Surgery Residency Program

Message from Program Director

The goal of our program is to train the complete general surgeon with expertise in the management of the complex surgical patients with high acuity. We aim to make our residents the future leaders in surgery by emphasizing critical thinking, operative skills, and the ability to understand and assess the literature.

Our main site is the Westchester Medical Center and includes the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, a tertiary care academic medical center that serves as the regional referral center for the Hudson Valley serving a very diverse population of about 4 million. We are the Regional Level-1 Trauma Center for both adult and pediatric patients.

We offer a five-year program with four Categorical & four Preliminary PGY-1 Positions. Rotations in MIS, Transplant, Pediatric, Thoracic, Vascular, Trauma, Hepatobiliary provide a vigorous subspecialty curriculum in addition to the general surgery core to optimize the training experience/opportunity. The Department of Surgery Clinical Research Unit (DSCRU) will provide assistance on any research projects as well.

Like the population we serve, the residents come from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Working together and emphasizing the concept of team work with mutual respect is a cornerstone of our program. Located in Suburban New York, Westchester has a wonderful quality of life with diverse activities and recreational opportunities. It also helps that Manhattan is approximately 18 miles away from the hospital (35 minutes by car or commuter rail).

Shomer Shabbos residency positions are offered within the Department of Surgery Residency Program at Westchester Medical Center. These slots allow accommodation of Jewish observance with the understanding that primacy is always given to the needs of our patients. Our affiliate medical school New York Medical College is taking the lead with its partner hospital in founding and promoting Shomer Shabbos residency training positions throughout the region.

In summary, I believe Westchester Medical Center provides an environment that will challenge you and train you to become an outstanding academic or community surgeon for the new millennium.

Sincerely,

Jorge Con, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Department of Surgery
New York Medical College
Westchester Medical Center

 

Message from Director of the Department of Surgery at Westchester Medical Center

The program accepts four categorical and four preliminary residents every year through the National Residency Match Program. All surgery residents complete their surgical internship at Westchester Medical Center. Research is an optional component of general surgery training. Every attempt is made to send residents, regardless of training level, to any national conference at which their research data is accepted to. Residents may be paired with a clinical mentor to provide guidance during the course of the residency. On January 19, 2017, the NYMC Department of Surgery received full accreditation from the Residency Review Committee.

Conferences

Morbidity and Mortality
All cases are reviewed on a weekly basis with special emphasis on interesting cases of educational value. Chief residents are responsible for brief presentations on the relevant topics and follow the SBAR format for case presentation.

These conferences are held every Wednesday for the residents at Westchester Medical Center and Thursday for those at St. Vincent's Medical Center.

Basic Science, Clinical Fundamentals
Wednesday mornings is also dedicated to a combined basic science / clinical fundamentals utilizing the SCORE curriculum from 9:30am to 11:00am. These are followed by resident directed ABSITE review sessions. Residents and faculty from all hospitals are able to participate in these sessions.

Surgical Skills Lab
The last Wednesday of every month is dedicated to Surgical Skills training. Under the leadership of Dr. Anthony Maffei, residents are taken through a structured curriculum over the course of a year to master the skills required in the Fundamental of Laparoscopic Surgery program using lap trainers in an inanimate / dry lab. Once a year the residents and taken to a nearby facility for a live lab where minimally invasive procedures are performed by teams of residents on anesthetized pigs. Procedures performed include laparoscopic cholecystectomy, bowel resection and reanastamosis, nephrectomy and splenectomy.

With the newly acquired Da Vinci® SIHD ™ platform, residents will also be able to learn fundamentals of Robotic Surgery from Dr. Thomas D. Cerabona, Assistant Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College and Director of Bariatric Surgery at Westchester Medical Center.

Rotations
The following is a general guide to the residency. Specific rotations and schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the Program Director to meet the educational needs of the resident and program at large.

PGY-1
The resident will rotate through a variety of general surgery rotations with the expectation of learning the perioperative management of complex surgical patients. Typical rotations include: Acute Care Surgery, General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Transplant/Hepatobiliary Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Trauma Surgery, and Vascular Surgery.

PGY-2
The resident will rotate through a variety of general surgery rotations with an addition of Thoracic Surgery, ICU and Plastic/Burn Surgery. The resident learns to manage a busy inpatient service with a case mix index and develop the knowledge base to perform appropriate preoperative evaluation of presenting symptoms and postoperative follow up. The junior resident is actively involved in working up complex consultations and gains significant exposure to critical care and ICU procedures.

