Our GME Office has preliminary eligibility requirements that all prospective trainees must meet before applying for a training program at our institution. In addition to these criteria, our program also has the following requirements:

• All candidates must have completed a five-year ACGME accredited general surgery residency training program and be eligible for the American Board of Surgery. Successful candidates are selected through the National Resident Matching Program after applications are reviewed and virtual interviews are conducted in Houston.
• Apply through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP #1004460F0-General Thoracic, NRMP #1004460F1-Cardiovascular, AMA #460-48-13-121)
• Applications and required documents listed below must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
• UT MD Anderson requires international medical graduates to meet requirements for an institutional permit as outlined by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners and have the necessary documents for a J-1 visa.

Required documents

• Personal statement
• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty members
• USMLE board scores
• American Board of Surgery in-training (ABSITE) exams (all years)
• Medical school transcript in its original language, as well as in English (copied and notarized, stating that it is a true copy of the original)
• ECFMG certificate (copied and notarized; approximately four to six weeks processing)

Completed applications must be submitted by January 15.

Applicants considered for the fellowship will be invited for an in-person interview, providing an opportunity to virtually visit the institution and meet with the thoracic surgery faculty and fellows/residents.

The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery department conducts two formal interview sessions each year on Saturdays. Each applicant will be interviewed by faculty members and will have an opportunity to chat with the current residents and learn about the various affiliated hospitals.

The fellowship aligns its goals and objectives with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) six core competencies to ensure comprehensive training and development of fellows in the field of thoracic and cardiothoracic surgery.

Patient Care

Our program emphasizes providing fellows with comprehensive training in state-of-the-art clinical care for thoracic and cardiothoracic diseases and oncological conditions. Fellows will gain hands-on experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings, participating in the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up care of patients.

Medical Knowledge

Through structured educational activities, including lectures, journal clubs, and case conferences, fellows will acquire a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of thoracic, cardiothoracic, and oncological disorders. Fellows will also engage in research endeavors to deepen their medical knowledge and contribute to advancing the field.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

Fellows will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through active participation in patient care, research projects, and scholarly activities. They will receive mentorship from experienced faculty members to continually assess and enhance their clinical practice and research endeavors.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Fellows will refine their communication skills to effectively interact with patients, families, and interdisciplinary health care teams. They will learn to convey complex medical information in a clear and empathetic manner, fostering meaningful relationships with patients and facilitating collaborative care.

Professionalism

Our program instills values of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct in fellows, preparing them to uphold the highest standards of patient care, research integrity, and professional responsibility. Fellows will learn to navigate challenging ethical dilemmas and demonstrate respect, compassion, and cultural sensitivity in their interactions with patients and colleagues.

Systems-Based Practice

Fellows will gain insight into the health care system's structure and function, learning to navigate complex health care environments and advocate for optimal patient outcomes. They will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient care quality, safety, and efficiency, while also understanding the socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing health care delivery.

By integrating these core competencies into our fellowship program, we aim to produce highly skilled and compassionate thoracic and cardiothoracic specialists who are equipped to excel in clinical practice, research, and leadership roles within academic medicine. Our fellows will emerge from the program with the knowledge, skills and professionalism necessary to make meaningful contributions to the field of thoracic and cardiothoracic surgery and provide exceptional care to patients and their families.

Our curriculum is based on the ACGME milestones, supplemented by additional goals that are identified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS). All of these objectives are based on the six core competencies required by the ACGME:

• Patient care and technical skills
• Medical knowledge
• Practice-based learning and improvement
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Professionalism
• System-based practice

An annual "Boot Camp" is held specifically for the incoming Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellows immediately prior to the start of their fellowship. The weeklong training includes didactic sessions on a myriad of cardiothoracic surgical topics such as thoracic radiology, esophageal and lung cancer staging, coronary angiography and echocardiography. Additionally, hands-on sessions are organized in several practical areas such as endobronchial ultrasound, aortic and venous cannulation and cardiopulmonary bypass.

The curriculum includes both clinical teaching (in the operating room, on the wards, and in the outpatient clinic), and classroom teaching (lectures, small group discussions, and simulation). In addition, we allow trainees to engage in courses offered by industry, our professional societies, and other institutions when appropriate.

Readings are based on the Thoracic Surgery Curriculum (TSC).  This e-learning platform includes textbook and journal articles, case presentations, some videos and formative quiz questions for all trainees in the U.S. and Canada. All this content is organized into roughly 88 topics covering all the objectives in the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Our weekly teaching sessions’ reading assignments are based on the topics in the TSC and are available from any web browser.

Other teaching activities include simulation sessions, work-based conferences like cath conferences, multidisciplinary tumor conferences and our monthly journal club.  The Journal Club is a debate-style monthly conference in which two fellows argue alternative treatment strategies for a controversial cardiothoracic surgery topic. This journal club is now broadcast as a global webinar, and its educational benefit has been touted internationally.

Duty Hours

The program complies fully with all ACGME requirements regarding duty hours. All call is home call, and we emphasize educational activities over service.

