Message from the Chief of Surgery
Welcome to the NewYork Presbyterian Queens Surgery Residency Program website. I am pleased that you are interested in learning more about our training program here in Queens, New York. NewYork Presbyterian Queens (NYPQ) has been training future surgeons and surgical specialists for over 50 years. Educating future surgeons has been the mission of this department since its inception, and it remains the primary focus of our dedicated faculty. Our graduates have gone on to enjoy highly successful surgical careers across the country, both in academia and private practice.
Notably, NewYork Presbyterian Queens offers residency training programs not only in general surgery but also in medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, and gynecology, as well as several medical fellowship programs. However, we are proud to highlight that the Department of Surgery has no surgical fellows, which allows for more hands-on education and training of our residents.
Our department is divided into eight divisions: Emergency General Surgery, Trauma and Critical Care; General, Minimally Invasive and Obesity Surgery; Colorectal Surgery; Breast Surgery; Endocrine Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Pediatric Surgery; and Vascular Surgery. Additionally, robotic technology is employed for surgeries in general, bariatric, colorectal, and oncologic surgery. Residents also gain exposure to head and neck surgery, thoracic surgery, and plastic surgery, ensuring a well-rounded, broad-based training experience.
The residents at NYPQ are taught by a core group of general and vascular surgery faculty who are all members of the Weill Cornell faculty but are dedicated solely to patient care and resident training on the Queens campus. With no fellows, residents assume full responsibility for patient care, both in the operating room and on the floor.
We are also fortunate to have a diverse patient population, allowing us to treat a wide range of diseases. As the premier hospital in a borough of over 2 million people, we serve as one of only three ACS-accredited Level 1 Trauma Centers in the entire borough. Additionally, our department participates in numerous quality programs, and we are proud to consistently be recognized for having some of the best quality outcomes of any surgery department in the United States.
Although research is not mandatory for our residents, we have a robust clinical research program, and residents who choose to engage in research are well supported. Some residents opt to dedicate one or two years to basic science or clinical research in an area of interest, though this is entirely optional.
If you choose to train with us here at NYPQ, I have no doubt you will become a highly skilled surgeon and, like our past graduates, go on to excel in general surgery or your chosen subspecialty. Thank you again for your interest in our surgical training program.
Stephen Merola, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Chief of Surgery
Surgical Quality Officer/NewYork Presbyterian Queens
Chief, Section of General, Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery
Department of Surgery/NewYork Presbyterian Queens