What to Expect

Rotation Schedule

Our rotation schedule varies slightly from year to year related to perceived needs and our yearly internal review.
For 2007-2008, the following schedule applied.  There will be some additional changes in 2008-2009 relative
to the increase in categorical residents.

PGY-1        

PGY-2

Manages the patients of Drs. Orr, Nguyen, and Hird. Dr. Nguyen practices the full gamut of surgical oncology with special emphasis on open and minimally invasive treatment of thoracic malignancies. Dr. Nguyen has special training in thoracic oncology and VATS procedures.  Additionally, he performs the majority of pancreas operations at SRMC. Dr. Hird’s practice concentrates on benign and malignant breast disease. Dr. Orr has a broad surgical oncology practice, predominately breast, endocrine and melanoma. He also has an interest in esophageal and gastric cancer and is adding minimal access techniques for cancer management. This service also manages the general surgery patients that are admitted when these three surgeons are on ER call. 

Trauma/Critical Care/Colorectal Surgery 

Manages the patients of Drs. Morrow, Lombardozzi, and Ashley.  This is our main trauma service – all patients admitted with trauma are ultimately managed by this service.  This service also manages the trauma critical care unit (predominately through the PGY2 or 3 resident). The service also cares for many elective general surgery patients and is a prime source of resident Endoscopy. Dr. Ashley has a broad general surgery practice with subspecialty interest in colorectal surgery. 

Vascular Surgery 

Drs. Calton and Bottsford.  This service covers a broad range of vascular procedures including standard open operations as well as minimally invasive procedures.

General Surgery 

There are two general surgery services enabling the residents to experience a “private practice” model.  The Green service (Drs. Green, Woods, Cochran, Woollen, and Srinivasan) performs a wide variety of general surgery operations, including Dr. Srinivasan’s emphasis on laparoscopic colorectal operations.  Their office is at the North Grove Center, approximately two miles from SRMC main campus. The Blue service is made up of four SRMC-trained surgeons.  Dr. Ross emphasizes his Bariatric practice, Dr. James has achieved an excellent reputation as an advanced laparoscopic surgeon, Dr. Kramer has a major interest in dialysis access, and Dr. Reinhardt has a broad based general surgery practice.  Their office is connected to the hospital. 

Pediatric Surgery 

A two month rotation for PGY-3 residents at Greenville Memorial Hospital. 

Transplantation  

A one month rotation for PGY-2 residents at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. 

Graded Responsibility

We have a formal chain of command policy that is given in written form to the residents. In general, the junior resident on a team will see new patients first. He/she will evaluate the patient, arranging routine tests and call a more senior resident. The senior resident with attending input coordinates complicated, expensive, or invasive diagnostic tests. Decisions for operative intervention are made jointly by the senior resident and attending. No patient goes to the operating room without an attending immediately available. Depending on the complexity of the operation and the skills of the individual resident, an attending may scrub for all or just the critical parts of the operation. Our primary goal is always good patient care, but our second goal is to gradually give residents increasingly independent experience as their skill level increases.

We strongly believe that residents should be integrated into the operating room as early as possible. PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center perform far more operations than the national average.

Teaching Conference Schedule 

All conferences are from 7-8 AM (except trauma noon conferences).  All residents are required to attend all conferences unless involved in life-threatening emergencies. [Trauma conferences are for residents on trauma only] Skills lab is for PGY-1 only: Each Wednesday from 8 AM until 10 AM. 

The following is the actual September 2007 schedule which follows our monthly format. 

Typically, Grand Rounds are held three times per month.  Most are given by SRMC faculty with rotating lectures from MUSC faculty and other outside speakers.  PGY-4 and PGY-5 residents give one Grand Rounds each year. The research conference showcases one resident’s research each month.  Additionally, Dr. Orr discusses research methodology and statistical techniques at these conferences.

BENEFITS

Salary

Salary is commensurate with other residency programs in the state. Please contact us for more information. In addition to the annual increase in salary as residents progress to the next year level, the house staff also participates in a cost-of-living increase at the beginning of the medical center's fiscal year. Our PGY2-5 year residents participate in our hospital's gain-sharing plan. As of October 2007, the annual salaries are listed below:

PGY-1                                    $45,894.71

PGY-2                                    $46,987.33

PGY-3                                    $48,626.49

PGY-4                                    $49,749.96

PGY-5                                    $52,982.41 

INSURANCE

Health Coverage 

There are various "levels" of plans. Family coverage is available if desired at a reasonable cost. Conversely, single coverage for the resident only is available for no cost.  Our plan is part of a preferred provider's organization designed to provide quality health care. Additional choices within this insurance plan will allow you to see physicians outside the network. 

Dental Coverage

A dental plan is available to eligible employees. It provides 100% coverage for preventive services, at the lowest level, which includes biannual visits. For more comprehensive coverage, fillings, extractions, and orthodontics, a slightly higher premium is required.

Vision

A vision plan is available with our insurance plan, provided you enroll. 

