MGB/MGH Surgical Residency Program
Call: 1 617-726-2800
Call: 1 617-726-2800
Email: jbgreer@mgh.harvard.edu
Overview
The MGH Surgical Residency Program has long been viewed as one of the finest surgical training programs in the world, with graduates going on to highly successful careers and leadership positions in surgery. The Department of Surgery provides more than 10,000 surgical admissions and 28,000 operations each year. Graduating residents routinely perform 1,000-1,200 major operations. MGH was one of the first programs to institute a rectangular training program and was a pioneer in recruiting women. The vast majority of residents go on to subspecialty fellowship followed by academic surgery careers.
Requirements
- Graduates of AAMC-accredited medical schools
- USMLE scores, grades, and research important but future potential equally valued
- Holistic review committed to varied perspectives
Curriculum
The MGH Surgical Residency Program consists of five clinical years encompassing the broad range of surgery, and provides graded responsibility with adequate supervision at all levels. All residents complete the requirements for certification by the American Board of Surgery. Our graduates have been extraordinarily successful in obtaining premier fellowship positions. Research is also an important part of our curriculum. The vast majority of our residents elect to take time away from clinical training, usually two years, for research or to pursue advanced degrees. The department is extremely supportive of these electives and we encourage you to review our research collaborations and offerings in the next section.
The Surgical Residency Program offers an unparalleled clinical experience for surgeons in training. Operative experience begins in the first year, with progressive advancement in complexity of cases with experience. Each graduating resident, over the course of the residency, averages approximately 1,200 major cases, with strong experience in complex major cases.
As a leader in the world of medical simulation, MGH has developed innovative uses of simulation for the education of residents. The simulation program uses a combination of robotic skills, wet lab, dry lab, and in-situ simulation to educate residents and medical students. We are one of the main teaching hubs for the Advanced Trauma Operative Management course, the Advanced Trauma Life Support course, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery and other programs sponsored by the American College of Surgery. We are actively engaged with industry to develop and test some of the newest simulation techniques and offer the opportunity for residents to not just learn but to also teach/develop such programs.
The Surgical Residency Program offers an unparalleled clinical experience for surgeons in training. Operative experience begins in the first year, with progressive advancement in complexity of cases with experience. Each graduating resident, over the course of the residency, averages approximately 1,200 major cases, with strong experience in complex major cases.
Review our Academic Career Development Model.
Learn more about the Academic Development Rotation (PDF) from Michael Kochis, MD, EdM, and several faculty members, who published the results of the implementation and success of the Academic Development block in the Journal of Surgical Education in September 2024.
As an international leader in surgery, MGH has developed a Global Surgery Pathway for residents interested in pursuing work in developing countries. This pathway enables interested and qualified surgery residents to undertake tailor-made clinical, educational and research opportunities.
The Department of Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital offers a Global Surgery Pathway as part of its surgical residency curriculum.
The Department of Surgery at Mass General is involved in many clinical projects around the world. Multidisciplinary teams travel to countries such as Colombia and Liberia to provide medical and surgical care to those in need, while also working to strengthen the health care infrastructures within these areas.
About the Global Surgery Pathway
The Department of Surgery is pleased to offer a Global Surgery Pathway as part of its surgical residency curriculum for Mass General surgical residents interested in pursuing international work. A number of electives have been developed to offer our residents opportunities for clinical, research and surgical education projects in low- and middle-income countries.
The Global Surgery Pathway includes:
One month during the second or third resident year for a Global Surgery elective (non-clinical only)
Full salary support for two research years (usually after the third resident year) to pursue international work, which may include:
- Tracking into the Paul Farmer Global Surgery Research Fellowship, a collaboration between Partners In Health and the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at Harvard Medical School
- An opportunity to pursue a Master’s of Public Health degree at Harvard School of Public Health
- One month during the fourth resident year for a Global Surgery Elective (clinical or non-clinical)
Surgical residents on the Global Surgery Pathway have access to a number of opportunities for education and clinical work. Some examples of Global Surgery electives are below, though residents are free to tailor their own electives, pending approval. Limited funding support will be available.
