MetroHealth Welcomes Diverse, Inaugural Class of Surgery Residents

MetroHealth welcomed its first cohort of 15 residents to the new surgery residency program on July 1, just six months after it was announced.

The hard work and dedication put into the recruitment process resulted in a diverse group of eager residents, each with a background of perseverance and handpicked to hone their skills.

Last summer, MetroHealth began designing the program to replace a long-standing surgical residency partnership that is coming to an end. Building on the strong foundation of MetroHealth’s highly regarded Department of Surgery and its affiliation with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, System leaders returned to the hospital’s roots of running an independent residency program that showcases its assets and public health mission.

Faculty and staff were in a unique position this year since MetroHealth’s program was launched after the “Match process,” which matches candidates and residency programs simultaneously to fill first and second-year post-graduate training positions.

That means faculty and staff were able to make offers to residents directly, setting the tone for this initial class and the cohorts to follow. The goal was to create an environment for people interested in leadership and education, who wanted to help shape the program and who exemplified MetroHealth’s mission.

In a field typically dominated by men, 50% of residents in this pool are women and 75% are people of color. This provides MetroHealth a unique position to build and train the next generation of surgeon clinicians, educators and leaders while supporting equality.

“The importance of a more diverse surgical workforce is being increasingly recognized and is one factor in attempts at reducing disparities in health care outcomes. Our new residency is another way that MetroHealth is working to improve care for our community. We are excited to have this opportunity to contribute to this effort,” said Christopher P. Brandt, MD, Richard B. Fratianne Professor of Surgery at Case Western Reserve University, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director, Surgery Service Line at The MetroHealth System.

Next year, MetroHealth will be participating in the Match process. For more information on the program and deadlines, please check https://gme.metrohealth.org/surgery-residency for updates.