For Medical Students
Third Year Clerkship in Surgery
Course Goals
During this clerkship students will learn about "surgical" illnesses; irrespective of the area of medicine chosen for their careers, they will be able to diagnose and plan for the care of patients who require surgery.
Course Description
The third year clerkship in Surgery consists of one four-week rotation at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and one four-week rotation at either New York Hospital of Queens or Lincoln Hospital. In addition to these general surgery rotations, students also complete a three-week cycle of Surgical Subspecialty rotations. Rotation scheduling for the Surgical Clerkship begins approximately two months before the start of the course.
Student Responsibilities
During the Surgical Clerkship, student responsibilities include:
- Devoted participation in surgical team activities
- History and physical examination & notes on assigned patients
- On-call availability, to be determined by course coordinator and team leaders
- Assigned presentations at conferences on surgical problems, including case outlines and appropriate literature reviews
- Active participation in the operating room
- Conscientious attendance at course conferences and core lectures
Didactic Sessions
Each Monday of the clerkship is devoted solely to conferences, lectures, and sessions in the Surgical Skills laboratory. Student attendance is mandatory for these didactic sessions. In addition, students in the Surgical Clerkship are expected to participate in attending teaching rounds, grand rounds, and a weekly meeting with the department Chair.
Grading, evaluation and examinations: Grades in Surgery are determined from a variety of sources, including: Written & Oral Examinations, and Clinical Performance Evaluations completed by attendings and residents. Students are expected to study the basics of surgery in preparation for the required conferences and lectures, and evaluations are used to assess each student's knowledge base, preparedness, and clinical skill-set. Grading for the Clerkship in Surgery experience will be on a Pass, High Pass, Honors basis.
Fourth Year Medical Student Rotations
Fourth year medical students are welcome to experience a rotation in an area of their interest in General Surgery. Please understand that completing a rotation in one of our services does not guarantee you an interview for our General Surgery Residency program. We offer the following rotations:
- The Burn Center
- Pediatric Surgery
- Plastic Surgery
- Endocrine and Surgical Oncology
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit
- Trauma Surgery
- Transplant Surgery
- Vascular Surgery
- Basic Research
The contact for all rotations is the Office of Academic Affairs, (212) 746-1050. Further information can be found on the Weill Cornell Medical College web site. The processing fee is $100. If you are interested in completing a Sub-I rotation in one of our clinical areas and or have more questions, please contact Margie Troncoso, Education Manager, at mat9052@med.cornell.edu, or (212) 746-6591.
If you are an international medical student, you will be able to download application materials from the Global Health Office website. Students must be in their final year of medical school, speak fluent English, pay $2000 per month, provide proof of both malpractice and health insurance and find their own housing. Please note that we do not offer observerships.
Contact Us
Surgery Clerkship Director
Gregory Dakin, MD
Email: grd9006@med.cornell.edu
Phone: (212) 746-5294
Associate Clerkship Director
David Leeser, MD
Email: dbl9004@med.cornell.edu
Phone: (212) 746-5330
Program Manager
Margie Troncoso
Email: mat9052@med.cornell.edu
Phone: (212) 746-6591
Medical Student Clerkship Coordinator
Rosiam Barzey
Email: rob2044@med.cornell.edu
Phone: (212) 746-9374
