The UNM Thoracic Surgery Residency Program is a two-year program. The first- and second-year residents alternate rotations at the VAMC and UNMH. During each of these rotations the thoracic surgery resident acts as the chief resident for the cardiothoracic surgery service. The resident is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the service under close supervision of the attending. The chief resident (link to residents page) is also responsible for the direct supervision of the junior resident and medical students assigned to the service. See our “Resident Handbook” for more information.
Continuity of care is the hallmark of the program. Clinical experience emphasizes preoperative, operative and post operative care. The resident is directly responsible for the preoperative evaluation. He/she also participates in weekly working conferences with the adult or pediatric cardiologists in planning the operation. Frequent discussion with fellows in cardiology and pulmonary medicine is encouraged.
Operative responsibility is progressive, based on experience and ability. The thoracic surgery resident performs most of the non-cardiac thoracic operations and assists the junior resident in the simpler non-cardiac procedures. For the cardiac cases, the thoracic resident progresses from a period of first-assisting the attending staff to performing simple procedures and then to performing progressively more complex procedures. During the first year, the resident gains experience mainly with acquired cardiac diseases such as coronary artery and valvular heart diseases and with pulmonary and esophageal problems. During the second year, his/her experience with acquired heart disease focuses on valvular heart disease. The resident performs many non-cardiac procedures as well as first-assisting on the more complex forms of congenital cardiac cases.
During the post-operative period, the thoracic surgery resident is directly in charge of the care of the patient, in close consultation with the attending staff. After release from the hospital, the patient is routinely followed in the outpatient clinic by the thoracic surgery resident and the cardiothoracic surgical team.
Our program sees a wide variety of clinical cases. University Hospital is the only Level I trauma center in the state, thus increasing resident exposure to thoracic trauma cases. University Hospital is also one of the few medical centers in the southwest where congenital heart surgery is performed, giving the residents participation in a wide range of congenital heart surgery, from simple repairs to complex reconstructions.
Another strength of our program is the close relationship (mentorship) between each of the attendings and the residents during the different rotations. The cardiac surgery faculty deliberately alternates their primary clinical responsibilities to permit the close work of one resident with one primary attending every two months. This apprenticeship type of education has proven extremely beneficial in terms of the teaching of surgical techniques as well as in the area of critical care. The staff consists of four diplomates of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery with one of the faculty exclusively devoted to general thoracic surgery. Research projects are encouraged but are not mandatory.
We participate in the National Resident Matching Program. To apply for our program, please forward the Universal Application for Thoracic Surgery Residency, curriculum vitae, and three letters of reference.
For further information, please e-mail or write to:
Jorge Wernly, M.D., Program Director
Health Sciences Center
Department of Surgery
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
MSC 10 5610
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 272-6901
