The UAB Department of Surgery residency program values its designation as an ACGME-accredited program. UAB is a wonderful place to train with a wide-reaching imprint on the state of Alabama. As a teaching institution, UAB sits in the heart of Birmingham, which is a destination for myriad diseases, disorders, trauma and complications; health disparities and lack of health care access in rural Alabama.

Outstanding faculty mentorship is also important, and trainees benefit from a long history of world-renown physicians, scientists and educators. As an ACGME-accredited program, the UAB General Surgery Residency program must integrate the following ACGME competencies into the curriculum:

Residents must be able to provide care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. 

Residents must demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care. 

Practice-based Learning and Improvement

Residents must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluated their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.  Residents are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to meet the following goals:

• Identify strengths, deficiencies, and limits in one's knowledge and expertise;
• Set learning and improvement goals;
• Identify and perform appropriate learning activities;
• Systematically analyze practice using quality improvement methods, and  implement changes with the goal of practice improvements;
• Incorporate formative evaluation feedback into daily practice;
• Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patient's health problems;
• Use information technology to optimize learning; and,
• Participate in the education of patients, families, students, residents and other health professionals.

Communication

Residents must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.  Residents are expected to:

• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and the public, as appropriate, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds;
• Communicate effectively with physicians, other health professionals, and health-related agencies;
• Work effectively as a member or leader of a health care team or another professional group;
• Act in a consultative role to other physicians and health professionals; and,
• Maintain comprehensive, timely, and legible medical records, if applicable.

Professionalism

Residents must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.  Residents are expected to demonstrate:

• Compassion, integrity, and respect for others;
• Responsiveness to patient needs that supersedes self-interest;
• Respect for patient privacy and autonomy;
• Accountability to patients, society and the profession; and,
• Sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation.

System-Based Practice

Residents must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.  Residents are expected to:

• Work effectively in various health care delivery settings and systems relevant to their clinical specialty;
• Coordinate patient care within the health care system relevant to their clinical specialty;
• Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care as appropriate;
• Advocate for quality patient care and optimal patient care systems;
• Work in interprofessional teams to enhance patient safety and improve patient care quality; and,
• Participate in identifying system errors and implementing potential systems solutions.

Last approved for 10-year accreditation on 7/1/2011.