- Humanitarian Response Intensive Course (offered annually in April)
- HSPH Global Health Delivery Summer Intensive Program (offered biannually in January and July)
- Partners HealthCare International Exchange Program (one month educational/research project)
- Independent global surgery research project with international component (two weeks to one month)
- Supervised clinical elective at international site (one month, available in the fourth resident year only)
Additional Opportunities
Mass General residents, even those not on the Global Surgery Pathway, are exposed to additional global health opportunities throughout the Harvard community.
- Early (resident years one through three) involvement with the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change with potential research collaborations
- Cross-site collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Center for Surgery and Public Health, including Academic Global Surgery Forum, a monthly journal club featuring guest speakers and global surgery discussions
- Regular evening education sessions (one session every one to two months) offered through Partners CoE
A variety of educational conferences complement the clinical training program. Each service has a weekly morbidity and mortality conference, which all residents and staff attend. Surgical Grand Rounds take place on Thursday mornings. The remainder of Thursday morning is dedicated to the general surgery core curriculum for all surgical residents. Below is the list of conferences in all disciplines held by the listed day.
Daily Schedule
Monday
- Adrenal conference
- Trauma rounds
- Liver conference
Tuesday
- Endocrine surgery conference
- Pancreatic multidisciplinary conference
- Breast center didactic conference
- Gastrointestinal oncology multidisciplinary meeting
- Endocrine clinical research conference
Wednesday
- Gastrointestinal oncology conference
- Melanoma research conference
- Gastrointestinal rounds
Thursday
- Gastrointestinal oncology multidisciplinary meeting
- Endocrine oncology conference
- Pancreas rounds
- Sarcoma rounds
Friday
- Breast tumor board
- Liver tumor clinic rounds
- Inflammatory bowel disease conference
MGH surgical residents interested in specializing in cardiothoracic surgery have the unique opportunity to transition into our Cardiothoracic Surgical Residency Program during the PGY-4 year of general surgery training. Once transitioned, they would remain at MGH and train for an additional three years. Separate cardiac and thoracic tracks have been established within the program to allow for subspecialty emphasis in contemporary aspects of the field. We currently have 2 cardiac and 2 thoracic spots per year in this program.
Learn more about the Mass General Cardiothoracic Residency Program.
Research Experience
The department has 26 endowed fellowships to support resident research and guarantees salary support for any resident during this research experience. With this availability of funds, residents often have opportunities to work in the foremost laboratories in the country. While many residents opt for research opportunities within the Department of Surgery, they also can explore any research group at Mass General that matches their interests. This, combined with comprehensive departmental support, positions Mass General as an exceptional training program for the next generation of academic surgical leaders. We have a strong tradition of training the surgeon-scientists who go on to advance medicine through research. The Department of Surgery is exceptionally poised to lead the way in various exciting areas of research and to launch first-in-human trials to solve many conditions that are treated through surgery or alternative non-surgical interventions.
Mass General is home to the largest hospital-based research program in the U.S., with annual research expenditures exceeding more than 1 billion.
The Department of Surgery has one of the largest surgical research programs in the world Boston is home to nearly 100 Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators.
Research facilities at the main MGH campus, the Simches Research Center, and Charlestown Navy Yard are home to state-of-the-art equipment, cutting-edge research technologies, and research groups that specialize in:
- Cancer biology
- Developmental biology
- Imaging sciences
- Immunology
- Regenerative medicine
- Stem cell biology
The Mass General Next-Gen PSTP Program's mission is to equip residents with the skills they need to someday lead the advancement of medical science in infectious diseases and immunology, spanning from fundamental research to clinical investigation.
The City of Boston receives a significant amount of the annual National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding.
All residents are strongly encouraged to apply for NIH F32 postdoctoral fellowships as well as support from other agencies such as the American College of Surgeons, American Cancer Society, Society of University Surgeons, and the American Heart Association, during their third year of training. At MGH, our surgical faculty actively assists residents in preparing their grant applications. Securing funding establishes a valuable track record, which plays a pivotal role in future award applications.
Our Resident Community
MGH recruits top candidates from around the world into our Surgical Residency Program. Our residents bring to the program a variety of perspectives and backgrounds, enriching the program further and deepening the care experience that our patients receive.
Why apply to the Surgical Residency Program at MGH?
The MGH Surgical Residency Program will prepare you to become an outstanding surgeon, with an expert team of faculty and a varied curriculum that includes complex surgical cases. Our program will challenge you to be your best, while providing a robust clinical, didactic and simulation educational program.
Do residents get any community hospital experience during the program?