PGY-3
The resident will rotate through a variety of general surgery rotations but with more focus on Minimally Invasive Surgery, ICU and Vascular Surgery. There is usually a junior resident alongside with the PGY-3 in addition to the in-house PGY-4/5 and in-house trauma attending. The remaining time is split up between Trauma and General Surgery.

PGY-4
The resident will transition to an Acting Chief Resident learning to run a service alongside the Chief Resident. During this rotation the resident is primarily in the operating room gaining significant exposure to open and endoscopic surgical techniques as surgeon junior for colorectal, surgical oncology, head and neck and advanced minimally invasive procedures.

PGY-5
The Chief Resident is expected to coordinate educational conferences, teach junior residents in addition to gaining significant exposure as the surgeon to complex open, laparoscopic cases.

In a new collaborative effort with the Otolaryngology department, the General Surgery Chief Residents now participate as Surgeon Chiefs in the elective head and neck cases at the Westchester Medical Center.

Chief residents are encouraged to attend the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress and a Board Review Course.

Objectives for all rotations are conceptually organized within the framework of the six ACGME core competencies. Our curriculum includes rotation-and PGY-specific goals and objectives. Below is the Block Schedule diagram for the categorical track in our program.

 

PGY Level	Rotation	Length
PGY 1	Acute Care Surgery	2 Blocks
	General Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Colorectal Surgery	2 Blocks
	Minimally Invasive Surgery	1 Block
	Pediatric Surgery	1 Block
	Transplant/ Hepatobiliary Surgery	1 Block
	Trauma/ER Surgery	2 Blocks
	Vascular Surgery	2 Blocks
	Plastic/Burn Surgery	1 Block
	Vacation (2 weeks at a time)	1 Block
PGY 2	Acute Care Surgery	2 Blocks
	Intensive Care Unit	2 Blocks
	General Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Colorectal Surgery	2 Blocks
	Mid-Hudson	1 Block
	Trauma/ER Surgery	2 Blocks
	Thoracic Surgery	2 Blocks
	Vascular Surgery	1 Block
	Vacation (2 weeks at a time)	1 Block
PGY 3	Acute Care Surgery	3 Blocks
	Intensive Care Unit	2 Blocks
	Minimally Invasive Surgery	2 Blocks
	Mid-Hudson	2 Blocks
	Endoscopy	1 Block
	Vascular Surgery	2 Blocks
	Vacation (2 weeks at a time)	1 Block
PGY 4	Acute Care Surgery	2 Blocks
	General Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Colorectal Surgery	1 Block
	Cardiothoracic Surgery	1 Block
	Transplant/Hepatobiliary Surgery	2 Blocks
	Trauma/ER Surgery	3 Blocks
	Head and Neck Surgery	1 Block
	Vascular Surgery	1 Block
	Endoscopy	1 Block
	Vacation (2 weeks at a time)	1 Block
PGY 5	Acute Care Surgery	1 Block
	General Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Colorectal Surgery	2 Blocks
	Transplant/Hepatobiliary Surgery	1 Block
	Thoracic Surgery	2 Blocks
	Vascular Surgery	2 Blocks
	Head and Neck Surgery	1 Block
	Endoscopy	1 Block
	Mid-Hudson	2 Blocks
	Vacation (2 weeks at a time)	1 Block
	Please Note: Each block has four weeks rotation

Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS, FICS
Chair and Professor
Department of Surgery
New York Medical College
Director, Department of Surgery Program
Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Chief of General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Jorge Con, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Westchester Medical Center Health Network


Trauma and Acute Care Surgery


Kartik Prabhakaran, MD, MHS, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Section of Acute Care Surgery
Associate Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Westchester Medical Center


Patrice Lynn Anderson, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Medical Director, Trauma Intensive Care Unit
Associate Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Westchester Medical Center


Anthony J. Policastro, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College Medical
Director, SICU & Progressive Care Unit
Westchester Medical Center


Gary G. Lombardo, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Trauma Medical Director
Westchester Medical Center


Herminio Diaz, MD
Attending Surgeon, Division of Trauma,
Acute Care Surgery and Emergency General Surgery
Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital


James Feeney, MD, FACS
Director of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
Emergency General Surgery
Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital


General Surgery/Surgical Oncology/Colorectal Surgery


Prem Patel, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Roberto Bergamaschi, MD, PhD, FRCS
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Colorectal Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Heena Rajdeo, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Kalyani Bhuta, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Xiang (Eric) Dong, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Associate Director, Surgical Oncology
Westchester Medical Center


Minimally Invasive Surgery


Ashutosh Kaul, MD, MS, FRCS, FACS
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Thomas Cerabona, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College Medical
Director, Bariatric Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Anthony Maffei, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Bariatric Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Jonathan Giannone, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Bariatric Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Pediatric Surgery 


Marc Arkovitz, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Pediatric Surgery
Westchester Medical Center

Plastic/Burn Surgery

 
Kaveh Alizadeh, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Elizabeth Zellner, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery Westchester Medical Center


Francis Winski, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Joseph Turkowski, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Burn Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Thoracic Surgery
 

Tracey Weigel, MD, FACS, FACCP
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Thoracic Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Francis Carroll, MD, FACS, FACCP
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Thoracic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Transplant/Hepatobiliary Surgery 


Thomas Diflo, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Intra-Abdominal Transplant Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Seigo Nishida, MD, PhD
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Liver and Pediatric Transplant Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Gregory Veillette, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Transplant Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Hiroshi Sogawa, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Surgical Director, Kidney Transplant Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Vascular Surgery
 

Sateesh Babu, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Chief Vascular Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Igor Laskowski, MD, PHD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Vascular Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Romeo Mateo, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Vascular Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Francis Carroll, MD, FACS, FACCP
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Vascular Surgery Thoracic Surgery
Westchester Medical Center


Arun Goyal, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Vascular Surgery
Westchester Medical Center 

Westchester Medical Center participates in the National Residency Match Program.

• Registration Period Opens: September 15, 2019
• Applications Accepted Until: November 30, 2019
• Rank Order List Due: February 26, 2020
• Match Day: March 20, 2020

Interview Days:

Wednesday October 23, 2019
Wednesday November 6, 2019
Wednesday November 13, 2019
Wednesday November 20, 2019
Wednesday December 4, 2019
Wednesday December 11, 2019

The prospective applicant must submit the following via ERAS:

1. Application
2. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) certification.
3. Three Letters of Recommendations
4. Medical School Transcript
5. Personal Statement
6. Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Dean's Letter)
7. Must be ECFMG certified (if applicable)
8. Applicants planning on a J-1 Visa for their training are welcome to apply.

The program requirements are as follows:

1. The Program's minimum requirements for USMLE test score for step 1 and 2 for consideration of interview is:
2. Step 1: 225 
3. Step 2: Must Pass Step 2 at Graduation from Medical School
4. The passing of each step of USMLE should be done on the first attempt.
5. Research experience is helpful and considered important.
6. The candidate must possess strong motivation and commitment to Surgery as evidenced by background education, personal statement and letters of recommendation.
7. The candidate must have personality traits such as emotional maturity, warmth and compassion as well as good communication skills.

Useful Resources and Information:

• ACGME RRC
• NRMP
• Committee of Interns and Residents
• AMC - ERAS

Chairman and Director of Department of Surgery
Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS
Chair and Professor of Surgery
New York Medical College
Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Chief of General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center
Rifat.Latifi@wmchealth.org
914.493.8729

Program Director
Jorge Con, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Westchester Medical Center
Jorge.Con@wmchealth.org
914.493.6826

Associate Program Directors
Prem Swaroop Patel, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
Senior Associate Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Westchester Medical Center
Prem Swaroop.Patel@wmchealth.org
914.493.6826

Igor Laskowski, MD, FAAP, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Westchester Medical Center
Igor.Laskowski@wmchealth.org
914.909.6835

Gregory Veillette, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Transplant & Hepatobiliary Surgeon
Surgical Director of Pancreas Transplant Patients
Associate Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Westchester Medical Center
Gregory.Veillette@wmchealth.org
914.493.5643

Professional Educators

Residency Program Coordinator

Olga Mateo-Rodriguez
Coordinator, General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center
Olga.Mateo-Rodriguez@wmchealth.org
914.493.7614

Education & Fellowship Program Coordinator

Saranda Gashi, MPH
Education Coordinator, General Surgery
Westchester Medical Center
Saranda.Gashi@wmchealth.org
914.493.8099