Resources

Fellows in the program will be provided with the following amenities:

• SESATS
• Laptop computer provided during the two years
• iPhone provided during the two years
• Statistical support within the department
• Database within the department
• Funded trip for presentation at any national meetings, including STS, in the second year of fellowship
• Funded trip to a national meeting, STS, in the second year
• UT Physicians Center for Advanced Heart Failure – TMC

Rotation Schedule

View the rotation schedule for the Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program.

Operative Case Logs 

ABTS requires a minimum number of cases for each fellow.  The information below compares these requirements to the average number of cases handled by UT MD Anderson fellows across the last three years.

The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 4+3 Training Program is a collaboration between UT MD Anderson and UTHealth Houston. The program provides a balanced education in the treatment of cardiovascular, esophageal, pulmonary and other thoracic diseases. 

What

• Alternative, fast-track pathway to CT training (ACGME approved)
• Collaborative effort from UT MD Anderson's Thoracic Surgery fellowship program and UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School General Surgery training program

Why

• Training focus in area of subsequent specialization
• Early acceptance to CT training program before traditional match

Who

• Positions available ONLY for current UT categorical general surgery residents

When

• Apply in the summer two years prior to expected clinical PGY-4 year
• Interviews will take place in the fall of PGY-2 year
• Accepted applicants will begin some CT training in PGY-4
  

After Selection

• Trainees in the program will complete normal general surgery rotation during the third year of clinical training
• Altered schedule for PGY-4 and PGY-5
  • Six months of general surgery rotations plus six months of CT-oriented (cardiac, thoracic, vascular, foregut, etc.) rotations each year
• Rotations permissible for final two years are specified by the ABS and ABTS level allowing graduates to sit for both General Surgery and American Thoracic Surgery Boards
• A spot will be reserved for accepted 4+3 trainees within the UT MD Anderson Match (i.e., this position replaces our standard matched position) 

Clinical Research Fellowship

• Allows trainees to participate in clinical or potentially translational research during their lab time, while simultaneously enrolled in master's program
• Great option for those interested in the 4+3 track but not a requirement
• We encourage early inquiries for the Research Fellowship; interviews are held in fall of PGY-2 year

Two of our fellows, David Nelson, M.D., and Kyle Mitchell, M.D., won the 2023 STS CT Surgery Resident Showdown.

Mitchell was asked to join the North American team that won the Postgraduate Symposium Master Cup at the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons 32nd Annual Meeting in 2024.

Our trainees have the opportunity to work alongside leading cancer experts at UT MD Anderson and institutions across the Texas Medical Center. Additionally, our trainees receive exceptional support from the fellowship leadership team: 

Program Leadership

Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery Faculty

David Rice, M.D.
Professor and Chair Ad Interim 
Director, Minimally Invasive Surgery
Director, Mesothelioma Program
UT MD Anderson

UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, UT Physicians, Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty

Anthony Estrera, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Medical Director, Cardiovascular ICU and Cardiovascular IMU at Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular, Hazim J. Safi, MD Distinguished Chair UT Physicians Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery – TMC & Bellaire Station

Juan Abreu, M.D.
Associate Professor
UT Physicians Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery – Memorial City & TMC

In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, UT MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives.

Institutional benefits and support

GME trainees’ salary stipends are updated every year based on the ACGME’s recommendations, and because our trainees are considered workforce members, they also enjoy UT MD Anderson’s employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement planning, disability insurance and six weeks of parental leave.

Our GME House Staff Senate offers trainees the opportunity to experience a leadership role in a medical field career, and the institution’s Academic Mentoring Council provides avenues to secure tailored academic mentoring from faculty. Our GME trainees benefit from the extensive support offered to our research trainees, too; they are invited to participate in grant application workshops, apply for pilot grants to support their research ideas and receive monetary awards for securing extramural grant funding.

Trainee wellness is also of utmost importance at UT MD Anderson.

Our trainees have access to UT MD Anderson’s employee networks, fitness center and other wellness resources provided by the institution. Additionally, our Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), which provides oversight of our accredited programs, regularly assess our trainees’ needs and implements various initiatives, such as providing free call meals and discounted parking to GME House Staff, to address those gaps. The committee even has a subcommittee entirely dedicated to supporting the wellness of our trainees.

Our efforts to ensure a welcoming and supportive education and training experience have been commended nationally. In 2023, the Office of Graduate Medical Education received the DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, a prestigious national award that recognizes our institution for its respectful and supportive environment for delivering medical education and patient care.

Beyond UT MD Anderson

UT MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center which boasts about 10 million patient encounters each year. Many of our faculty are involved in interorganizational research collaborations, both within the TMC and across the nation, exposing trainees to groundbreaking advancements in medical care in real time.

Most importantly, the city of Houston is a great place to call home and raise a family. We are one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation. More than 145 different languages are spoken across the city, placing us behind only New York and Los Angeles. In fact, about 30% of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home. And, paychecks here stretch farther than most U.S. metro areas, thanks to our low cost of living.

Visit our Why Houston page to learn more about our city’s affordable housing, fine dining, entertainment scene, nationally renowned museums and other great attributes.