Yes. Our residency program includes operative rotations at Salem Hospital and Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Each rotation will allow you to perform operations and take care of patients with both low- and high-acuity illnesses requiring treatment from multiple specialties. We also spend time at stand-alone ambulatory surgical centers (Waltham and Danvers) for outpatient surgery.
What is the didactic curriculum like?
Our program comprises a strong didactic curriculum that includes:
- An intern orientation (which runs through the summer)
- Department-wide conferences, such as Surgical Grand Rounds and Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conferences
- A core curriculum (held on Thursdays from 10:00 am-11:00 am)
- Localized teaching, where small teams each have a faculty team leader who coordinates readings and didactics on a particular service
- A simulation curriculum coordinated with didactics (from PGY-1 through PGY-5). View simulation curriculum map
- A comprehensive robotic curriculum
Are there any elective rotations?
Yes. A one-month elective is built into the PGY-4 year and occasionally into the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th years, depending on class size. Past residents have chosen rotations at MGH, as well as off-site locations—both domestic and international. If you are interested in global health, the MGH Department of Surgery offers an array of international opportunities.
Is research required of all residents?
No. As in many academic programs, a block for professional development (usually two years) is offered. You may choose a research period between your third and fourth clinical years to pursue research, another advanced degree, or something else of your choosing. About 90% of each resident class choose to take a research period of some type. Many of our residents are also involved in outcomes research and global health initiatives. Recent elective examples, in addition to traditional bench and outcomes-related research, include:
- A clinical fellowship in surgical critical care
- A Master of Public Health degree
- A fellowship in surgical education
- A global surgery elective or fellowship
What types of research opportunities are available at Mass General?
Since 1994, Mass General has been awarded the most research funding of any independent hospital by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In the fiscal year 2022, we had $57.2M in research expenditures, $22.4M in NIH-sponsored research, 83,000 square feet of research space, 74 NIH awards, 123 sponsored projects and clinical trials, and 304 grant applications submitted.
Where do most residents live?
Most residents live within walking distance of MGH, either in Beacon Hill or the West End neighborhoods. Within the immediate walking radius of MGH, rents tend to be higher (approximately $2,200-3,200 per month for a studio or one-bedroom), but you are in a terrific location. Beacon Hill tends to feel more charming and removed from the hospital, but the West End gives you a few more amenities and more square feet for your dollar. Some residents choose to live in Back Bay or the North End (which is a little farther away, but still within walking distance). If you don't mind driving or bicycling to work, Cambridge, Charlestown, the South End or Fenway are other good options.
The cost of living in Boston sounds high. Can I live on a resident’s salary?
Absolutely. While the cost of living in Boston is higher than many cities, it’s a spectacular city from almost any point of view—whether you are interested in the arts, sports, nature, or shopping. We have one of the highest resident salary scales in the U.S. and a program called the Lease Guarantee Program, which guarantees security deposit and/or last month's rent with certain pre-approved landlords.
What are some outdoor activities to do in and around Boston?
In the city, some favorite outdoor things to do everyday include running or biking along the Charles River Esplanade, as well as canoeing, kayaking or sailing on the Charles River. There is also hiking and camping in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont in the summer and fall, and snowshoeing/downhill skiing in the winter. A number of great beaches are close by, including those on the North Shore and Cape Cod. Each summer, our program sponsors a BWH residents v. MGH residents softball game at a park in Brookline, and there are group excursions to faculty members’ homes in New Hampshire in the winter, as well as a fishing trip on Cape Cod in the summer. Other social events, ski trips, and cocktail parties take place throughout the year.
Will I need a car?
No, but it is recommended. As mentioned above, you will have rotations at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Salem Hospital, Danvers, and Waltham. While there is public transportation to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, it doesn’t run at all hours and there is less convenient public transportation available to Salem Hospital. Residents without cars often carpool or rent a car during these months. There is also an Uber account to use for rides when you are post-call or too sick/tired to drive home.
A world-class city with a small-town feel, Boston is rich in history and culture and home to more than 50 colleges and universities. The city is known for its sports teams, as well as for its major cultural institutions like the Boston Ballet and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Numerous museums and galleries host weekly events, and a thriving local music scene coupled with an international array of restaurants makes Boston a vibrant city to call home. We are in close proximity to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, New Hampshire, Maine, and other major travel destinations. With MGH being centrally located, we are easily accessibly by MBTA, Logan Airport, taxi, etc.
