Why did you want to come to Henry Ford St John?
St. John provides rotations through many surgical services with a lot of cases to go around, as well as a high number of trauma activations which is a great hands-on experience for all residents but especially as an intern. Additionally, St. John is in an ideal location with the enjoyments of a large city while also located a short drive away from lakes and the outdoors.
- Tayt Boeckholt, PGY-2
St. John offers a variety of rotations with a lot of cases to go around. They are a level I trauma center and have a high number of trauma activations. They also are very strict on duty hours.
- Ian Detroyer, PGY-2
This program was an obvious first choice after I left my interview. After meeting the residents and faculty I knew this program would not only allow me to reach my full potential, but to be able to do so within a supportive environment that values health and wellness. I am now 3 months in and this couldn't be more true.
- Chip Gauss, PGY2
I did my 3rd year medical school rotations at St. John and I was drawn to the culture of wellness, resident autonomy, and the variety of cases we are exposed to. The residents and attendings I learned from as a medical student embodied the kind of doctor and person I wanted to be: knowledgeable, responsible, compassionate, and technically skilled.
- John Knapp, PGY-1
What is your favorite service/rotation or favorite case?
I believe our vascular surgery service is one of the best! We have such a unique experience and exposure to vascular for a general surgery residency which gives us confidence in control of hemorrhage in our other big general surgery cases.
- Medea Shanidze, PGY-5
My favorite service at the hospital is the vascular surgery service. The service has three busy operating vascular surgeons. Residents are exposed to many complex cases on a regular basis. Resident vascular case volumes at graduation are almost always in the 90th percentiles of programs around the country.
- Payton Arnold, PGY-4
The Vascular Surgery rotation is my favorite rotation, as there is a great breadth of cases. The attendings are excellent teachers and make every concept easy to understand!
- Saad Hafeez, PGY-3
My best rotation is service 2 (upper GI and Bariatrics). It’s a busy service in which we get to do a lot of minimally invasive abdominal wall and foregut surgeries, in addition to some colorectal and thyroid cases. You get to learn and perform different techniques with experienced surgeons who are very involved in residents teaching.
- Mustafa Hajjar, PGY-5
One of the most distinctive educational experiences at St. John is the early exposure to SICU training. By the PGY-3 year, residents assume the role of SICU senior, with substantial autonomy in patient care under the strong support and guidance of the SICU attendings. This unique experience provides the opportunity to manage and follow the most critically ill patients in both the preoperative and postoperative settings, while actively participating in high-level decision-making.
- Andrew Shaker, PGY-3
What do you wish you knew before starting residency?
How important wellness is for the program. We have 3 weeks of time off, and due to duty hours, are always out the door by 5:00pm when we are not on call.
- Julia Stys, PGY-3
I am appreciative of our program having an established culture of holding to strict duty hours! Prior to residency, I did not imagine I would care as I figured we are already working frequently anyways. Now that I am a short time into residency, I am more thankful than ever for our program's work life balance as I am able to maintain mental and physical wellness, hobbies, and relationships.
- Tayt Boeckholt, PGY-2
I wish I knew how important wellness is for surgery residency. St. john guarantees 4 days off a month and all 4 days are weekends. They also give 3 weeks of vacation with the weekends off to start and end the scheduled vacation.
- Ian Detroyer, PGY-2
What perks come with residency at St. John?
The comradery of the residents and the cohesiveness of the residents with attendings stand out to me. The emphasis on wellness also is a major perk. The fitness reimbursements help to make sure we can take care of our physical health.
- Maher Megaly, PGY-2
The way our days off are structured is definitely a benefit. Many programs have the days off scattered randomly. Our program ensures that we always have 2 full weekends (Saturday and Sunday) off per month. I think this makes it easier to make plans or see others outside of work, compared to the more scattered random days. Even if someone has to come in to round on one of their working weekends, once they complete rounds and sign out to the call team, they still have the rest of the day for themselves.
- Lisa Carver, PGY-5
There is a free buffet-style lunch every weekday for the physicians and medical students in the hospital. We also get a $1500 yearly meal card allowance to use in the cafeterias which is especially handy for a good meal or a light snack on the go when on-call!
- John Knapp, PGY-1
Wellness is really valued in our program. We get two weekends off each month, and one of those is our choice, which makes it easier to plan personal time. We also have wellness days built in so we can take a step back when needed. Around the holidays, everyone gets five days off, either for Christmas or New Year’s, to spend with family or recharge. On top of that, our Program Director makes sure the resident lounge is stocked with coffee and snacks, which goes a long way on busy days.
- Yasmeen Ayoub, PGY-1
What’s unique about our program?
I think something unique about this program is how involved the program leadership is in our education. Our program director always has an open door, often leads our lectures, and will make adjustments to the program based on our concerns and feedback.
- Brittany Bogan, PGY-3
Something that is very unique about our program is our vascular surgery exposure. Over the course of our five years, we spend about 12-months on vascular surgery rotations. During this time period we are given significant autonomy during both endovascular and open cases.
