The faculty of the Department of Surgery are committed to the integration of research and evidence-based medicine into clinical practice. In the current era of molecular medicine, in which dramatic diagnostic and therapeutic advances have been made in the care of surgical patients, the faculty recognize that an understanding of research is necessary for the successful training of surgery house officers. Furthermore, residents need to hone the core competencies of
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, so that throughout their careers as clinical surgeons, they can appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, evaluate their own patient care, and assess and implement improved patient treatments.
All surgical house officers are expected to participate in research during their residency, either during their clinical years or by taking part in a formal research experience. Research in the Department of Surgery is defined as the acquisition and dissemination of new knowledge in the science of surgery through active participation in some aspect of scientific investigation, with exposure to the peer-review process.
Mentoring by faculty is an important aspect of research, and the Department of Surgery Research Advisory Committee oversees this process. While research can be performed during the clinical years of general surgery residency, the faculty recommend that all house officers consider a one to three year dedicated research experience in the laboratory of an established clinical surgery or basic research scientist as part of their general surgery training. Such training provides an important component to the successful preparation of surgeons for both clinical and academic careers.