While the program is rigorous, residents are part of a community that supports and encourages their development both inside and outside of the hospital. There are a number of events throughout the year during which residents recognize each other's work and accomplishments, welcome incoming residents, and come to discuss a particularly extraordinary case. Some among them include:
- Annual holiday party
- Santa rounds: Every year the MGH surgical interns participate in a long-standing tradition of admitting Mr. Santa Claus to Mass General
- Change show: On the eve of the first day of the new academic year, we celebrate and review the year's triumphs by showcasing videos created by each class. At this event we also welcome the incoming interns
Making the move to Boston is both exciting and challenging. Our parent company, Mass General Brigham, helps residents alleviate the economic burden of living in Boston with a few programs like the Resident Stipend Pilot Program and the Lease Guaranty Program. We are pleased to share these unique benefits with our residents.
About our Resident Wellbeing Council.
Erika Rangel, MD - Associate Program Director, Resident Wellness
Surgical training is long and coincides with childbearing years for many residents. The MGH Department of Surgery recognizes the impact of surgical training on the ability for residents to have children before, during, or after training and is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of our residents during family planning, pregnancy, and after delivery.
Many of the residents in Massachusetts General Hospital's Surgical Residency Program continue their education and training after graduation with additional fellowships and residencies.
Class of 2023:
- Taylor Coe, MD: Abdominal Transplant and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Fellowship, University of Toronto
- Margaret Connolly, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Jon Harrison, MD: Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Fellowship, Stanford University
- Lydia Maurer, MD: Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania
- Nikhil Panda, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Numa Perez, MD: Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- Siavash Raigani, MD: Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship, Duke University
- Jordan Secor, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Thomas Ward, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic
Class of 2022:
- Douglas Cassidy, MD: Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis
- Paul Cavallaro, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic
- Christina Costantino, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Morgan Hennessy, MD: Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, University of Maryland R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
- Travis Hull, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Casey Luckhurst, MD: Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care Attending, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Philicia Moonsamy, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Thomas Peponis, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Naomi Sell, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Maggie Westfal, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis
Class of 2021:
- Andrea Axtell, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Zhi Ven Fong, MD: Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Mass General Brigham
- Daniel Hashimoto, MD, MS: Advanced GI/MIS Flexible Endoscopic Surgery Fellowship, Case Western Reserve/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Antonia Kreso, MD, PhD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Grace Lee, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic
- Sophia McKinley, MD: Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Charles Rickert, MD: Transplant Surgery Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco
- Sahael Stapleton, MD: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, Mayo Clinic
- Brooks Udelsman, MD, MHS: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Yale School of Medcine
Class of 2020:
- Katherine Albutt, MD: Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Yanik Bababekov, MD: Transplant and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Fellowship, University of Colorado
- Danielle Cameron, MD: Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Boston Children’s Hospital
- Derek Erstad, MD: Surgical Oncology Fellowship, MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Paul Furlow, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Rajshri Gartland, MD: BWH/MGH Harvard Combined Endocrine Surgery Fellowship Program
- Thomas O’Donnell, MD: Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Jarrod Predina, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Seyed Alireza Rabi, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
Clas of 2019:
- Jordan Bloom, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Sarah Deery, MD: Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Johns Hopkins
- Derek Klarin, MD: Vascular Surgery Fellowship, University of Florida
- Winta Mehtsun, MD: Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Asishana Osho, MD: Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Madhukar Patel, MD: Abdominal Transplant and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Fellowship, University of Toronto
- Dana Schwartz, MD: Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Brandon Wojcik, MD: Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Colorado
For more information on alumni relations, visit the Mass General Surgical Society.
PGY Salary (2024-2025)
- PGY-1: $78,540
- PGY-2: $82,500
- PGY-3: $86,350
- PGY-4: $90,750
- PGY-5: $95,150
All residents also receive an annual $10,000 stipend to assist with the cost of housing, child care, and any other financial challenges they may face.
How to Apply
Mass General Brigham is engaged in a process to unify academic departments across Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Our General Surgery Training Programs will continue to have separate matches in 2025 as we develop plans and explore opportunities for greater collaboration. Our vision for integration is rooted in the belief that it will foster novel educational opportunities for both programs. Together, we aim to pioneer innovative approaches to surgical training, ensuring the optimization of learning opportunities for all involved.
