Guthrie Celebrates The Success of General Surgery Program

August 17, 2021

Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital has a long tradition of surgical education. Guthrie’s founder, Dr. Donald Guthrie, was one of the 13 original founding members of the American Board of Surgery in 1937.  Now, more than 80 years later, Guthrie has a very successful General Surgery Residency program, qualifying graduates to go on to some of the most prestigious hospitals in the country.   

The Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital General Surgery Residency Program is a comprehensive, five-year program designed to help medical doctors become competent, board-certified general surgeons.  The surgery residency graduates are competitive to secure additional training in rigorous fellowship programs and enjoy extraordinary careers as surgeons. 

Dr. Burt Cagir, Program Director, General Surgery Residency, said, “Guthrie offers our residents a unique combination of medical technology, professional expertise, large case volume, and individual attention.  Clinical experience is considerably more extensive in volume and complexity than most general surgery training programs. We are proud that the depth, as well as breadth, of experience, are the hallmarks of a Guthrie-trained surgeon.” 

The program consists of eight first-year positions (four categorical and four preliminary) and four categorical positions after that, including the chief resident year. Many Guthrie residents complete fellowships, and about a third pursue a career in private practice. 

Guthrie surgery residents benefit from excellent quality medical training while working with some of the nation’s top subspecialists.  

In the last six months, our graduates were accepted into prestigious fellowships programs, including Pediatric Surgery at the University of Colorado, Complex Surgical Oncology at the University of North Carolina, Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of California, Davis, Breast Oncology at the University of Rochester, and Surgical Critical Care at the University of Yale and Lehigh Valley Health Network 

Dr. Gabriel Ologun, General Surgery, Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, and a recent graduate of the General Surgery Residency, spoke about the advantage the residency provided him. “The Guthrie catchment area is vast, providing a diverse range of surgical cases for residents to gain experience with,” he said. “While the setting of Robert Packer Hospital, where I spent most of my training, is very rural, it is a tertiary medical center with a level 2 trauma center, offering so much to residents.” Dr. Ologun was accepted into the prestigious Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, beginning in August 2022.   

In addition to a general surgery residency, Guthrie offers residencies in:  

  • Anesthesiology  
  • Emergency Medicine  
  • Family Medicine  
  • Internal Medicine   
  • Orthopedic Surgery  
  • Pharmacy  

And fellowships in:  

  • Cardiology  
  • Gastroenterology  
  • Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine  

To see more, view a video of Dr. Cagir speaking on the success of the program by clicking here.