Pediatric Surgery Residency & Fellowship Program

The University of Oklahoma offers a two-year ACGME-accredited clinical training program, accepting one fellow each year. Fellows in our pediatric surgery program can expect a challenging yet rewarding educational experience. Our graduates complete training with an average of 1,800 cases during fellowship. Board passage rates for our graduating fellows is 100 percent.

Our facility is a regional center for comprehensive, specialized pediatric services and the only fully dedicated, free-standing pediatric hospital in the state, including the only Level Four NICU in the state. More than 2,500 pediatric surgical operations are performed each year by our five full-time pediatric surgeons, and hospital admissions average more than 14,000 per year.

The teaching program emphasizes responsibility, self-directed learning and exposure to a broad spectrum of clinical material. The fellows round twice daily and supervise three general surgery residents, two nurse practitioners, and two medical students assigned to pediatric surgery. Faculty members are available for constant interaction and feedback. Please watch our program video here.

We only accept applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service.

Any questions or comments may be emailed to the Lead Education Coordinator, Raven Nelson or contact Pediatric Surgery Program Director, Dr. Catherine Hunter.

Pediatric surgery residency program candidates are selected based on USMLE board scores, letters of recommendation, ABSITE scores, research productivity and interviews. All first-year appointments are made through the National Resident Matching Program. Our goal is to select individuals who are intellectually competent, highly motivated and who possess the characteristics and interpersonal skills that suggest they will become capable and humane surgeons. Applications are not considered until they are complete. Please submit your application and all supporting documents electronically through ERAS no later than Dec. 1 and include an email address with your application.

If you have questions or comments, please call 405-271-8001 ext. 30358 or contact the Lead Education Coordinator, Raven Nelson. Candidates for fellowship positions are interviewed on one of four designated days each year. For 2024, those dates will be listed soon, follow us for more!

Candidates will be elected for interviews based on review of their application form. Interview sessions consist of an opening session to review the training program in general terms, followed by interviews by at least three faculty members. House staff members will take applicants on a tour of the facilities, during which applicants may talk with them about the program. Lunch will be provided for applicants.

Year one: Pediatric surgery training involves a closely supervised two-year period of education, gradually giving trainees more responsibility and independence. The initial six months of training will expose the resident to clinical care of all common and tertiary pediatric surgery problems. The second six months is focused on directing the trainee to become more independent in his/her patient care management; building a broad base of knowledge in both pediatric physiology and pathobiology and incorporating a collaborative clinical research project with the faculty. Constant communication between the first-year trainee, the attendings and the senior fellow is expected.

Year two: During the second year of training, the trainee is expected to perform in a more independent fashion, making important decisions regarding preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative patient management. The fellow is given additional teaching and administrative responsibilities, as well as additional independent operating room experience as his/her technical skills are developed through one-on-one teaching. Progression of responsibility toward independent performance, especially during the last six months of clinical training, is strongly promoted by faculty. Pediatric surgery attendings continually monitor and provide appropriate feedback to the pediatric surgery fellow throughout his/her clinical training both in and out of the operating room.

Continuity of Care

The pediatric surgery fellows are responsible for the direct management of all patients in pediatric surgery. The fellows are assigned to coordinate all patient care activities, including inpatient care, operating room case assignments, emergency room consultation, daily rounds, inpatient consultations and attendance at conferences. The caseload provides a balanced mix of ambulatory surgical, neonatal and complex operative cases, giving trainees a well-rounded learning experience.

Each morning and afternoon, the fellows lead rounds with surgical residents and medical students, followed by service planning for the day and a review of patient status with the on-call attending surgeon. Operating room responsibilities for the day are assigned by the fellows. All patient management plans are reviewed with the patient’s attending surgeon prior to implementation, and all inpatient consults are discussed with the on-call attending. The Pediatric Surgery Service is responsible for all ECMO management, which is coordinated by the fellows and the surgical faculty.

The Pediatric Surgery Service has outpatient office hours each weekday, during which the fellows may evaluate patients and discuss plans with the attending surgeons. This experience allows the resident to follow long-term patients, gaining an important perspective on their growth, development and care managements. As trainees progress during fellowship, the attendings encourage more independent management of patients.

Department of Pediatric Surgery Faculty