General Surgery Team A ('GS-A'): General Surgery Team A ('GS-A'): This is one of the general surgery services at University Hospital that primarily deals with biliary disease, hernias, pancreatic, colon, and other 'bread-and-butter' general surgery. Interns spend two months on this service and rotate with PGY3 and PGY5 residents. The service shares call and cross-covers with GS-B. Roughly q5 call and some night float.

General Surgery Team B ('GS-B'): Another general surgery service at University Hospital. This service performs gastric bypasses, lap Nissens, lap inguinal and ventral hernia repairs, and other common general surgery cases. PGY2, PGY3, and PGY5 residents rotate on this service. This service shares call and cross-covers with GS-A. Roughly q5 call.

Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery ('GS-C'): This service performs surgical management of breast, colon, thyroid, parathyroid, and other forms of cancer. Interns spend one month on this service and rotate with PGY2 and PGY5 residents. Shares call and cross-covers with GS-VA. Roughly q5 call.

General Surgery at VA Hospital ('GS-VA'): This service takes all surgical consults, performs all general surgery at the VA, and performs endoscopy. Interns spend one (categorical) or two (preliminary) months on this service and rotate with PGY3 and PGY5 residents. Shares call and cross-covers with GS-C at UH. Roughly q5 call and some night float.

Trauma and Emergency Surgery ('GS-E') and Surgical Intensive Care Unit ('SICU'): This is by far the largest service in University Hospital. GS-E is responsible for the ER surgery consults, any surgery required within 24 hours of admission (other than gallbladder disease which is managed by GS-A/GS-B), and, of course, trauma. This service also covers the SICU, which is responsible for ventilator management, central line placement, PEG/trach, nutrition access and so forth. Interns spend two or three months on GS-E and SICU and rotate with PGY2, PGY3, and PGY4 residents and work closely with several excellent clinical nurse specialists and PAs. Mostly Q4 call and night float for interns.

Transplant: Very busy transplant service (top 10 nationally for liver transplant volume) that primarily deals with liver and kidney transplant with occasional pancreas transplant. Also involves complex hepatobiliary cases. Good exposure to transplant ICU patients. Interns spend one month on transplant and rotate with PGY2 and PGY5 residents. Roughly q4 call.

Vascular surgery at University Hospital and the VA Hospital: The vascular services at UH and VA cover all vascular surgery at UH and VA including dialysis access. Interns spend one month on vascular and rotate with PGY2 and PGY5 residents. PGY4 residents spend a month rotating with Dr. Toursarkissian and his private practice patients at St. Luke's Hospital. Vascular at UH shares call and cross-covers with vascular at VA . Roughly q4 call.

Cardiothoracic at UH and VA: This service performs CABG, valve replacement surgery, aortic reconstruction, heart and lung transplant and lung surgery (open and video assisted) as well as chest tube management for many services. This service is busy and is run by two CT fellows along with interns and mid-level residents. Interns spend one month on CT and rotate with PGY2 general surgery residents, interns from other services (e.g., anesthesia), and CT residents in the integrated 6-year program. Roughly q3 call and some night float.

Urology at UH and VA: One month exposure to urology for categorical interns. Shares call with Uro-UH and it is home call.

Skills Lab: A dedicated, 4-week skills lab rotation in which interns develop technical skills including suturing and knot-tying, laparoscopic camera navigation, central lines, intraosseous lines, airway management, code management, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery, vascular and bowel anastomoses. Does clinical coverage at GS-VA two days each week.
Click here for more information on the Skills Lab.

Pediatric Surgery: This is a private practice rotation with the adjunct faculty at San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates. Interns spend one month on this service and rotate with PGY2 and PGY3 residents.

 

Santa Rosa Northwest: A private rotation in the medical center, this is a rotation that covers surgical cases performed by UH surgeons who have privileges at Santa Rosa Northwest. This includes about 40 kidney transplants/year as well as general surgery. PGY2 and PGY5 residents rotate on this service. Home call.

 

Santa Rosa New Braunfels: This is a private practice rotation in New Braunfels, TX. Located approximately 45 minutes North of San Antonio, New Braunfels is a relatively small town which gives residents experience with surgery teams and patients in a more rural setting. PGY4 residents rotate on this service.

 

Methodist: This is a private practice rotation in the San Antonio Medical Center with the adjunct faculty at General Surgical Associates of San Antonio. This is a broad general surgery practice with many opportunities for advanced minimally invasive surgery cases. PGY2, PGY3, and PGY4 residents rotate on this service.

 

Methodist Metropolitan: This is a private practice rotation in Downtown San Antonio. PGY4 residents rotate on this service.

 

 

Vascular at St. Luke's Hospital: PGY4 residents spend a month rotating with Dr. Toursarkissian (pictured right) and his private practice patients at St. Luke's Hospital.

 

Regional Academic Health Center ('RAHC'): The RAHC is the UTHSCSA regional campus located in Harlingen, TX. Harlingen is a small town in deep South Texas in which residents get experience with surgery teams and patients in a rural setting. The private practices cover a wide array of general surgery including CT and vascular cases. PGY2 and PGY3 residents rotate on this service.

 

Surgical Intensive Care Unit at VA ('SICU-VA'): PGY2 residents rotate with the anesthesia faculty at the VA SICU. Residents get experience with airway, ventilator, and code management.

Endoscopy at UH and VA: During the PG2 and PGY5 years, residents get dedicated endoscopy experience to supplement the endoscopy experience gained on GS-A and GS-B during the other years of training.

Elective: During the PG4 year, residents may complete an elective rotation at the institution of their choice. Many residents choose to do their elective rotation at our institution, however, some residents have chosen to do out-of-town rotations.