Program Director: Jonathan Greer, MD: jbgreer@mgh.harvard.edu
Chair: Keith D. Lillemoe, MD
Contact: Joy Moses, MGH Department of Surgery
As part of your application, please include:
- 500-word personal statement
- Medical student performance evaluation letter (formerly called a dean's letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- At least three (3) letters of recommendation
- Passing scores on USMLE Steps 1 and 2 by the match date
The above application requisites apply to all international medical school graduate applications. Additional information for international applicants includes:
- The date of graduation from medical school can be no more than two (2) years prior to the date of application to the residency program
- We do not require U.S. clinical experience to apply, although it is highly recommended and will enable your application to receive greater consideration
- We only sponsor J-1 visas for preliminary positions
- We only sponsor H1-B and J-1 visas for categorical positions
International Medical School Graduate Applications: Massachusetts General Hospital accepts international medical school graduate applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service.
The Surgical Residency Program at Massachusetts General Hospital accepts graduates of international medical schools into our program. Below are the current requirements for international medical school graduates who are interested in applying:
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We accept applications only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)online service
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As part of the online ERAS application, you'll need to submit:
- Three (3) letters of reference, one from a current supervisor
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation letter (MSPE), or the equivalent (the MSPE was formerly called a Dean's letter)
- Personal statement (500-word maximum)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
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You must be Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)-eligible in order to apply to the program. ECFMG certification requires the passing of the USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK. We don't have a minimum score requirement for the USMLE exams. Please visit the ECFMG's website for information about applying for certification. You must have your ECFMG certificate in time to get licensed for the start of intern year
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For the 2024 cycle, our program will require all applicants to complete a supplemental application, offered through the ERAS as well as the MyERAS application. This additional information will help us learn more about your unique medical education journey (i.e., your work, volunteer and research experiences) and help us better identify applicants who fit our program’s environment and mission. This supplemental ERAS application will be delivered on a survey platform outside the MyERAS application and must be completed between September 1-30, 2024
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The date of graduation from medical school can be no more than two years prior to the date of application to the residency program
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We do not require that you have United States clinical experience in order to apply, although it is highly recommended, and your application will receive greater consideration if you have had clinical experience in a United States hospital
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We only sponsor J-1 visas for preliminary positions
Please note that no exceptions to these requirements will be made.
2024-25 Virtual Interview Dates for Categorical Positions
ERAS opens on September 1, 2024. Our application deadline is October 1, 2024.
Interview dates:
- Friday, November 22, 2024
- Friday, December 6, 2024
- Friday, January 10, 2025
Contact Information:
Barbara Wolf, senior program manager
General Surgery Residency Program
55 Fruit Street, GRB-425
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-2800
Fax: 617-724-3499
Information on Clinical Clerkships and Sub-Is
In order to arrange a surgical rotation here at Mass General, you must apply through Harvard Medical School's Exchange Clerkship Program for Visiting Medical Students.
As part of your application, please include:
- 500-word personal statement
- Medical student performance evaluation letter (formerly called a dean's letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- At least three (3) letters of recommendation
- Passing scores on USMLE Steps 1 and 2 by the match date
Program Leadership
We have a committed group of faculty and staff who manage program development.
Jonathan Greer, MD- Director, Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Hugh Auchincloss, MD, MPH - Associate Program Director, MGH Surgical Residency Program
Danielle Cameron, MD, MPH - Pediatric Surgeon Associate Program Director, MGH Surgical Residency Program Director of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Mass General Brigham for Children
Sonia Cohen, MD, PhD - Associate Program Director, Surgical Residency Program
Dean Donahue, MD - Director of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Program, Division of Thoracic Surgery Assistant Team Physician for the New England Patriots Consultant for the Boston Bruins, and Boston Red Sox
Daniel Doody, MD- Director, Surgical Education, Pediatric Surgery Associate Program Director, MGH Surgical Residency Program
Jahan Mohebali, MD- Associate Program Director, MGH Surgical Residency Program
Charu Paranjape, MBBS - Chief, General Surgery and Acute Care Surgery, Newton-Wellesley Hospital Associate Chair of Surgical Education, Newton-Wellesley Hospital Associate Program Director, Surgical Residency Program, MGH
Erika Rangel, MD- Acute Care and General Surgeon Associate Program Director, Surgical Residency Program