Department of Surgery

Surgery

Robert C. Batson, MD, FACS
Professor and Head of the Department

The Department of Surgery at the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans has received recognition for excellence in patient care, resident training, student education, and research.

Students rotate on the Surgical Teams at various hospitals in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette . Six weeks of general surgery and two three-week blocks of surgical subspecialties make up the rotation. Students are expected to learn proper evaluation and management of surgical diseases and participate in operative procedures. Time is spent on the inpatient floors, in outpatient clinics, and in the operating room.

The goal of the surgical experience is to impart an understanding of the basic principles of surgery so that the student will acquire an informational base from which surgical disease can be recognized and appropriate treatment initiated. This is accomplished through direct patient care, faculty and resident teaching, and a series of lectures and conferences. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on clinical experience and personal interaction with patients. The experience in surgery is intended to prepare students for whatever area of Medicine they ultimately choose for post-graduate residency training.

The clinical clerkship in General Surgery is based on a team concept, wherein students assigned to a service are directly responsible to the residents and attending Faculty on that service. Third year clerks are integrated members of the team, andfully participate in the management of patients on the service. The surgical clerks are responsible for the initial workup of hospitalized patients, daily inpatient rounds, and attendance at outpatient clinics. The specific schedule of hospital rounds, surgical clinics, and conferences will be dictated by Chief Residents and attending faculty.

Cardiothoracic Surgery

William H. Risher, MD, FACS
Chief of the Section

Adult cardiothoracic surgery at LSUHSC at New Orleans includes both general thoracic surgery (pulmonary, esophageal, mediastinal, etc) and cardiovascular surgery (CABG, valves, thoracic/thoraco-abdominal aorta, etc). In addition, pediatric cardiac surgery - provided at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center in uptown New Orleans - Department of Surgery. While there is no fellowship training program in cardiothoracic surgery, the service provides a two to three month subspecialty rotation in adult cardiothoracic surgery for PGY3 residents within the five year general surgery training program.

The New Orleans faculty is comprised of one full-time LSUHSC attending and three private practice clinical faculty contracted to provide service on a rotational basis. The third year resident rotating on the service is responsible for the cardiac surgery intensive care unit and patient critical care immediately post operatively, out-of-house night and alternating weekend call, as well as first assisting in the operating room on cardiac cases.

Hands-on operative experience is afforded the third year resident with most major thoracic cases (decortications, lung resections, mediastinal mass resections, etc) and occasional vascular cases (carotids associated with CABG). A separate rotation with our affiliate Hospital (Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Baton Rouge) also affords a one to two month rotation for PGY3 and PGY4 residents with private practice clinical faculty at that institution. Didactic Grand Rounds presentations on pertinent topics in cardiothoracic surgery appropriate to a general surgical training program are presented by the faculty several times a year.

The broad field of cardiothoracic surgery is presented in overview to third year medical students through a two to three week rotation as part of their surgery subspecialty block rotations. During this time, students participate in morning ICU rounds and as second assistants in selected surgical cases during the day. They also attend clinic once a week as well as make daily consult rounds with the faculty and/or PGY3 surgical resident during which times various diagnostic modalities (coronary angiography, CT scans, nuclear medicine scans, etc) are reviewed and discussed.

The student, under the direction of the PGY3 resident, is also assigned and is responsible for the evaluation and care of specific post-op cardiac and thoracic surgical patients who have transferred to the floor from ICU until their discharge from the hospital. During each of four surgical blocks throughout the year, two lectures are given by the faculty on a topic focusing on broad aspects of the specialty. Longer electives are available in the fourth year and consist of student internships on the cardiothoracic surgical service at University Hospital with levels of increased responsibility and participation commensurate with abilities.

Pediatric Surgery

Evans P. Valerie, MD
Chief of the Section

Several lectures on basic pediatric surgical problems are presented to all third year students while they are rotating on the twelve week surgery block. An elective in clinical pediatric surgery is also available to fourth year students.

Plastic Surgery

Charles L. Dupin, MD, FACS
Chief of the Section

Lectures are presented to students in the surgery blocks during the third year. These cover the various phases of plastic surgery, including head and neck tumors, hand surgery, maxillofacial surgery, cosmetic surgery, congenital surgery, and general reconstructive surgery. Electives are available in the fourth year.

Simulation

John Paige, MD, FACS
Director, Applied Surgical Simulation

As part of their longitudinal simulation-based educational curriculum within the School of Medicine, students on the surgical rotations have the opportunity to participate in a variety of learning activities using both low and high fidelity simulators. For example, all third year students participate in sessions with the high fidelity Human Patient Simulator (HPS) learning how to treat important surgical disorders Some third year students also have the opportunity to practice basic minimally invasive surgical (MIS) skills during their OB/GYN rotation using the similar drills on which the general surgical residents train. Finally, fourth year students participating in the senior anatomy elective have the opportunity to practice their team skills working with students from nursing and nurse anesthesia in high fidelity a Virtual Operating Room setting.

Surgical Endocrinology/Oncology

Eugene A. Woltering, MD, FACS
Chief of the Division

Student education is accomplished through the staff’s participation in student lectures and lectures at Surgical Grand Rounds. Undergraduate or medical students can also participate in a summer research program offered by Dr. Alfredo Lopez as part of the National Cancer Institute Short Summer Research Experiences in Cancer. Fourth year surgical residents can spend rotations with the Kenner-Ochsner Neuroendocrine Tumor Group. These residents will participate in a weekly multimodality Surgical Oncology-Endocrinology Clinic. This clinic will give them intensive exposure to the diagnosis and management of both functional and non-functional neuroendocrine tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid, lung, thymus, adrenal, and GI tract. Residents will also participate in the surgical management of complex neuroendocrine tumor surgery and will also participate in the pre-operative and post-operative management of these complex cases. During these rotations residents may opt to become involved with ongoing research programs and may be offered the opportunity to design and implement their own studies under the supervision of the staff. Residents participating in this surgical experience will also be exposed to cutting edge diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

Trauma and Critical Care Surgery

John P. Hunt, III, MD, MPH, FACS
Chief of the Section

The Trauma faculty members provide care to injured patients, patients with general surgical emergencies, and elective general surgery. The Trauma service is very busy, with a high percentage of penetrating trauma. Residents obtain extensive experience in evaluating and operating on injured patients. In addition, training in critical care management is provided by the faculty. Students on the service receive educational benefit from direct patient care and departmental conferences.

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery

Robert C. Batson, MD, FACS
Chief of the Section

The Section of Vascular Surgery is dedicated to the comprehensive care of patients with vascular disease. Our Faculty is comprised of seven vascular surgeons, and is uniquely equipped to offer cutting-edge endovascular therapy as well as traditional open surgical treatment for carotid, aortic and peripheral arterial disease processes. Students will also participate at the Vein Care Center, where minimally-invasive techniques are used to treat varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency.

Third year medical students will actively participate in the diagnosis, treatment, and postoperative management of patients with a fascinating variety of vascular syndromes. “Hands on” training is enhanced with the use of the endovascular simulators in the Cohn Learning Center. Participation in the weekly vascular conference, as well as a monthly journal club, serves to round out the experience.

Fourth year students considering a career in surgery are encouraged to apply for the special one month vascular apprenticeship. Students will have the opportunity to receive instruction in planning and performing complex surgical and endovascular procedures. Responsible students can achieve intern-level autonomy. Ample clinical research opportunities are also available.