Mission

Our mission is to train highly qualified surgeons who are well-prepared to provide battlefield trauma care with limited resources while equipping them to succeed in competitive fellowship training.

Aims

• Develop surgeons that are capable of independent competent surgery.
• To use high-quality simulation to replicate battlefield operating conditions.
• To increase scholarly activity through faculty support of research.
• To foster excellence in teaching through faculty development.

Trainees have a full day of protected didactics each week on Tuesday. Conferences include Morbidity and Mortality (M & M), Grand Rounds presentations, clinical scenario-based conference, simulation and cadaveric bioskills training, and participation in multidisciplinary tumor board conference.

First Year 

The intern year is comprised of thirteen four-week rotations: nine rotations on the General Surgery services, two of which are at Riverside Regional Medical Center; one rotation at a level one trauma center Sentara Norfolk General Hospital; one rotation on surgical subspecialty of thoracic/vascular/pediatric surgery; one elective rotation with options such as Plastics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Anesthesia, Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Burn/Trauma, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Urology, or OBGYN.

During each of their nine months on the General Surgery services, interns spend the majority of their time as part of the day team - during which time they provide continuing care for all of the patients on their team, take admissions, and operate on acute cases. Night shift is supervised by a senior resident with interns taking a 24-hour call 2-3 times per month with a post-call day off afterwards. This arrangement not only provides optimal continuity for our patients, but it also maximizes the learning experience for the intern. The interns take full advantage of high value daytime clinic and operative experience while maintaining less than 80-hour work week and at least one day off per week. This set up also helps each intern have 1- 2 “golden weekends” with no clinical requirements and personal time off. There are opportunities for clinical research within the department, and each intern is challenged to submit at least a case report or poster presentation during the year.

The General Surgery intern experience at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is rigorous, exciting, and challenging. The rewards are an extensive exposure to acute surgical maladies and a solid foundation in surgery which more than prepares the intern for a career in the surgical specialties. This foundation is also an outstanding preparation for those who will perform a GMO, Flight Surgery, or Undersea Medical Officer tour.

First Year Schedule

• Trauma and Acute care surgery – 3 months
• Elective and cancer surgery – 3 months
• Riverside Regional Medical Center, acute care surgery – 3 months
• Trauma at Level 1 center, Norfolk General Hospital – 1 month
• Vascular and pediatric surgery – 2 months
• Elective – 1 month

Years 2-5

Resident schedule

• Trauma – 4 months
• Acute Care Surgery – 16 months
• Elective and oncology – 18 months
• Thoracic – 2 months
• Vascular – 5 months
• Pediatrics – 4 months
• Night float – 4 months
• Endoscopy – 1 month
• Electives – variable 1-4 months

• ENT
• Pathology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Riverside ENT
• Riverside SICU
• Plastic Surgery
• Urology
• Radiology
• Neurosurgery
• OBGYN
• Anesthesia
• Emergency Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Psychiatry

• We use a night float system to cover all core surgical services. Interns can expect to spend two weeks at a time covering nights, on average six times through the year.
• Residents are on a full month of night float two times during each of their PGY2 and PGY3 years.
• Weekends and holidays are covered by a 24-hour call shift. Interns can expect to cover an average of two of these shifts in a month.

Throughout the year, there are multidisciplinary presentations on faculty experiences in a deployed environment. We have sent residents for surgical experience on the USNS Comfort. Morning report frequently involves a discussion of how to manage the clinical scenario in a limited resource environment.

Interns

Complete Basic and Advanced Life support (BLS and ALS) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).

Residents

 Complete Fundamentals of Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgery (FES and FLS), Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET).

Training at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth includes a robust simulation and bioskills curriculum in our center that holds dual accreditation through the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The curriculum is supported by or four faculty and residents who hold certification for simulation training through the ACS.

Our program values leadership and offers multiple opportunities throughout training to hold leadership roles:

• Each class nominates a representative to the Review Committee.
• Chief residents hold leadership positions for academics, administration, and research.
• Residents are encouraged to seek roles as the Chair of the House Staff Executive Committee.

