Didactics
A "core content" didactic phase occupies the first month of the program. Lectures on basic surgical principles as well as specific areas of General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Anesthesia, Surgical Critical Care and other topics are presented. Lab courses include Gross Human Anatomy taught from a surgical perspective and Basic Surgical Skills. Teaching Rounds, Fundamentals of Basic Science in Surgery Lectures, Morbidity and Mortality Conferences, Textbook Review and Visiting Professor Lectures are didactic components of the curriculum that continue for the entire twelve-month program. PA Surgical Residents are given the opportunity to attend a course on the Fundamentals of Surgical Critical Care and to audit ATLS as well.

Clinical
Clinical Clerkships occupy eleven months. Required rotations are two months in General Surgery; two months in Surgical Critical Care; two months in Cardiothoracic Surgery; one month in Urologic Surgery; one month in Neurosurgery; one month in Orthopaedic Surgery; two weeks in Anesthesia; and two weeks in Surgical Nutrition. The elective month can be chosen from a wide variety of surgical subspecialties including Pediatric Surgery; Hand Surgery; Trauma; Vascular Surgery; and others.