General Surgery Residency

Thank you for visiting our website about surgical training at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Columbia has a long and hallowed tradition in General Surgery. John Jones was the first professor of surgery in the Americas, Allen O. Whipple performed the first pancreaticoduodenectomy in 1935, and more recently surgeons at Columbia performed the first Robot-Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery. Throughout its history, Columbia has been at the forefront of surgical practice and today remains committed to providing the highest level of training to our residents.

The Columbia General Surgery Residency is one of the best training programs in the nation and fully prepares our residents for whatever career path they choose to pursue. There are several aspects that make our program unique and attractive, including a collegial learning environment with great camaraderie between residents and faculty; an operative case load well above the national average; a significant degree of independence and autonomy afforded our senior residents both in and out of the OR; an opportunity to participate in global surgery electives; a flexible approach to both clinical electives and dedicated research time; a wide variety of clinical and basic science research opportunities; and a location in one of the country's most exciting and safest big cities.

New York is the most culturally diverse and densely populated city in the nation, and truly is a city that never sleeps. Nowhere else can you leave the hospital in the evening, meet friends or family for dinner, and still experience the vibrant and varied nature of the city and its residents – on ANY day of the week. Maximizing your free time, pursuing interests outside of medicine, and engaging in social and recreational activities will keep you sane and motivated throughout residency. We can safely say that, in this respect, no city offers what NYC can. Add a top-notch academic medical center with worldwide leaders in an array of medical and surgical fields, and you can see why we think Columbia is an unparalleled program.

Please take the time to explore our site and learn more about the Columbia General Surgery Program and its residents. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about the program, living in NYC, or surgery in general.

Sincerely,

Alexander Kossar and Jacob R. Krimbill
Administrative Chief Residents

Tracey D. Arnell, MD | Columbia Surgery
Program Director