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Academics & Residency

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Academics & Residency

A Message from the Program Director


Welcome to General Surgery Training at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine. Our department lives by a set of 6 core values we established together:

Kindness: Working well with others by being honest and collegial.

Quality:  Continuously improve outcomes and the critical processes to achieve them.

Learning:  We are always learning and teaching to increase our competency, improve our proficiency and gain mastery of knowledge and skills.

Innovation: Creating access to new procedures/clinical trials to stay current and applying best practices.

Community: Welcoming and integrating patients into our systems of care.

Inclusion: In every way, we maintain an open and curious mind regarding perspectives and work to sustain inclusive excellence.

These core values serve as our compass, guiding us to excel as skilled surgeons, effective educators, avid learners, dedicated scientists, and supportive colleagues.

Our residents care for patients with a spectrum of surgical problems working with the best combination of university and private community faculty. Our residents finish their five years ready to go out into general surgery practice, yet most choose to pursue additional sub-specialty training and match into excellent fellowships.

Above all, we foster a culture of kindness, respect, and genuine closeness within our group, forming a strong sense of family right here in Tulsa. We invite you to join us and experience firsthand whether you wish to become a part of our inclusive and welcoming family. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is embraced.

M. Timothy Nelson, MD, FACS, DABS
Program Director, General Surgery Residency
Shepard Thompson Clingan Chair of Surgery
Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery

Offering broad teaching experiences and resident research opportunties, surgical training at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine has shown proven excellence year after year.  With a strong teaching tradition, our faculty, residents, and fellows have won numerous Crimson Apple Teaching Awards, demonstrating a strength in camaraderie department-wide.

Why Surgery Residents Choose Tulsa

  • Faculty led academic conferences including Grand Rounds, M&M, PreOP, Acute Care, and Simulation conferences
  • Wednesday protected 5 hours of education time
  • Mentorship program
  • Option for research year

Surgical Rotations

PGY1:

  • 2 months Acute Care Surgery
  • 2 months Colorectal Surgery
  • 2 months Night Float
  • 2 months OU General Surgery
  • 2 months Trauma/Critical Care
  • 2 months Vascular Surgery

PGY2:

  • 3 months Trauma/Critical Care
  • 2 months VA Hospital Muskogee
  • 1 month Acute Care Surgery
  • 1 month Ambulatory Surgery
  • 1 month Burns
  • 1 month Colorectal Surgery
  • 1 month OU General Surgery
  • 1 month Private General Surgery
  • 1 month Vascular Surgery

PGY3:

  • 3 months Trauma/Critical Care
  • 2 months OU General Surgery
  • 2 months VA Hospital Muskogee
  • 1 month Breast Surgery
  • 1 month Colorectal Surgery
  • 1 month Private General Surgery
  • 1 month Surgical Oncology
  • 1 month Vascular Surgery

PGY4:

  • 2 months Pediatric Surgery
  • 2 months VA Hospital Muskogee
  • 1 month Acute Care Surgery
  • 1 month Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • 1 month Colorectal Surgery
  • 1 month OU General Surgery
  • 1 month Private General Surgery
  • 1 month Transplant
  • 1 month Trauma/Critical Care
  • 1 month Vascular Surgery

PGY5:

  • 4 months Colorectal Surgery
  • 4 months OU General Surgery
  • 4 months Private General Surgery

Elective Students

  • Will improve technique with hands-on OR experience
  • May choose from structured student sub-internship/fourth year elective rotations
  • Participate in internship/student observer positions as first-year medical students

Aptitude. Character. Quality.

Contact Info

For questions regarding resident life, contact Juli Sensintaffar at Juli-Sensintaffar@ouhsc.edu

For questions about elective student rotations, contact Kristin Bailes at Kristin-Bailes@ouhsc.edu