Leadership Message (General Surgery)

Welcome from our Program Director

Thank you for your interest in our General Surgery Residency at Cooper.

The mission of the General Surgery residency program is to educate and train knowledgeable, technically skilled, compassionate, inquisitive surgeons who are capable of the independent practice of surgery, and able to care effectively for diverse patient populations. We further aim to assure their education in academic pursuits and patient safety and quality improvement so that they are capable of practicing in the modern academic and clinical health care environment. 

Our six-year program is an ACGME accredited General Surgery Residency sponsored by Cooper University Hospital and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, with four categorical residents/year. We provide broad training in General Surgery on our main campus in Camden, New Jersey. We serve a socioeconomically diverse community, and provide tertiary care to a seven county region with a population in excess of two million people. Five clinical years are devoted to acquiring knowledge and skills in all of the principle components of General Surgery. Clinical research is a fundamental part of the curriculum throughout residency. The full time surgical faculty represent a broad range of surgical specialties, and many hold leadership positions in local, regional, and national organizations. The residency is supported by an ACS Level I Adult Trauma Center / Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, and the Cooper/MD Anderson Cancer Center. Surgical simulation is integral to the educational program, as are minimally invasive and robotic surgery. All trainees are involved in performance improvement and patient safety activities. Graduates achieve eligibility for certification by the American Board of Surgery, and are able to enter the independent practice of surgery or gain entry to fellowships in the subspecialty of their choice.

Between the second and third clinical years of this six-year program, the residents engage in a dedicated research fellowship under the guidance of the surgical faculty. The Division of Research provides opportunities in basic science and translational research. Residents also continue their involvement in clinical research in a broad range of surgical fields during this fellowship year. A few of the recent publications and podium presentations of recent residents are listed later in this document.

Our graduates have gone on to practice general surgery, and to fellowship training in a variety of specialties. A number have gone on to leadership roles in academic institutions and surgical societies.

We encourage those who have the drive to become excellent clinical surgeons, and to understand and harness the science of surgery, to apply to our program. We welcome your interest and look forward to meeting you.

Michael E. Kwiatt, MD
Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program