Surgical Residency Program

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.

The vast majority of training takes place at MGH, with the focus on the primary components of general surgery. Several months are spent on outside rotations at Newton-Wellesley and Salem Hospitals, offering residents exposure to community hospital practice, teaching independence and autonomy. We also operate at several ambulatory surgical centers in Waltham and Danvers, Massachusetts, for bread and butter general and oncologic same day surgery.

Current resident rotations »

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.

View our simulation curriculum map »

How we teach resident skills »

We do not expect that all residents arrive at Mass General with a strong vision of their future clinical and academic goals. We know that their initial interests from their medical school time may evolve over the course of their residency training. As such, we have implemented a multidisciplinary and longitudinal approach to mentorship. The Department of Surgery's Vice Chair of Research, Genevieve Boland, MD, PhD, works with each resident to assemble a team of mentors—clinical, academic, and peer mentors that help each resident refine their career plans over time. Each resident will have a formal team of faculty and peer mentors, with an annual team career conference to review each resident's career plan as it matures and comes into focus.

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.

Learn more about Global Surgery Pathway »

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 »

• 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.

Learn more about the Next-Gen PSTP Program »

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.

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

Meet our residents »

Making the move to Boston is both exciting and challenging. Our parent company, Mass General Brigham (MGB), 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.

Learn more about financial support at Mass General Brigham »

Meet our Associate Program Director, Resident Wellness

Erika Rangel, MD

About our Resident Wellbeing Council »

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.

Read our guide for expectant and new parents »

The Department of Surgery is committed to recruiting candidates from diverse backgrounds. We have a diversity committee of faculty, staff, and residents that meets to discuss program development. We also work with the MGH Multicultural Affairs Office, which connects students underrepresented in medicine to other students, faculty and staff who share their experience at MGH. The department also encourages opportunities to engage in broader discussion on diversity and health care. Learn more about the 'I Am Surgery' Campaign.

The Mass General Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) works closely with all departments, and residency and fellowship training programs to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion for trainees and physicians at Mass General.

Learn about our diversity and inclusion efforts »

View the CDI report »

In 2022, the MGH created the Resident Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Award to recognize residents who regularly go above and beyond to create a more inclusive, just, and welcoming environment that fosters the well-being and advancement of all—especially of those who are underserved and underrepresented in medicine—and demonstrates commitment to the department's DEI goals as they relate to department- and hospital-wide activities, community building, recruitment, scholarship, teaching, and patient care. Visit our department DEI website for recent recipients of the award, and to view our committee’s leadership and how they play a pivotal role in our department.

Many of the residents in Massachusetts General Hospital's Surgical Residency Program continue their education and training after graduation with additional fellowships and residencies.

View a list of recent alumni and their postgraduate positions »

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.

Residents are provided four week-long blocks of vacation during the first year of residency, followed by four weeks per year in the subsequent four years. Residents in years two through five can take two two-week vacation blocks or an entire month. The program strives to accommodate the vacation requests of each resident.

Hospitalization, medical insurance, disability insurance, and malpractice insurance are all available through Mass General Brigham.

Subsidized parking is available to house officers in the hospital's parking garages.

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

Interviews are conducted via Zoom.

• Deadline to submit application: October 4, 2024
• Categorical interview invitations sent out by: October 23, 2024
• Categorical interview dates:
  • Friday, November 22, 2024
  • Friday, December 6, 2024
  • Friday, January 10, 2025
• Preliminary interview invitations sent out by: mid-January, 2025
• Preliminary interview date: Thursday, January 30, 2025