Research Opportunities for Residents
There is a strong tradition of research among the residents at the University of Virginia. Residents spend one to three years working in a basic or clinical science laboratory. Some even seize the opportunity to receive a Masters in Public Health or Clinical Sciences during this time.
Resident research can only thrive with appropriate mentorship. The faculty of the University of Virginia Department of Surgery are committed to research in their own careers as well as to helping residents develop as surgeon-scientists.
Categorical residents are required to submit a research proposal in the winter and present their topic during Resident Research Day in April as a poster or an oral presentation. Pre-existing work is acceptable, but novel research created for research day also is encouraged. This frequently results in work being presented and published in other forums including presentations at local, regional, or national meetings and publication in peer reviewed journals.
Submission of research primarily for presentation at professional society meetings also is encouraged. When a resident working with a surgery faculty mentor succeeds in getting an abstract accepted for presentation at a meeting, the resident is given the opportunity to travel to that meeting, present the work, and expenses related to this are covered.
Resident Research Day 2016
Laboratory Research Interests of the Faculty
Dr. Craig L. Slingluff, Jr.
Tumor immunology, melanoma and tumor biology
Dr. Christine Lau
Cardiopulmonary Transplantation and Immunology
Dr. Gorav Ailawadi
Aortic Aneurysm Formation
Dr. Victor Laubach, PhD
Mechanisms of Lung Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Compensatory Lung Growth
Clinical Research Interests of the Faculty
Dr. John B. Hanks
Endocrine surgery, pancreatic transplantation
Dr. Charles Friel
Outcomes in colorectal surgery
Dr. Traci Hedrick
Outcomes in colorectal surgery
Dr. Reid Adams
Benign and malignant hepatobiliary diseases
Dr. Eugene McGahren
Pediatric neoplasms, ECMO
Dr. Bruce D. Schirmer
GI motility, morbid obesity, laparoscopy
Dr. Craig L. Slingluff, Jr.
Melanoma vaccines, immunotherapy of cancer, sentinel node biopsy for melanoma
Dr. Jeff Young
Trauma Systems, Trauma Critical Care