General Surgery Residency Program

Welcome

Our Vision
To provide Best in Class patient experiences, superior clinical outcomes and excellence in research and education

December 1, 2017

Since 1921, the Cleveland Clinic has provided unsurpassed patient care, enhanced by research and education.  Cleveland Clinic Florida is fully committed to the ambitious goals of our organization.   As a student of medicine at a top medical school, you have many exciting training opportunities to explore.  We encourage you to contact us and learn more about our outstanding program if you are considering a career in general surgery.

We consider your education to be a special opportunity and we ensure our leaders and faculty take this partnership seriously.  As one of Florida’s Top Hospitals (US News & World Report, 2017-2018 “Best Hospitals” rankings and a Nationally Ranked center for Gastroenterology and GI surgery), patients from around the world come to us for health and hope.  Our guiding principle is “patients first” and our motto is to “act as a unit”.   We promote innovation, honor compassion, and respect the contribution of every individual for the health of our patients and the success of the organization. 

The research grants and contracts of the Digestive Disease Institute, in collaboration with the Lerner Research Institute on the main campus of Cleveland Clinic, provide unique opportunities for our residents to collaborate with our world class physicians and researchers and to present their findings at regional and national conferences.  Our research projects aim to discover new disease mechanisms, diagnostic techniques and improve the quality & safety of care of the surgical treatment options for our patients

We want to take this opportunity to express our sincere wishes for your future success, and are confident that our program will provide an ideal environment to help foster and mentor you.   With the broad, passionate interests of our faculty and wide-ranging basic science, educational and clinical research opportunities, our program is uniquely suited to prepare physicians for careers as cutting edge clinicians, clinical investigators, and excellent surgeons. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in learning more and please include us in your future considerations.

Very truly yours,

Raul J. Rosenthal, MD
Program Director

Mark Grove, MD
Associate Program Director

Emanuele Lo Menzo, MD
Associate Program Director

Conrad Simpfendorfer, MD
Associate Program Director

Overview

Cleveland Clinic Florida is an acute care academic medical and surgical center serving the community for over 25 years. The clinic is a multispecialty group with tertiary care referrals and leading experience in colorectal, transplant, foregut/bariatric-metabolic, endocrine, hepatopancreaticobiliary, and oncologic surgeries. For more than 15 years, the clinic has continued its tradition in postgraduate surgical education in fellowships in MIS/Bariatric and Colorectal Surgery. Additionally, faculty members are internationally recognized for their contributions to the sciences both clinically and academically. The Cleveland Clinic Florida’s foundation of its standards of excellence fosters an environment that maximizes coordination, improves patient access to multiple disciplines, allows experts to act as a team and provides optimal treatment for patients.

The Cleveland Clinic Florida General Surgery Residency Program, accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). There are six positions offered; three preliminary PGY1 and three categorical PGY1 in our 5 year program.  Please visit FREIDA Online, the AMA Residency database, for current applicant requirements and detailed program information.

Educational Conferences

There are a wide variety of regular conferences and lectures scheduled. These include but are not limited to Grand Rounds, Nodal Points Reviews, Journal Club, Core Curriculum sessions, and our weekly M&M Conference. The residents are responsible for preparing and presenting some of these lectures or conferences. In addition, residents are also responsible for completing regular on-line and web-based learning modules to complement their medical knowledge and to help them acquire the skills and attitudes necessary to practice without direct supervision.

Rotations

Residents rotating will be exposed in depth to the following areas of surgery:

• Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive (Laparoscopic) Surgery
• Abdominal Surgery
• Alimentary Tract and Digestive System Surgery
• Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreatic Surgery
• General Thoracic Surgery
• General Vascular and Venous Access Surgery
• Skin and Soft tissue Surgery
• Oncologic Surgery
• Ambulatory Surgery and Outpatient Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery
• Breast Surgery
• Trauma Surgery

Throughout training, residents at all PGY levels of training will participate in supervised patient care with progressive responsibility allocated on the basis of demonstrated resident proficiency.  Residents will participate in complete patient care in offices or clinic and the in-patient setting.

Application

How to Apply

The General Surgery Residency Program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). You must complete all components of the ERAS Application in order for your application to be considered complete and to be reviewed by the Selection Committee. Our application requirements are the same as the standard ERAS application:

• Complete Application
• CV
• Personal Statement
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
• Medical School Transcript
• USMLE Step I Transcript & Score > 240 is suggested with one (1) attempt/ COMLEX  Level equivalent
• USMLE Step 2 Transcript & Score >240 is suggested with one (1) attempt / COMLEX Level 2 equivalent
• Three Letters of Recommendation

International Medical Graduates

Here are some frequently asked question by graduates of international medical schools regarding the application process:

• U.S. clinical experience is strongly preferred
• ECFMG certification at the time of application is required. Please review the ECFMG requirements for additional information.
• Must have graduated medical school within the last 5 years. Anything greater than 5 years does not meet the minimum requirements.
• Visa information – We sponsor J-1 and H-1B visas

Benefits

Salary

Please refer to the table below for new salary rates, effective April 1, 2017:

Paid Time Away: Vacation, Maternity, & Paternity

• Vacation
  3 weeks (15 working days) provided at the beginning of each academic year
• Maternity
  6 weeks paid leave for natural childbirth or adoption; 8 weeks for cesarean section.  Additional time off unpaid up to a maximum of 12 weeks under the Family Medical Leave Act.
• Paternity
  2 week paid leave. Additional time off unpaid up to a maximum of 12 weeks under the Family Medical Leave Act. 

