Training

At Michigan General Surgery, we seek to train exceptionally talented independent practitioners of surgery in any setting. Our General Surgery Residency Program is ranked No. 1 among public university programs, and our fellowships provide advanced training across the breadth of the specialty. See how surgical training at the University of Michigan will prepare you to lead in the field.

Excellence in Surgery Education

Trainees at Michigan’s Section of General Surgery can expect:

  • The most diverse cases and clinical settings: Surgery trainees gain experience with all facets of general surgery — from abdominal conditions to endocrine disorders to trauma and burn — and learn from U-M’s experts in solid organ transplantation, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, and bariatric surgery on specialty services and elective rotations. Your training ground includes the top-ranked Michigan Medicine academic medical center, and the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System. We serve a diverse patient population from surrounding areas in southeastern Michigan, across the state, and nationally.
  • Excellent career outcomes: General surgery residents finish in the top 1 percent in the country for experience with high complexity and rare cases. General Surgery at the University of Michigan is one of the largest and most well-funded academic surgical teams of its kind in the country.
  • Personalized learning opportunities: Trainees have their pick of opportunities to pursue research, leadership development, additional degrees, and other complementary learning options, in addition to their clinical training. Residents may pursue a 2-year period of formal Academic Development Time after their third year of clinical training.

Our Programs

Residency & Fellowship

Our General Surgery Residency Program ranks No. 1 in the nation for public institutions, and the caliber of our trainees is excellent, with a fellowship acceptance rate of 100% for the most recent 2-year period. Fellowships provide additional opportunity to focus and specialize, with fellows serving as integral members of our interdisciplinary teams across oncology, endocrine surgery, critical care, and colorectal surgery.

General surgery residents at Michigan Medicine are supported by the Michigan Promise, a commitment to provide residents and faculty members in the Department of Surgery with resources and opportunities that empower each individual to achieve their professional and academic goals. Residents have created a tailored Resident Development Program to support trainees in building leadership skills through the Michigan Promise.

Medical Student Education

As a medical student, you’ll be welcomed into a department that cares deeply about educating the next leaders in our field. Learning opportunities for medical students include:

  • M3 clerkships and M4 sub-internships
  • SCRUBS Program for M1 and M2 students exploring career interests in surgery, with opportunities to shadow in the OR, participate in surgical simulation training, and compete in the Surgery Olympics
  • Surgery Forum, which offers focused preparation for ERAS applications
  • Interview Boot Camp, which offers advice and practice for the residency interview process
  • M4 Surgery Boot Camp, focusing on what you can expect from a surgical residency
  • Student Surgery Leadership Weekend, which prepares you to apply for and match in academic surgery, as well as providing mentoring for future surgical leaders