Duke University Hospital Program

Program Identity & Fit

Duke's General Surgery Residency is a seven-year academic program built around a mandatory two-year, fully-funded research fellowship embedded between junior and senior clinical years, with residents required to submit at least one federal or foundation grant (NRSA, T32, R38, TSFRE, etc.). The clinical experience spans quaternary transplant, cardiothoracic, oncologic, and pediatric surgery alongside core general surgery, reflecting a tertiary academic environment rather than a community or primary-care-facing one. Distinctive infrastructure includes the Surgical Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Laboratory (SAIIL), the Duke Global Surgical Equity Pathway (leading to an MSc in Global Health), and dedicated basic science, translational, health services, and education research tracks. With roughly 70% of graduates pursuing academic careers and most chiefs matching into competitive subspecialty fellowships (cardiothoracic, transplant, surgical oncology), the program is clearly structured to produce surgeon-scientists and future academic department leaders.