The Cardiothoracic Residency Training Program is composed of two years of clinical training that is required for board eligibility in thoracic surgery.
The cardiothoracic surgery division has three clinical services: (1) Adult Cardiac Surgery, (2) Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and (3) General Thoracic Surgery. The Cardiothoracic Surgery faculty is comprised of six members. Each faculty member has an area of specialization in one of the four areas mentioned above. Two cardiothoracic residents rotate responsibility for four services. All of the clinical work during the two years of training is accomplished at the Albany Medical Center Hospital and the Albany VA Medical Center.
The residency is divided into three month rotations equally split between Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery. However, this is alterable depending on the resident’s needs and interest. During the thoracic rotation, the resident will become familiar with technical aspects of surgery on the esophagus, lung, pleura, trachea, bronchi, chest wall, mediastinum, pericardium, and diaphragm. Expertise is gained in all aspects of patient care, and by the end of this experience, the resident will have an understanding of esophageal and pulmonary physiology, physiology of the chest wall, and the basic tenants of thoracic oncology.
During the Cardiac rotation, the resident will be expected to become proficient in interpretation of cardiac catheterization data and coronary cineangiography. Introduction to both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography is provided at this time.
The resident will participate in pediatric and adult cardiac operations as first assistant initially and is given progressive responsibility in the operations as his skills mature during the program.
