Frequently Asked Questions


What's the vacation schedule?

Answer:

All residents receive 3, 1-week vacation blocks each year. As interns, your vacation blocks will initially be assigned. Once you arrive on campus you can request vacation assignment changes for special events. Current PGY1 – 4 residents submit vacation requests at the end of the academic year and the administrative chief resident will attempt to meet the vacation request when arranging the clinical rotation schedules. Some clinical rotations do not support vacations.

What do the residents do after training?

Answer:

About 65% of our chief residents will further their training in a fellowship program (then into academic medicine or private practice). Another 5% or so move directly into an academic position following completion. The remainder of our graduates (about 30%) go into private practice immediately following completion of their general surgery training. Please visit the "Looking Ahead" link for more details.

What's the research requirement?

Answer:

There is no mandate for training in the surgical laboratory, however all categorical residents are required to participate in at least one (1) scholarly activity project during their training.

What are the research opportunities?

Answer:

There are many research opportunities for residents who are interested in the clinical and basic sciences. Please visit Research for more details.

How many cases are done by a resident upon completing the residency?

Answer:

Chief residents finish their training with more than enough cases to meet the training requirement set by the American Board of Surgery. Our chief residents also exceed the number of cases required by the ACGME, RRC for Surgery (our accrediting body). Please visit the "Chief Case Log" link for more details.

What kind of benefits can I expect?

Answer:

Heath Insurance is provided for you and your family. You will receive a small stipend for meals. Residents who present at national and international conferences will have their travel sponsored by the Department of Surgery. Upon matching into the program, all residents will receive the Textbook of Surgery (Sabiston) to prepare for their intern year. The Surgical Review and the ICU Book are currently being utilized in the PGY 101 Course (for interns only) and all course participants receive individual copies of those texts.  Furthermore, residents receive individual copies of Selected Readings in General Surgery during PGY3 and PGY4.

How much will I make?

Answer:

Interns beginning their training on July 1, 2008 will earn an annual salary of $43,964.  This number changes each year (increases, of course).  An exact figure for AY 2009-10 is not available at this time.

What is the social life like in Gainesville?

Answer:

Although Gainesville is considered a small town by most, it’s BIG in arts, culture, spectator sporting events, outdoor activities (biking, fishing, natural springs, festivals, etc), social/intramural clubs and many other special interest activities. The University of Florida, with its 24 diverse colleges, provides limitless possibilities for innovative, multidisciplinary collaborations. Gainesville is conveniently located about 2 hours from Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee.