General Surgery Residency Program

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GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Mission Statement

To equip our graduates with the knowledge, judgement and skills to become excellent clinical surgeons and effective educators who possess a spirit of inquiry and a commitment to improve the health of the communities they serve.

Adobe Stock 130615878 Preparing for Surgery

Aims

To provide a training environment that most optimally prepares graduate who are practice-ready to accommodate ever-changing patient needs.
To generate cohorts of graduates who actively celebrate diversity and advocate for the underserved.
To instill in all graduates an approach to patient care and family interaction that emphasizes compassion, empathy, integrity, and a well-defined moral code.
To cultivate lifelong learners that strive to remain on the cutting edge of surgical excellence and pass on pertinent knowledge to peers and other health professionals.
To imbue in the next generation of surgeons a spirit of inquiry and commitment to advance the delivery of surgical care and improve short- and long-term surgical health outcomes for patients.
To encourage active engagement with key stakeholders, business, and the patients they serve to foster a sense of community-orientation addressing local interests and concerns.

Benefits

Why Choose Meritus Health General Surgery Residency?

In the heart of a community nestled between the urban buzz and serene rural landscapes, Meritus Health stands as a beacon of medical innovation and compassion. Our General Surgery Residency Program isn't just about mastering the scalpel or navigating the intricacies of the human anatomy. Here, we cultivate surgeons who are as adept with a scalpel as they are with a business model, understanding that today's healthcare landscape requires a surgeon to be both a healer and a visionary.

The Journey of Compassion and Competence:

As a resident at Meritus, your journey begins in the operating room, where precision and empathy intertwine. Every incision, every suture, is a lesson not just in surgery but in human connection. Our program is designed to sharpen your surgical skills while nurturing your ability to care deeply for each patient, recognizing that healing is as much about the heart as it is about the body.

Quality of Care and Continuous Improvement:

In our halls, the pursuit of excellence is relentless. We believe that true improvement comes from a culture of questioning, learning, and adapting. Residents are encouraged to scrutinize processes, suggest innovations, and engage in research that pushes the boundaries of surgical practice. This mindset ensures that our care today is better than yesterday and sets the stage for advancements tomorrow.

Understanding Business Principles:

The modern surgeon must also be a savvy business navigator. Courses in healthcare economics, strategic planning, and operational efficiency are integral to our curriculum. Why? Because understanding the financial and administrative underpinnings of healthcare allows you to advocate effectively for your patients, ensuring they receive not just the best care, but accessible care.

Global and Local Impact:

Our location provides a unique perspective. Serving a vast rural catchment area means you'll encounter a diversity of surgical pathologies not often seen in urban-centric programs. This rural focus, coupled with our commitment to global surgery principles, equips you with a broad skill set applicable worldwide. Whether it's managing complex trauma from farm accidents or pioneering telemedicine solutions for remote areas, your expertise will resonate both locally and globally. Residents will have the option to participate in a global health elective where they can experience first-hand what it feels like to serve in a truly underserved healthcare system.

Teaching and Academic Integration:

With an upcoming medical school, Meritus Health offers a rare blend of academic rigor in a community setting. Residents will have the opportunity to teach, shaping the next generation of doctors while being part of an academic community that fosters research, innovation, and lifelong learning.

At Meritus Health, we're not just training surgeons; we're crafting leaders who will redefine what it means to be a healer in the 21st century. Here, your residency is not just a step in your career but a transformative journey where you'll grow as a doctor, a thinker, and a compassionate human being. Welcome to a program where your potential is our mission.

Paulasir, Sylvester

Message from Dr. Paulasir:

Thank you for expressing interest in the General Surgery Residency Program at Meritus Health. I am excited to share that our program, which received ACGME accreditation in 2024, is now welcoming four categorical residents each year to join our dedicated team.

At Meritus Medical Center, located in the heart of Western Maryland, our residents are immersed in a dynamic learning environment. This 300-plus bed facility not only serves as our primary rotation site but also extends its services across Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, offering a diverse range of surgical services, trauma and wound care.

Looking towards the future of medical education in our region, Meritus has embarked on a pioneering venture with the founding of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. Slated to open its doors to its first class in 2025, this institution will provide our surgical residents with unparalleled opportunities for teaching, access to cutting-edge simulation technologies, a sophisticated anatomy lab, and extensive research resources.

Our training philosophy is rooted in providing a comprehensive surgical education. Residents engage in a balanced mix of surgical techniques, from traditional open procedures to advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. Our faculty, a blend of seasoned professionals with both military and civilian backgrounds, all hold fellowships in their specialties, enriching the learning experience. Further enhancing our program, we have forged partnerships for specialized rotations: transplant surgery with Johns Hopkins University, and pediatric surgery with the University of Maryland.

Our program's mission is twofold: to produce surgeons who are fully prepared to enter general surgery practice upon graduation, while also fostering an academic environment rigorous enough for those wishing to pursue further fellowship training. We emphasize not only surgical excellence but also compassionate care, teamwork, the business acumen necessary in modern healthcare, and an understanding of global health perspectives.

As we grow, the intimate size of our program allows us to tailor the residency experience to meet individual aspirations and to collaboratively shape a program culture that we can all take pride in. We are eager to build a legacy of surgical excellence, research, and patient-centered care, and we believe you could play a pivotal role in this mission. If you have any questions or need further insights into what our program offers, please feel free to reach out.

We look forward to the possibility of having you join us at Meritus Health, where together, we can advance the art and science of surgery.

Sincerely,
Sylvester Paulasir, M.D., MBA, FACS

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Hagerstown, MD 21742

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