Student Surgery Leadership Weekend

Student Surgery Leadership Weekend participants working at a table in the Simulation Center
Student Surgery Leadership Weekend participants at the University of Michigan football stadium endzone
Student Surgery Leadership weekend participants working at individual surgical technique simulation stations in the Simulation Center

Future Leaders in Surgery

One of the core missions of the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan is training the future leaders in surgery. As part of this mission, we have designed a leadership training program for students applying for surgical residency.

We hope to share with students our larger vision of surgical leadership and provide guidance on the surgical residency application process. We aim to encourage medical students to pursue academic surgery and prepare them for the application and match process.

Over 25 faculty, house officers and medical students from across the country participate in this event to facilitate a personalized experience for each participant. The event also offers students the opportunity to network with peers from across the country who are also interested in pursuing a career in surgery, fostering friendships as students begin their careers in surgery.

Our goal is to facilitate and motivate medical students to becoming the future leaders in surgery. The role of the academic surgeon is ever evolving, and successful academic surgeons in the future will need to take on roles as innovators, surgeon-scientists, leaders, activists, and teachers, in addition to their roles as top-notch surgeons in the operating room. The Student Surgery Leadership Weekend introduces students to some of the different facets of surgery through its events, including a design thinking workshop, diversity, equity, and inclusion discussions, presentations discussing local and global surgery outreach initiatives, and simulation center sessions to practice surgical techniques.

The next Student Surgery Leadership Weekend will be held  May 31 - June 2, 2024.

We here at the University of Michigan are excited to help develop the next generation of leaders in academic medicine. For the past few years, we have hosted some of the brightest students pursuing a career in surgery from across the country. We have revamped our agenda to reflect a greater focus on emotional intelligence and identifying leadership opportunities in a surgical residency. As in the past, we will also review the ERAS application process and cover personal statements and interview strategies with the assistance of our faculty and residents.
 
Academic Surgery is a great career, providing opportunities to work with some of the brightest people, and to ask and answer some of the toughest research questions. Academics are not for everyone, but we hope to share with you some of our institutional lessons learned to aid your development in becoming a future surgeon, leader, and educator.
 
Our faculty are excited to work with you and encourage your application to the Student Surgery Leadership Weekend.

Rishindra M. Reddy, MD, FACS

Application Process

University of Michigan medical students and students from other U.S. medical schools are eligible to apply if they are applying for residency in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Urology, or Otolaryngology for the 2025 Match.

Students will be selected to participate in the Student Surgery Leadership Weekend based on their interest in academic surgery, qualifications, and USMLE Step 1 scores. If USMLE scores are not available at the time of the application deadline, please mention this in the application and the expected availability date. Scores can be submitted at a later date. If scores are not available by the time decisions are made, additional information may be requested.

A small group of students will be invited to participate in the Student Surgery Leadership Weekend based on the competitiveness of their application, but all applicants will receive a summary of the proceedings of the program as well as a guide on “How to Apply for Surgical Residency”.

Please note that although faculty members of the University of Michigan Department of Surgery will review applications, selection for participation in the Student Surgery Leadership Weekend will not impact any future application to the University of Michigan Surgery Residency Programs.

Applications open February 4, 2024 and are due March 17, 2024. 

I was awe-inspired and reinvigorated to pursue a career as an academic surgeon. As I develop my personal portfolio, I know without a doubt that this program has provided me with the tools to shape my career to my interests.

Crystal Taylor, MD - Past Participant and Current General Surgery Resident

Contact Us

Karla Robinson

Program Coordinator