General Surgery Residency

Welcome To Our Residency

Our mission is to train competent, patient centered, safe and quality focused surgeons. General surgery residency training is strenuous and we feel it is important to be part of our extended family that welcomes you, lifts you up when you are down, and celebrates your successes. Our training is split predominantly between Rush University Medical Center and John Stroger Hospital of Cook County (Cook County Hospital). We also offer community hospital rotations in Chicago as well as an elective opportunity for global surgery or rural surgery. We have a wide breadth of clinical experiences ranging from core general surgical conditions to complex diseases using the latest technology and advanced techniques. Our goal is exposure to the entire spectrum of surgery to create a comprehensive well trained surgeon. Although mandatory research years are not required, we have extensive support for research training and projects to build surgeon scientists of the future.

We look forward to meeting you and hope we have the opportunity to work together.

The Rush University - John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County Integrated General Surgery Residency is an ACGME accredited training program with nine categorical residents in each postgraduate year. Our goal is for each resident to fulfill their potential for a successful career in whichever surgical endeavor they pursue. Graduates of this program are competent to enter independent surgical practices or continue on in an academic surgical career. Many choose to pursue further postgraduate fellowship training.

Graduates of our program have specialized knowledge and experience in the diagnosis, operative, and peri-operative management of diseases and their complications in the nine primary components of surgery, including alimentary tract, abdomen, breast, skin and soft tissue, head and neck, vascular system, endocrine system, surgical oncology, trauma, and critical care. In addition, we have substantial experience in pediatric, thoracic, burn and transplant surgery.

Residents, on average, perform 1,000 cases and easily exceed the American Board of Surgery requirements in all defined categories. You can get more information on case volume here. Additionally, our program is committed to providing residents with opportunities to pursue basic, clinical and translational research during their training. Residents have the opportunity to enter into the research lab after completion of their PGY-2 year, if desired.

Scott Schimpke, MD, FACS
Program Director
Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Program Director, MIS/Bariatric Fellowship

Henry Govekar, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Associate Program Director
Associate Professor of Surgery
Division Chief of Colon and Rectal Surgery 

Claudia Perez, DO, FACOS
Associate Program Director
Associate Professor of Surgery
Clinical Program Director, Breast Surgery

Brittany Mead, MD 
Associate Program Director
Assistant Professor of Surgery

Learn More About Our Program