Meet our diverse + talented general surgery residents

Our residents are a diverse and talented group united by a passion for surgery and patient care. They bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and interests to the program, enriching the learning environment for everyone. Throughout their training, residents take on increasing responsibility, mastering complex surgical techniques and developing leadership skills. They actively participate in research, quality improvement projects and community outreach, embodying the values of teamwork, professionalism and lifelong learning that define our program.

The team advancing surgical education: Faculty, residents + alumni

The strength of our General Surgery Residency lies in its dedicated faculty, leadership, residents and alumni, all deeply committed to excellence in surgical education and patient care.

Our teaching faculty includes nationally recognized surgeons and educators with expertise across diverse surgical specialties. They provide personalized mentorship, guiding residents through clinical training, research and career development.

Our leadership team, including the Program Director and Associate Program Directors, ensures the residency curriculum remains rigorous, current and aligned with evolving surgical standards. They maintain an open-door policy, fostering resident feedback and continuous program improvement.

Our residents are talented, diverse and driven individuals who contribute to the collaborative learning environment. They support one another through teamwork, shared goals and a commitment to excellence.

Our alumni network is active and engaged, with graduates practicing across the country in academic and community settings. Many alumni return as mentors and educators, helping sustain the culture of lifelong learning and professional growth.

Together, our community of faculty, residents and alumni creates a supportive, inclusive environment dedicated to training the next generation of surgical leaders.

General surgery residency, hospital affiliations + community rotations

Our General Surgery Residency collaborates with multiple community hospitals to offer residents a broad surgical experience with diverse patient populations and case types. These affiliations help trainees develop a well-rounded skill set through exposure to both high-volume academic and community-based care.

MelroseWakefield Hospital

Located just north of Boston, MelroseWakefield Hospital serves as a vital community healthcare center. Residents rotate here during their PGY-1, PGY-3 and PGY-4 years, gaining valuable experience in vascular and general surgery cases. This rotation offers increased autonomy and decision-making opportunities while fostering efficiency and teamwork within a multidisciplinary care model.

Lowell General Hospital

Lowell General Hospital offers residents additional exposure to community hospital surgery. Rotations here help trainees develop skills in a community setting with a diverse patient population, complementing their academic training.

Boston Children’s Hospital

To provide comprehensive pediatric surgical training, residents spend two months at Boston Children’s Hospital during their PGY-3 year. This busy, hands-on rotation gives trainees exposure to a wide range of pediatric surgical cases, enhancing their clinical and operative skills in specialized pediatric care.

Sharpen your surgical skills with hands-on education + dynamic lectures

We offer a robust didactic program designed to deepen surgical knowledge, sharpen clinical skills and build professional confidence. Our goal is to prepare residents for success in both independent practice and post-residency training.

Each week includes 4 hours of strictly protected time for faculty-led lectures, seminars and resident-organized educational activities. Core competencies are embedded throughout the curriculum, including:

• Patient care
• Medical knowledge
• Professionalism in healthcare
• Systems-based practice
• Practice-based learning
• Interpersonal communication skills

Faculty-led learning

Our didactic program includes 4 hours of strictly protected time each week, dedicated to faculty-led lectures, senior resident–organized seminars and hands-on educational experiences.

We focus on the 6 core competencies of surgical education: patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, systems-based practice, practice-based learning and interpersonal communication.

We also believe in developing the whole surgeon. Our integrated wellness curriculum helps residents find meaning in their work and build lifelong skills to support their well-being during and after residency.

Simulation and skills training

At Tufts Medical Center, simulation is a cornerstone of our surgical education. Residents complete both Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) and Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) training to meet board requirements. Simulation is built into our education time and includes hands-on practice with advanced tools like the da Vinci Robotic System. Faculty-led training labs offer direct experience with bowel and vascular anastomosis techniques.

Conferences and rounds

Regular conferences help residents prepare for board exams and real-world practice. These include Chairman’s Rounds, morbidity and mortality conferences and specialty-specific case reviews. The curriculum evolves each year based on resident feedback and faculty planning.

 View schedule as PDF

Building resilience + well-being

We’ve integrated a novel wellness curriculum into our education program. It focuses on helping residents find meaning in their work and build sustainable habits that support their well-being throughout residency and beyond.

General surgery residency rotations at Tufts Medical Center

Our residency includes robust and progressive clinical rotations across a wide spectrum of surgical specialties and settings. Residents train at Tufts Medical Center, MelroseWakefield Hospital and Lowell General Hospital, along with partner institutions like Boston Children’s Hospital. Rotations are structured to provide increasing responsibility and autonomy at each postgraduate year (PGY), preparing our residents to care for complex surgical patients and lead multidisciplinary teams.

PGY-1

Interns complete 1-month rotations in:

• Vascular surgery
• Transplant surgery
• Thoracic surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Colorectal surgery
• Surgical oncology
• Trauma surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Night float
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit

They also complete a 1-month rotation at our teaching affiliate, MelroseWakefield Hospital in Melrose, MA.

Additional 2-month rotations include:

• Surgical intensive care
• General surgery

PGY-1 residents spend 1 month on night float. When rotating at Tufts Medical Center, they typically take call two weekends a month.

PGY-2

Second-year residents focus heavily on general surgery services and surgical consults. They complete:

• 9 months on general surgery services
• 3 months in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Tufts Medical Center

PGY-3

Third-year residents rotate through:

• Transplant surgery
• Pediatric surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital
• Night float
• Elective rotation
• MelroseWakefield Hospital

PGY-4

Fourth-year residents further develop advanced operative and leadership skills through rotations in:

• General surgery/trauma
• Thoracic surgery
• Endoscopy
• Lowell General Hospital
• Elective rotation
• Night float (one month)

PGY-5

Chief residents complete advanced subspecialty rotations in:

• Surgical oncology
• Colorectal surgery
• Endoscopy
• Minimally invasive/laparoscopic surgery

What makes surgical training at Tufts Medical Center different

At Tufts Medical Center, we’re proud to offer a general surgery residency program that combines world-class surgical education with a strong sense of purpose and community. Our training experience is rigorous, rewarding and deeply rooted in mentorship.

We prioritize hands-on learning and early operative exposure. Residents participate in complex procedures across a wide range of specialties, including colorectal, thoracic, breast, endocrine, vascular and plastic surgery, as well as trauma and critical care. You’ll also gain experience in advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques, and have the opportunity to train in solid organ transplantation.

Our structured curriculum includes weekly protected didactic time, simulation-based learning and active mentorship from experienced, engaged faculty. We recently expanded our educational facilities to include a modern, state-of-the-art surgical skills and simulation center—supporting technical development throughout all stages of training.

We also believe in flexibility and individual growth. Residents are encouraged to pursue what inspires them, whether that’s research, health policy, global surgery or surgical innovation. Many residents take dedicated time for academic development, and we support tailored paths that align with each resident’s goals. Our graduates go on to match in highly competitive fellowships or build fulfilling general surgery careers.

We are committed to cultivating surgical leaders who are clinically excellent, intellectually curious and driven to serve. If you’re looking for a place where you’ll be challenged, supported and inspired—you’ll find it here at Tufts Medical Center.