cleveland Avenue. Students provide their own housing during the clerkship, often staying with friends or relatives in the Atlanta area or in nearby housing. Participants give the program high marks and benefit greatly from the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to “real world” healthcare.
Requirements include:
WellStar Atlanta Medical Center welcomes interested medical students to learn more and apply for a rotation. For more information please contact Ashley Thomas at ashley.thomas@wellstar.org or by phone, 404-265-4158.
WellStar Atlanta Medical Center surgery residents pursue 10 clinical rotations at 7 clinical sites (WellStar Atlanta Medical Center Main, AMC South, Piedmont Hospital Main, Piedmont Fayette, WellStar North Fulton Hospital, WellStar Cobb Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta). The teaching staff includes esteemed academic and private volunteer faculty. Residents are exposed to the gamut of experiences—urban and rural/suburban communities, insured and uninsured patients, and both “bread and butter” and complex cases.
The focus on experiential, hands-on learning starts early. Beginning in year one, residents gain operating room experience and are involved in trauma and surgical critical care. There’s a strong focus on building competence in “bedside” procedures.
WellStar Atlanta Medical Center surgery residents are a spirited group of men and women who form close bonds over the course of their training. Social and academic highlights include the annual intern welcome party, our intramural flag football team, Monthly Journal Club, outing to Topgolf (a dining and entertainment venue in midtown Atlanta), and the much-anticipated annual graduation dinner. Aside from these formal opportunities are the daily interactions that build camaraderie among residents and attending physicians.
Benefits include:
Core Benefits
Available to full time employees at no cost, these benefits include: Basic Employee Life Insurance, Basic Personal Accident Insurance and Long Term Disability coverage.
Medical/ Dental/ Vision Plan
Choose from comprehensive options in all three areas. You have 31 days beginning on your date of hire/rehire to enroll. Your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous full-time or eligible part-time employment.
Disability Plan
Full time employees may purchase Short-term and Critical Illness coverage. You have 31 days beginning on your date of hire/rehire to enroll. Your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous full-time or eligible part-time employment.
Life/Disability/ Voluntary Benefits Plans
Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance are available to you, your spouse, and children. You have 31 days beginning on your date of hire/rehire to enroll. Your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous full-time or eligible part-time employment.
Reimbursement Accounts
Set aside pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical and dependent care expenses. You have 31 days beginning on your date of hire/rehire to enroll. Your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous full-time or eligible part-time employment.
403(b) Retirement Plan
All team members are immediately eligible to participate in the 403(b) plan. There is no waiting period to begin your contributions. Participating employees will receive a company match on their contributions of up to 4% of their base salaries.
We offer three categorical and two preliminary intern positions. We participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), for resident recruitment.
Below please find a brief summary of the key requirements used as part of the process for candidate selection.
We invite you to submit your application through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). Applications may be submitted through February. In the past several years, we have received over 800 applicants yearly and therefore are not able to respond individually. We will notify you should we select your application for an interview.
Our interview schedule begins in early November and continues through February. Please note that interviews are by invitation and will be scheduled for Friday evenings and Saturday mornings during the time period listed. We welcome your interest in WellStar Atlanta Medical Center’s Residency Program in General Surgery!
Questions? Please contact Program Coordinator Carla Wagner.