Insurance

• Healthcare
  Cleveland Clinic Florida covers 50% of annual Healthcare Plans for Clinical Trainees and their families. Effective on the first day of training with no waiting period.
• Dental and Vision Care
  Cleveland Clinic Florida covers 100% of annual Dental and Vision Care Plans for Clinical Trainees.
• Maternity Care
  100% coverage is provided through the health care plan that you select within the plans guidelines.
• Pharmaceuticals
  As outlined by the Cleveland Clinic Florida Health Plan.
• Malpractice
  Paid by the Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation/Cleveland Clinic Florida. Limited to activities within the training program.
• Life Insurance
  $25,000 term group policy.

Travel Privileges and Other Education Activities

Senior and chief residents in ACGME programs that meet eligibility criteria as outlined in the Graduate Physicians Manual may be approved to attend academic meetings for the purpose of presenting or engaging in leadership roles within national societies for up to 5 days per academic year with a maximum reimbursement of $1,200 per academic year.

Additional Benefits

• Book Allowance
  A $250 educational allowance per year is available to all clinical residents/fellows. Primary use is for textbooks.
• On-call Meals
  Breakfast, lunch and dinner: Paid by Cleveland Clinic Florida when on in house 24 hour call.
• Loupes
  $500 allowance for surgical loupes for PGY2+ residents.
• Membership
  ABS membership paid for by the program.
• Cell phones
  Apple iPhone provided to all residents.
• Uniforms
  Supplied by Cleveland Clinic Florida.

Staff

Cleveland Clinic Florida

• Raul J. Rosenthal, MD - Program Director
• Mark Grove, MD - Associate Program Director
• Emanuele Lo Menzo, MD - Associate Program Director
• Conrad Simpfendorfer, MD - Associate Program Director
• Steven Wexner, MD - Chairman
• Cassan Blake, MD
• Giovanna Da Silva, MD
• Terry King, MD
• David Maron, MD
• Edward Noguera, MD
• Diego Reino, MD
• Dana Sands, MD
• Edward Savage, MD
• Cedric Sheffield, MD
• Samuel Szomstein, MD
• Margaret Thompson, MD
• Andreas Tzakis, MD
• Eric Weiss, MD

Program Coordinator

Richard Nagle
2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd.
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5473
Email: nagler@ccf.org

Current Residents

Class of 2018

• Hira Ahmad, MD - Chief Resident
  Creighton University School of Medicine
• James Alford Flippin, MD - Chief Resident
  Louisiana State University School of Medicine
• Armando Rosales, MD - Chief Resident
  Universidad de Autonoma de Baja California

Class of 2019

• Savannah Moon, DO - Resident
  NOVA Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine 
• Rishabh Shah, MD - Resident
  University of South Carolina School of Medicine 
• Garrett Wegerif, MD - Resident
  Ross University School of Medicine 

Class of 2020

• Morris Sasson, MD - Resident
  Universidad de Panama School of Medicine 
• Ana Pena, MD - Resident
  Florida International University College of Medicine
• Omobolanle Oyefule, MD - Resident
  Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Class of 2021

• Alejandro Cracco, MD - Resident
  Universidad Central de Venezuela
• Travis Corgan, MD - Resident
  Texas Tech University School of Medicine
• Eric Emberton, MD - Resident
  University of Louisville School of Medicine

Class of 2022

• Lisandro Montorfano, MD - Resident
  Universidad Nacional de Rosario 
• Alexander Ochoa, MD - Resident
  University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
• Matthew Wolfers, MD - Resident
  Temple University School of Medicine

Alumni

Listing

Research

Selected Research Presentations from our current residents with PubMed ID numbers: Platform, Posters

• Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy combined with two-stage hepatectomy for multiple and bilobar desmoplastic small round cell tumor liver metastases.  PubMed ID 28890830
• Novel strain properties distinguishing sporadic prion diseases sharing prion protein genotype and prion type.  PubMed ID 28091514
• Faecal incontinence in patients with a sphincter defect: comparison of sphincteroplasty and sacral nerve stimulation.  PubMed ID 27620162
• Laparoscopic treatment of gastroparesis: a single center experience.  PubMed ID 28888796
• Is bariatric surgery safe in the elderly population?  PubMed ID 28039650
• The case of the missing appendix: a case report of appendiceal intussusception at the site of colonic mullerianosis.  PubMed ID 26383877
• Impact of Continuous Two-Team Approach in Autologous Breast Reconstruction.  PubMed ID 28201829
• Duplicate Vas Deferens Encountered during Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Case Report and Literature Review.  PubMed ID 27840763