- Medea Shanidze, PGY-5
One unique aspect of our program is the comradery between the residents. We support each other both professionally and emotionally. This program really feels like a family, and I think that’s an important aspect when looking for a residency program given the immense amount of time you’ll spend with each other in the hospital. Many of the residents will hang out with each other after work in their free time, which is a testament to the bonds that we form here.
Another unique aspect of the program is the location of the hospital. With St. John being in urban Detroit and bordering the affluent suburb of Grosse Pointe, we are privileged to serve a diverse patient population. This results in caring for patients from all socio-economic backgrounds and exposes us to pathologies in various stages of disease, both of which I believe is crucial in developing a well-rounded physician.
- John Knapp, PGY-1
One of the best parts of our program is the culture—we really support each other and work as a team. Even outside the hospital, residents are true friends, and in just a couple of months I’ve already felt welcomed and supported by everyone.
- Yasmeen Ayoub PGY-1
What is the case volume like?
One of the best features of the program here at Henry Ford St. John is the amount of cases that residents complete while at the program. You are in the operating room as early as the first month of residency.
- Payton Arnold, PGY-4
I remember being told during my interview that operative volume was an important part of this program. I can honestly say that from the moment I arrived this has been true. We are provided every opportunity to scrub into the OR as often as possible. As a first year resident you are assigned many beginner level cases where you have the opportunity to work directly under the attending. There are chances every day to scrub into larger cases as well, so that you can learn directly from your senior residents and the attendings. They are amazing at making sure you get involved in every case you assist with!
- Nick Dalagiannis, PGY-4
This program is unique in the amount of operative volume you are exposed to and at an early stage. In my first year, I have been actively involved in more OR cases compared to the first 2 or even 3 years at other programs. The opportunity to develop those critical pproblem-solving operative skills are refined quickly.
- Maher Megaly, PGY-2
The case volume here is great—within my first two months I’ve already been part of more than 50 cases. From day one, we’re in the OR and actively involved, which makes the learning curve both exciting and rewarding.
- Yasmeen Ayoub, PGY-1
What's day-to-day life like?
The day typically starts around 6am. Interns and junior residents arrive, receive sign-out from overnight team, prepare the list for the day, and round on floor patients. We round as a group prior to OR cases which start around 7:30. Juniors are involved in operative cases early on in this residency which was a very important aspect for me when I was considering surgical programs. Sign out is strictly adhered to and takes place between 4-4:30pm daily to ensure that all residents are exiting the building by 5pm. We have two duty-free weekends a month and do overnight 24h call instead of a night float system. This system allows us to have post-call days multiple times a month during which we can attend appointments and participate in normal business hour activities.
- Katie Parks, PGY-5
Depends on the block you’re on. We have a great variety of ACS, Trauma, Elective, Vascular, SICU, Plastics, Peds, CT, transplant blocks. And if you’re on ER or Floor call – a question that is addressed elsewhere.
Most days (i.e., non-call days), as an intern, you get a head start on the day by arriving at 5:30 am. We get sign-out from the overnight crew prior to pre-charting patients who are in our care for the day until 5 pm, which is strictly enforced – in a good way. We round independently initially and address any patient or nursing concerns. So, when we table-round or do walking rounds, we are ready to present plans for our patients. We then write notes and orders, and head to the OR. We are given advanced knowledge of the OR cases so that we may prepare for the day of. This way, we create exciting learning experiences working hand-in-hand with our co-residents and learned attending surgeons.
- Rooshan Arshad, PGY-1
As an intern, we arrive early (around 5:30-5:45am) to get the list ready and get numbers on our patients. We usually meet with the team to discuss patients and develop plans around 7am. Afterwards, we put in orders and write notes until our first OR case. In between cases, we complete floor tasks, see consults and check in our patients. The interns generally carry the service phone which helps instill responsibility as the phone is one of the lifelines of the service. We run the list with the team multiple times per day which encourages communication and teamwork in completing tasks. Sign-out to the call team is generally around 4:30pm and we are out of the hospital by 5pm unless we’re on call.
- John Knapp, PGY-1
How does the call schedule work?
Calls are averaged about 5-6 calls per month for PGY-1-PGY-4, and chiefs take home calls. Chiefs are required to come into the hospital for Level 1 trauma activations and operative cases. Typically, you are rounding/on call for two weekends out of the month. Each month we are allowed to give our weekend preference, and the program almost always accommodates these requests. Calls are busy at this program, but you have a really supportive call team that will help throughout the night.
- Joshua Hester, PGY-4
Interns are typically assigned to one of two roles while on call: running the floor to care for surgical inpatients overnight or assisting with new surgical consults and any cases that may come in. Both of these roles have given me opportunity to grow as a physician and improve my patient care and operative skills. Interns are well supported on call by senior residents and someone is always available to ask questions.
- Katelyn Kerr, PGY-1
What type of research have you participated in?