• A dedicated research year is optional for residents in our program. One resident each year will have the opportunity to pursue their interests in basic surgical research, clinical research, education research, or simulation training.
• All residents will be exposed to scholarly activity through our new curriculum designed to provide opportunity, teamwork, mentorship, and project longevity.
• Research/scholarly teams will consist of one resident from each year group, two interns, and one faculty mentor/principal investigator.

Uniquely positioned as the Navy’s only Level II trauma center, the trauma program is developing and reviewing all protocols and clinical practice guidelines on an annual basis. Residents are an integral part of the review team and this provides opportunities for publication and presentation at local, regional, and national stages.

Mentoring includes a Career Development Board which is an opportunity to review the necessary parts of the military personnel record that improve the chances of promotion during their first eligible advancement board.

Local Participating Sites

• Riverside Regional Hospital - 26 miles from NMCP
• Eastern Virginia Medical School - 5 miles from NMCP
• Sentara Leigh Hospital - 9 miles from NMCP

Other Participating Sites*

*Housing and Per Diem provided

• Reading Hospital - 300 miles from NMCP
• University of Virginia - 169 miles from NMCP

Completing a rotation at the program is the best way to experience the culture and for you to evaluate the program for your personal fit. Rotations in general surgery (blue or green team) and pediatric or vascular surgery (red team) give you daily exposure to the residents and faculty that will be core to your surgical training. Rotating on plastic surgery will still provide an interaction with the residency program but with significantly less integration. We limit the number of students on each rotation because we prioritize your education as a medical student and do not want to dilute the experience with too many learners. Spots fill quickly so apply for your rotation as early as possible.

Please email dha.hampton-roads.portsmouth-nmc.list.nmcp-surg@health.mil for more information and to schedule your rotation.

All interested candidates must schedule an interview for a PGY1 or PGY2 position.

We understand that not all interested candidates will have the opportunity to rotate at NMCP for an “audition rotation.” However, we do not consider this against you when considering your application to our program.

In an effort to limit bias and discrimination in our interview process, all interviews will be conducted through a virtual video interview platform (Google Meet), even if the medical student is rotating in person with our program.

Please email dha.hampton-roads.portsmouth-nmc.list.nmcp-surg@health.mil for more information and to schedule your interview.

• During training, residents take the ABSITE (Surgery In-training exam).
• Program graduates take the ABSITE exam annually. To become fully board certified, applicants are eligible to take board certification exam as early as the start of their PGY5 year, but trainees typically take the qualifying exam in July after graduating from residency. To be eligible to take specialty board exams, graduates must complete all prerequisites required by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) by August 31. Visit the ABS website for more details. 

• Residents with an interest in education are encouraged to attend the USUHS faculty development courses when available, and they are afforded the time to do so during their clinical training.
• Residents are expected to be the first teacher to the rotating medical students.

• Residents are required to develop learning sessions for the other residents throughout the year.
• Residents will present Grand Rounds in each of their PGY4 and PGY5 years.

The General Surgery Program at NMCP boasts a faculty of experienced surgeons who are able to provide comprehensive care to our patients and high quality training for our residents. In addition to our general surgery faculty, our staff includes surgeons who are specialty trained in: colon and rectal surgery, minimally invasive/ robotic surgery, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, trauma/ critical care, endocrine surgery, and cardiothoracic surgery.

• We offer a formal mentorship program. At the beginning of the year, interns are assigned a mentor. However, interns and residents can change their mentors at any time based on personality and professional interests.
• Intern mentorship focuses on developing a study plan, applying for operational medicine or PGY2 training positions, as well as military bearing.

Residents and interns take advantage of “resident life days,” four times a year. These days are a day off from clinical training where the resident is free to do whatever is necessary to improve their well-being. On two of these occasions, there are group team building activities that are organized by the residents. Past events include, Top-golf, Brunch, Resident Olympics, Beach days, Busch Gardens, etc.

Mental health is essential for your ability to care for the patient and learn during your training. The hospital GME has programs in place to allow easy access to non-recorded, confidential peer counseling sessions. If needed, there are pathways for formal counseling with all treatment options available.