Brown University Program

Program Director: Thomas E. Cataldo, MD, FACS, FASCRS
University Surgical Associates
2 Dudley St., Suite 370
Providence, RI 02905
Phone: (401) 454-4773 Fax: (401) 868-2330

Email: tcataldo@usasurg.org 

Number of residents (per year): 1

Number of Faculty: 5

Salary/year: $69,090

Case mix/number of cases:
Total Faculty cases for one year: 400 open abdominal, 100 laparoscopic, 300 anorectal, 150 anorectal physiology evaluations and 900 flexible endoscopies.

Resident experience for one year: 210 open abdominal, 60 laparoscopic, 130 anorectal, 67 anorectal physiology evaluations, and 275 flexible endoscopies.

Strengths of the Program: The program offers an excellent variety of cases. Our Faculty and Institution provide care for the urban population of the Greater Providence area, and are the tertiary referral center for complicated cases for Rhode Island , Southern Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut (1.2 million people). The surgeons were educated at various prestigious institutions and offer state-of-the art perspectives and techniques, including advanced laparoscopic procedures. There is an excellent exposure to medical and surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease. The Comprehensive Cancer Center offers bi-monthly Colorectal Tumor Board. The hospital campus is shared with Women and Infants Hospital , with extensive exposure to pelvic floor disorders.

Clinic and Office Experience: Residents should expect 1-3 office sessions (½ day)/week, participating in consultations, pre- and post-operative evaluation and care. Our office is located at the R.I. Hospital Colorectal Care Center (CCC), which includes a room for anorectal and endoscopic procedures, with or without sedation. There is also a Surgical Clinic with colorectal consults for our resident.

Interaction with General Surgery Residents: Rhode Island Hospital is the sponsoring institution for the Brown University Surgical Residency; as such there is extensive interaction at various conferences. The Colon and Rectal Surgery resident is the senior resident on the service, which also includes a PGY-3, a PGY-2 and a PGY-1 GS resident.

Conferences: Weekly conference series includes general colorectal topics, Anorectal Physiology, Journal club, and invited presentations by Gastroenterology, Pathology, and Radiology. In addition there are biweekly multi-disciplinary Colon and Rectal tumor board, weekly General Surgery Grand Rounds, and weekly General Surgery Morbidity and Mortality conferences.

Anorectal Physiology: An active physiology lab located at the CCC includes manometry, PNTML, endorectal ultrasound for evaluation of rectal cancers, anal sphincter defects, fistulae, and other disorders. R.I Hospital has dedicated GI radiologists providing defecography.

Outside rotations: No specific outside rotations are offered, however resident routinely participates in operations performed by our faculty at Women and Infants Hospital (same campus).

Research year: Available if resident is able to obtain external funding. Resident have access to extensive research resources, including the Brown University Oncology Group (BrUOG), a nationally recognized cancer research group, as well as basic science research in colorectal cancer molecular genetics and colonic motility
(NIH funded).

Opportunity to attend meetings: The resident will receive support to attend the annual ASCRS meeting. The program will support resident participation with presentation at other national or regional meetings (e.g. SAGES, SSAT, New England Surgical Society and N.E. Colorectal Surgical Society).

Requirement for paper: Each resident is expected to prepare at least one manuscript suitable for publication in Diseases of the Colon and Rectum to be submitted to the annual ASCRS meeting.