Our residents rotate at four institutions: RUSH University Medical Center, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, RUSH Oak Park Hospital and Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. Each institution, while similar in its dedication and commitment to surgical education, offers a distinctive training environment.
RUSH University Medical Center
RUSH University Medical Center is a tertiary care hospital with a high volume of common, complex and reoperative cases and routinely ranks as a top hospital in Chicago.
RUSH is an academic health system whose mission is to improve the health of the patients and the diverse communities it serves with nationally recognized health care, education and research, as well as a commitment to community partnerships. The RUSH system comprises RUSH University Medical Center, RUSH University, RUSH Copley Medical Center and RUSH Oak Park Hospital, as well as numerous outpatient care facilities. RUSH University, with more that 2,500 students, is a healthy sciences university that comprises RUSH Medical College, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and the Graduate College.
Highlights of RUSH include access to the latest techniques in surgical training such as robotics, single-site surgery and intraoperative radiation. RUSH also boasts a busy transplant surgery service. The RUSH University Medical Center Surgical Residency Program has acknowledged expertise in all areas of surgery. It is an integrated residency program between RUSH University Medical Center and the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The strong traditions of two long-standing institutions provide for a well-rounded surgical training experience. The program is fully accredited by the ACGME to train and graduate eight categorical residents each year.
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County:
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County is a legendary urban public hospital with renowned experience in trauma, surgery and critical care. With a diverse and complex patient population, residents learn to manage advanced surgical diseases in a challenging and exciting environment.
Stroger Hospital also has a long tradition of offering high-quality training to medical students, residents and fellows that dates back more than 100 years. It has been said that in the 1950’s and 1960’s almost one half of all practicing physicians in the U.S. had spent some time training at County. Today we are committed to keeping up the tradition of quality education that made training at County so sought after.
The clinical experience at Stroger is temendous with a large volume of acutre care surgery, complex oncological cases and blunt and penetrating trauma. Because of the close proximity of our institutions, our residents also participate in the full academic curriculum at RUSH, including grands rounds, the RUSH visiting professor lecture series and the rest of the RUSH academic curriculum.
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital
Elmhurst Hospital is a busy, community hospital located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. Residents rotate through the general surgery, thoracic, and vascular services and are an integral part of the health care team. Elmhurst hospital provides additional exposure to general surgery, surgical oncology, vascular surgery and thoracic surgery. As a PGY-4, residents have the opportunity to work with five different surgeons at this location.
RUSH Oak Park Hospital
RUSH Oak Park Hospital is a 237-bed academic affiliated hospital located only 7 miles from RUSH University Medical Center. There the residents participate in a broad range of elective and emergency general surgery cases in a mentorship environment. Currently, PGY-1 and PGY-4 or PGY-5 residents rotate for 4-6 weeks. The faculty are all on staff at RUSH University Medical center and also operate at the downtown main campus. This rotation has been an exciting new addition to the residency with both an excellent operative case volume and teaching environment.
Ascension Saint Alexius
At Ascension Saint Alexius, pediatric surgery is delivered with a focus on precision and safety, addressing the unique physiological needs of children. The facility is equipped with a pediatric emergency room and has a level II trauma center. It offers a wide range of minimally invasive procedures using robotic-assisted technology, imaging and lab tests, and a dedicated inpatient rehabilitation center ensuring prompt and specialized surgical intervention in urgent cases. PGY-4 residents will be able to work with attendings at this site to garner additional exposure and experience.