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The Division of Thoracic Surgery has been dedicated since its founding to the education of medical students, general surgical residents and fellows in Cardiothoracic Surgery. A 4th year medical student rotation in Thoracic Surgery was established in 1988 in conjunction with Harvard Medical School. This rotation attracts students from Harvard Medical School and other prominent medical schools throughout North America and the rest of the world. Harvard medical student rotating on the BWH core surgical clerkship also have an opportunity to select an elective in General Thoracic Surgery.
The Divisions of Thoracic Surgery closely collaborates with the Division of Cardiac Surgery on training cardiothoracic surgeons. The Thoracic Surgery Training Program directed by Dr. Raphael Bueno includes all components of training (adult cardiac surgery, congenital cardiac surgery and general thoracic surgery).
In 1990 the Cardiothoracic Training Program expanded its residency positions to accommodate two residents/year. In 1992 with the increased volume and focus in general thoracic surgery a General Thoracic Surgery Training Track was established after approval by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) expanding the residency from two to three residents/year. This was at the time the first general thoracic surgery track in the country. In 2005, ACGME granted the Thoracic Residency Program a fourth catagorical position (again in general thoracic surgery) bringing the totalfull resident complement to four per year. The Thoracic Surgery Residency program at BWH and Children’s Hospital has two residents per year in the cardiothoracic track and two residents per year in the general thoracic surgery track. Thus the BWH is the only program to have two general thoracic surgery slots in the US. There are approximately 10 such slots in the US at this time.
The resident training schedule depends on the track. For the general thoracic surgery track, the residents will spend in their first year 6 months on the Thoracic Surgical Service (as chief residents on the white team) and 6 months in the adult and congenital cardiac surgery service. In their second year, they will spend 6 months on the Thoracic Surgical Service, 3 months on the Cardiac Surgical Service and 3 months on an elective rotation in radiology, pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pediatric cardiac surgery or lung transplantation.
For more information, please visit our residency program page on the Brigham and Women’s Hospital website at:
http://www.brighamandwomens.org/surged/Medical/Cardiothoracic.aspx
The General Thoracic Surgery Fellowship program is designed to provide general thoracic surgery training either to physicians with previous Cardiothoracic surgical training and seek specialized additional training in this field or those who are planning to attend an accredited fellowship and want additional experience in general thoracic surgery.
Duties include providing all aspects of care of the thoracic surgical patient, with particular focus on complex cancer surgery, in-depth experience of intraoperative thoracic pathology and surgical techniques. Fellows participate in the preoperative evaluation and decision making related to patient care. He/she also participates in the postoperative care of thoracic surgical patients. They take part in daily rounds, cover the operating room, take call and participate in patient care at the inpatient and outpatient levels. At the conclusion of a year they participate under supervision in nearly 300 procedures and are well trained in all aspects of general thoracic surgery.
Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in clinical research and chart review under guidance of attending mentors.
The educational content of the training program includes daily didactic teaching sessions with the attending staff, morbidity and mortality conferences, core curriculum in thoracic surgery, the Esophageal Conference, Pathology/Radiology/Surgery Conference and teaching conferences in collaboration with the Department of Surgery and the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
For those taking the two-year program the responsibilities will be matched to the fellow’s experience and ability. Responsibilities will increase in year two as the fellow continues to mature and gain experience with more complex cases at all levels of care.
Inquiries should be addressed to:
Raphael Bueno, M.D.
Program Director, Thoracic Surgery Residency Program
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
In 1993 the Division established a fellowship in Thoracic Oncology. These individuals have completed their general surgical training and receive one year of intensive study in the field of thoracic oncology with an emphasis on clinical research. The fellow takes the clinical epidemiology course at the Harvard School of Public Health that was developed by Dr. Lee Goldman. Their goal is to understand prospective clinical research and the construction and development of clinical trials. The fellow then works directly with Dr. Sugarbaker to perform clinical research and participate in some patient care.
Candidates for non-ACGME clinical fellowships should submit a copy of their curriculum vitae along with a letter of inquiry summarizing your previous training and specific interests within the field of thoracic surgery. Inquiries should be addressed to:
David Sugarbaker, M.D.
Division Chief, Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
The Division has worked closely with Dr. Jeffrey Drazen in the support and establishment of a Critical Care Fellowship. The Critical Care Fellow currently coordinates the postoperative and preoperative care of lung transplant patients and other critically ill patients in the care of the Thoracic Surgery Division in a formal rotation of four months.
Comments to: KKee@partners.org
©2007, Division of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital. All rights reserved.
Division of Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (617) 732-6824