Rush University Medical Center Program

Program Identity & Fit

Rush University Medical Center's General Surgery Residency is an integrated program combining a tertiary academic center with John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, a legendary public safety-net hospital with deep trauma, acute care, and complex oncologic volume, supplemented by community rotations at Elmhurst, Rush Oak Park, and Saint Alexius. Residents average 1,000 cases each, exceed ABS minimums across all categories, and gain exposure to transplant, thoracic, pediatric, burn, and robotic/MIS surgery alongside a distinctive rural surgery elective at a critical-access hospital in Fairfield, IL. Research is not mandatory but is structurally supported, with residents able to enter a dedicated research year after PGY-2 and consistent presence at national subspecialty conferences (SAGES, SSO, ASCRS, IHPBA). Alumni placement overwhelmingly favors competitive subspecialty fellowships (colorectal, MIS/bariatric, breast oncology, trauma/critical care, transplant) at academic centers, indicating the program builds fellowship-track surgeons while still producing some community/private practice general surgeons.