St. John Hospital offers a wide range of research opportunities, including retrospective studies. However, the most distinctive aspect is the opportunity to participate in clinical trials. With the presence of the JFW GI Cancer Program at the Van Elslander Cancer Center and training in the first comprehensive HIPEC program in Michigan, I have been afforded the unique opportunity to initiate clinical trials focused on the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis—a field that remains both challenging and highly debated.
- Andrew Shaker, PGY-3
What is education/ conference like?
We have structured lectures multiple times a week. Monday mornings we meet for didactics and occasionally this time is used for regulatory matters. We follow SCORE and have lectures lead by attendings on Thursday mornings followed by Grand Rounds and M&M/Near Miss conference. We carry out Thursday didactics in small groups assigned by PGY level to ensure the level of information is gauged appropriately for all learning levels. We also have multiple opportunities to practice mock orals throughout the year which correlates to our high oral board pass rates.
- Katie Parks, PGY-5
In addition to regularly scheduled didactics, interns also have weekly lectures with Dr. Edhayan. These lectures go over introductory topics that help us develop a solid knowledge base for residency in addition to hands-on skills sessions. We have practiced knot tying, suturing, endoscopic and robotic skills which has benefited us on our various rotations.
- Kate Bruckner, PGY-1
Is there a specialty you wish you had more exposure to?
When I first started the program the residents had less exposure to cardiothoracic surgery, specifically cardiac surgery. We now have dedicated months to cardiothoracic surgery in PGY-2 and PGY-4 years, with the ability to select electives in PGY-3 and PGY-4 years. We now have no difficulties getting the ACGME required thoracic/cardiac cases and get exposure to many cardiac cases. We in addition get a significant amount of penetrating chest trauma helping us get our thoracic case requirements.
- Joshua Hester, PGY-4
What do you like to do outside of the hospital?
Outside of the hospital, I spend a greater portion of my time outdoors. The weekends that I have off, my husband and I plan road trips to nearby cities- i.e.Grand Haven during the fall, Traverse City for Skiing in the winter, Columbus to visit local family. We are from the MetroDetroit area so I try to spend as much time with my family and friends as possible. On rounding weekends, I generally spend time at the Metropark nearby playing tennis/pickleball or going on walks by the water. Bowling is really big here during the winter which is a hobby I have picked up in residency. Other than that, the restaurant/bar scene is extensive and there are always things to do in the area. I have 2 kitties at home who I play with daily when I choose to stay in!
- Monica Prasad, PGY-4
Outside of the hospital I like to go to the gym, hang out with friends, hike, bike, and enjoy some of the awesome restaurants in the area. The open lakes provide lots of opportunity to lounge and relax as well.
- Maher Megaly, PGY-2
I grew up about 5 minutes from the hospital. There are many parks where I enjoy playing pickleball or ice skating in the winter. In the summer, the lake is full of boaters and there are plenty of cool spots to drop anchor and relax on the water. The cities around the hospitals (Grosse Pointe, St. Clair Shores) have their own little downtowns that have their own unique feel and are great places to hang out with friends and family. The hospital is about 15-20 minutes from Downtown Detroit which has great bars, restaurants, museums, theaters, concert and sporting venues. Michigan is a beautiful state in general with many opportunities for sightseeing, skiing, hiking etc. There is something for everyone in every season!
- John Knapp, PGY-1
What does the program do to help you prepare for the boards?
For a greater portion of the year, we have weekly dedicated lectures to discuss surgical topics. We follow the SCORE curriculum leading up to the ABITE and even after. Our didactics are interactive sessions with case-based discussions. We have Mock orals twice yearly to help prep us for our final Oral boards when we graduate. With our yearly educational funds, we can purchase prep material to help tailor our studying to the way we learn.
- Monica Prasad, PGY-4
For ABSITE prep we have weekly SCORE sessions where we are divided by classes and work with an assigned attending. The department usually has a question bank we have access to including SCORE question bank. Last year the program enrolled the residents in ABSITE Quest which provides daily prep questions, which the department pays for. The program also pays for other educational tools. For example, a lot of us use TrueLearn to prep for ABSITE and the department will reimburse us.
The department also schedules formal mock orals sessions twice a year and gives us invaluable feedback which is really helpful with our formal boards. Our class has had a 100% pass rate for the past few years.
- Joshua Hester, PGY-4
What is your interaction with your mentor?
Interactions with mentors are what you make it. My mentor and I meet regularly, as often as once a week, to discuss topics from advice about patient care to finding opportunities for research and even fun places to visit outside of the hospital. My mentor is easily available and helps me talk through any difficulties I may be facing both inside and out of the hospital.
- Monica Prasad, PGY-4
I meet with my mentor informally at least once or twice a week. Most of our faculty attendings are easily approachable. Shortly after starting the residency here, every resident will have the chance to choose one mentor. This can be based on the field of interest or you can choose any attending you feel comfortable discussing training related issues with. Most attendings are easily accessible and you can meet with your mentor as frequently as you want.
- Mustafa Hajjar, PGY-5