Life Insurance

From the time they are hired, full-time employees receive free life insurance coverage equivalent to their annual salary and, for a modest fee, this may be doubled. In cases of accidental death, an employee's beneficiary receives an amount equal to twice the employee's normal life insurance amount; provided they are active employees and they enroll in the program. In addition, employees may purchase $5,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 in life insurance coverage for children and $5,000 to 100,000 for spouses.

Short-Term Disability Insurance 

Basic coverage is 40% of base pay beginning on the fifteenth day of disability up to 24 weeks (maternity is up to six weeks).  Additional coverage is available.

Long Term Disability Insurance 

One-half of the employee's monthly pay to a maximum of $2,500/month is guaranteed when an employee is unable to work because of illness or accident for more than 90 calendar days. The coverage for this insurance begins after one year of service. This is free to full-time employees.

Travel Insurance

Employees are covered with an additional $50,000 of life insurance when traveling on hospital business.

Retirement, medical insurance, and disability insurance benefits are provided by the federal government Social Security Program.

VACATION & TIME OFF

All residents will receive fifteen (15) working days per residency year. Days not taken during any residency year will be paid at the end of the year. Five holidays (New Years, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). If the schedule requires working on another official designated holiday, another day may be substituted and should be taken within 30 days of the holiday worked, if possible.

All residents will receive five (5) working days sick leave per residency year.

Administrative leave involves interviewing and/or visiting prospective residency/practice sites or miscellaneous administrative leave. Each request will be approved on a case by case basis by the Residency Program Director.

WORKER’S COMPENSATION 

This is a no-fault protection for on-the-job accidents and job-related illnesses equaling two-thirds of pay up to a maximum allowed by state laws when the employee is disabled for more than seven calendar days.

FAMILY LEAVE

Maternity leave is permitted for whatever period of time is deemed appropriate or necessary by the resident and her personal physician. You must use sick leave and vacation days. American Board of Surgery rules regarding time away from rotations must be followed to prevent extending your residency beyond 60 months.

Paternity leave is permitted for five (5) working days – using sick leave - at the time of delivery or within 6 weeks. If additional time is needed or desired, vacation days can be requested. Special circumstances will be reviewed on an individual basis with the Residency Program Director.

The Residency Program Director will authorize emergency leave due to death, illness, or other serious problems in the family.

CONFERENCE LEAVE 

Funds and appropriate time off are allocated for residents presenting papers at regional and national conferences.  Additionally, the chief residents typically attend the American College of Surgeons annual meeting.

MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS 

All PGY-2 residents are fitted with surgical loupes at the Program’s expense 

A book allowance is given to all surgical residents on an annual basis. (Preliminary residents $250, Categorical residents $500). 

Meals are provided to House Staff at no charge in the hospital cafeteria. There is food available 24 hours a day for our working residents.

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System provides professional liability coverage for residents through the Insurance Reserve Fund of South Carolina. The institution's policy is written to comply with the South Carolina Tort Claims Act. The institutional limit of liability for a physician-related occurrence is $1,000,000.00 and there is no annual aggregate limit.

Residents may use the Carolina Country Club to play golf for a $25 green fee.  

Spartanburg Athletic Club offers free membership for residents and their immediate families (spouse and children). Facilities at the Athletic Club include indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, weight rooms, racquetball courts, exercise programs, and free baby-sitting 

Transition allowance ($2,000)

There is free parking near the hospital in the Physician's parking area as well as the covered parking garage of Spartanburg Regional with covered access to the Medical Center's main entrance.

South Carolina License fee paid ($100)

South Carolina Controlled Substance License paid ($100)

Federal DEA Number License paid ($210)

South Carolina Permanent License Fee ($500)

An initial supply of two (2) lab coats is provided to PGY-1 residents.  Plus one additional lab coat for each year past the first.

The Child Development Center (CDC), which has been recognized by the U.S. Congress, offers a full range of developmental programs for children from ages 3 months to 12 years. Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is one of a few employers in South Carolina that offers on-site childcare for employees. A current fee schedule can be obtained by contacting the CDC at (864) 560-6160.

All employee paychecks are automatically deposited in their bank of choice.

For convenience, the cost of many benefits, such as insurance, childcare, prescriptions, credit union and others, can be automatically deducted from your payroll earnings.

Employees receive immediate evaluation and first aid treatment of illnesses and accidents while on duty.

Flu shots are available annually for employees as well as vaccines against tetanus, pneumonia, and hepatitis B. The part of the employee's fee for outpatient service from the Emergency Department, Laboratory, Physical Therapy, or other ancillary service not covered by insurance is reduced by a 50% discount.

Employees receive a free health evaluation at the time they are hired and annually, thereafter.

For the convenience of the employee, prescriptions can be filled at the hospital pharmacy at cost plus a small administrative fee.

The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is a member of the South Carolina Retirement System. 401k and 457b retirement options are also available.

We are one of the only hospitals around that has a gain-sharing plan. If the hospital meets its bottom-line, above a certain level, the profits are shared with the employees that have worked here for at least on year.

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System offers several tax savings plans for employees. Medical and dental insurance premiums are taken as a pretax deduction. Also, dependent care and medical spending accounts are offered. This provides a pretax deduction to pay for child and other dependent care and medical services not paid for by the insurance such as deductibles.