University of Chicago

Program Director: Alessandro Fichera, MD

5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC 5095
Room G-210

Chicago, IL 60637

Phone: (773) 702-6142

Fax: (773) 834-1995

E-Mail: afichera@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu

Number of Residents (per year):  1

Number of Faculty (ABCRS Certified):  6 (Board Eligible 2)

University Affiliation:  University of Chicago, Northwestern University

Salary/Year:  $56,650 annual, PGY 6

Case mix / number of cases:  Our training program exposes the resident to an array of disorders of the small bowel, colon, rectum and anus that encompass the breadth of benign and malignant diseases.  Residents will graduate with 700-800 procedures including 175 and 250 abdominal colonic procedures, 70 laparoscopic procedures, 150 anorectal operations, and over 200 colonoscopic procedures, including 45 polypectomies. The resident will perform approximately 40 Ileoanal pouch procedures, 90% of which are laparoscopic.  Our program provides the resident extensive opportunities to participate in IRB-approved clinical trials.

Strengths of program:  The program provides residents with a broad exposure to all aspects of colorectal, anorectal and endoscopic cases.  The program’s strengths are laparoscopic colorectal surgery, particularly complex cases of inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, as well as benign anorectal procedures, colonoscopy and pelvic floor disorders.  The trainee will have 2 one month blocks of dedicated time for focused training in endoscopy, pathology and radiology.  Resident training takes place in collegiate environment with attending supervision as well as supervised independence in addition to structured didactic teaching.

Clinic or office experience:  Each week, the resident will spend two half-day (4 hours) sessions in the clinic of each faculty member.  Residents actively participate in the evaluation and decision analysis of new and follow up patients.  A variety of office-based procedures performed in the clinic including hemorrhoidal banding, ERUS, flexible sigmoidoscopy and rigid proctoscopy.

Interaction with general surgery residents:  There is extensive interaction with general surgery residents at both institutions.  At the University of Chicago the surgical team includes one or two junior general surgery residents and a nurse practitioner.  At Northwestern Memorial, the surgical team includes a junior resident.

Conferences:  Weekly didactic teaching conferences provide a core structure in the curriculum.  Conferences are held with presentations by faculty, invited speakers, colorectal resident and general surgery residents.  Other conferences include weekly case management conferences and weekly professor’s rounds, monthly mortality and morbidity conference and monthly journal club.  Additionally, there are weekly general surgery morbidity and mortality conference, multidisciplinary inflammatory bowel disease conference and surgical Grand Rounds.  All residents receive formal instruction in laparoscopy and endoscopy in the simulation center setting and extensive experience in the operating room.

Anorectal physiology availability:  Fully equipped anorectal physiology laboratory at the Pelvic Floor Centers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and also at the Center for Pelvic Health at the University of Chicago Medical Center provide excellent experience to the resident.  Residents will become proficient in endorectal ultrasound, biofeedback training, pudendal nerve studies and manometry testing.  The University of Chicago provides extensive experience with endorectal ultrasound testing.

Outside rotations:  N/A

Research year:  Not available.

Requirement for paper:  Each resident must write at least one paper for presentation at a national meeting, preferably the ASCRS meeting and/or publication in a peer reviewed journal.

Opportunity to attend meetings:  Each resident is given the opportunity to attend the ASCRS convention.  The resident may also attend the ACS Clinical Congress if he/she is on the program.