Frequently asked questions (Faqs)

How many positions are avaliable each cycle?
- We are currently taking two residents per year for our integrated residency program.
Do you host visiting sub-interns?
- Yes! We typically host up to four visiting M4 students each month during the early application season. Sub-Is act as vital members of the team and get an opportunity to rotate with the majority of our residents and faculty. Please apply via VSLO or message our program coordinator Terie (tcapel@lsuhsc.edu) for more information.
Where do the residents live? Do they live in houses/apartments/etc.? How is the traffic in New Orleans? Parking?
- Our residents live all throughout the city and are typically within a 15 min drive to all hospital sites. They live in a mix of apartments and homes. The traffic in New Orleans is typically not bad except when crossing the bridge to the West Bank during rush hour and around “the Box” during Mardi Gras/festival season. Outside of downtown, street parking is typically easy to find although the roads can be narrow and/or one-way.
Do any of the residents have families? Pets?
- Currently, we have several residents and faculty with dogs and cats. Currently, there are no residents with children but several residents are married and the majority are in long-term relationships. Significant others are welcome at nearly all social functions and are part of the residency family as well. Several recent alumni have had children in residency.
What are the weekend and call schedules?
- Residents typically get 2 “golden weekends” and are on-call the other 2 weekends in a month. Interns do not take night call on Plastic Surgery rotations (they do on General Surgery and off-service rotations). PGY-2 through PGY-4 take primary night call typically one to two times per week (not including weekends). PGY-5 and PGY-6 take senior/backup night call. There is no post-call day, although we typically make an effort to get post-call residents out early the following day if possible. A dedicated plastic surgery call room to rest is available at UMC. Our program takes Hand and Face Trauma call every odd-numbered day (i.e, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 31st of the month); this is splint with Ortho and OMFS services. We are on Plastics and Micro (replants/revascs) call every day.
How much early operative experience do Junior residents get?
- Relative to other programs, we believe our Junior residents do a significant amount of procedures and operating. As an intern, YOU WILL OPERATE every week as well as perform a high number of bedside/ED procedures including complex laceration repairs and fracture reductions. In recent years, interns have logged over 300 cases including breast reductions, local flaps, and nerve repairs as the primary resident surgeon.
How many off-service rotations are there?
- Residents currently do around 9 months TOTAL of non-Plastic Surgery rotations (highly relevant, including Trauma, Vascular, and Burns) split over the first three years; the last three years are dedicated exclusively to Plastic Surgery rotations. This equates to over 5 years of dedicated plastic surgery training; we have had no issues meeting required case minimums for core surgery procedures.
How much vacation do residents get? What is the holiday schedule?
- Residents get 4-weeks of vacation per year, except Interns who get 3-weeks as one week is utilized for orientation. This can be scheduled in 1-week blocks at the discretion of the chief resident on-service, but is typically pretty flexible. If there are no conflicts with other time-off requests, you can typically be assured to get any requests off in addition to bookend weekends if requested. There are 4 formal holidays recognized by the LSU residency programs: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Mardi Gras. Typically, residents work 2 out of 4 of these per year, with preference by seniority.
Are there any rotations outside of New Orleans?
- Yes. Residents currently go to Baton Rouge (1.5h away) for approximately 5 months total over the 6 years (1 month Pediatric Surgery, 1 month Vascular, and 3 months Plastic Surgery). These rotations are all excellent and provide a heavy operative experience. Furnished housing is provided in a reasonable apartment complex close to the hospitals in conjunction with other LSU surgery residents. Senior residents interested in exploring “away rotations” for Fellowship can set them up on an individual basis.
Do I need a car? Is parking at the hospitals free?
- Yes, due to the multiple sites we cover around the city, you will need a car for ease of access. However, garage parking at all hospitals, including UMC, is free for all residents. You will be provided with parking passes at orientation.
Is food provided at the hospital?
- Yes! A meal card is now provided to each resident with a monthly allowance to be used at UMC and Children’s, which is in addition to free snacks/drinks in the resident lounges. Certain sites, including West Jeff and Baptist have full free meal services in the physician’s/resident lounges. There is also typically coffee and breakfast provided for Friday AM conference.
Are there workout facilities on campus?
- Yes. All residents have access to the recently renovated gym at the CALS center; this is well-stocked with treadmills, free weights, and cardio and weightlifting machines. Furthermore, there is a small gym within UMC itself, as well as at excellent gym at West Jefferson available for use between cases, before clinic, or at the end of the day.
Can I wear my own scrubs to the OR? Are hospital-provided scrubs on the shelf, or via credits/machine? What color are they? Do they have pockets?
- All hospital sites except UMC require you to wear hospital-provided scrubs. UMC, Children’s, WJ, and EJ have credit-based scrub dispensers. However, Baptist, the VA, and OLOL have scrubs freely available on the shelf. Depending on the site, these scrubs are typically green or light blue. At UMC, you will see residents dressed in both. Children’s will occasionally change the scrub color being dispensed; there are navy blue and gray scrubs within the rotation as well. The scrubs have a front pocket on the shirt and a back pocket on the pants.
What EMR do you have?
- EPIC at all sites except at the VA, which uses CPRS like all VAs.
Do you have APPs (NPs/PA-Cs)?
- Yes. We currently have one PA stationed at UMC and another at CHNOLA. They are primarily clinic-based and are a huge asset to our care team. They are available to assist in the OR if needed, but this is uncommon and they do not detract at all from resident or student operative opportunities.
Do you interact much with the Tulane Plastic Surgery Independent Residents/Faculty?
- Yes. We rotate with the Tulane residents/fellows at Children’s Hospital. Our Journal clubs are also combined with them and we sometimes have shared workshops/events. They are a great group and we enjoy working and learning with them.
What’s the best restaurant/festival/sight in New Orleans?
- You’ll have to come down to find out!