Our PGY2 Residents - Surgery Residency Program

While looking at residency programs, I found that Ochsner possesses both exceptional clinical opportunities and a strong culture and community dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for the people of Louisiana and beyond.

The residents and staff work well together both in and out of the operating room, creating a welcoming learning environment and support system for residents. Additionally, the rich cultural history of New Orleans makes it a wonderful place to live and explore. At Ochsner, I look forward to becoming a well-rounded surgeon with the experience and confidence needed to manage even the most complex and advanced surgical patients.

When applying to residency, I was looking for a program with both breadth and volume of cases, as well as the complexity that would challenge and prepare me to be a confident and capable surgeon. Ochsner offers all of this along with diverse training environments that enrich the resident experience. Just as important, I was struck during the interview process by how kind and supportive the residents were, and that sense of community was exactly what I was looking for. I’m grateful to be in a program that pushes me to grow while training alongside colleagues who are genuinely supportive and caring.

When choosing a surgical residency, my top priority was finding a program that would make me an excellent, competent surgeon first—someone prepared to go directly into practice or match successfully in a competitive fellowship. I wanted rigorous training with early operative exposure and strong mentorship, where technical skill and clinical judgment were held to the highest standard.

Equally important, I wanted to belong to a program that felt like a family—where residents supported one another and faculty were genuinely invested in our growth. Surgery is demanding, and I knew the environment I trained in would shape not only my skills but also my confidence and resilience. From my interview day, it was clear this program fostered this personal and professional camaraderie.

New Orleans was also a major factor in my decision. It’s one of my favorite cities, rich in culture, history, and spirit. Serving this community felt deeply personal. The complexity and socioeconomic challenges many patients face here mirror those I saw growing up in eastern Kentucky.

In the end, this program checked every box, and I’m so proud to be training at Ochsner!

I chose Ochsner for surgical residency because I wanted a program where I could grow both professionally and personally. The early operative experience and high case volume really stood out to me. I knew I’d be challenged to become a confident, capable surgeon from day one. The people here create a strong sense of community because they are always supportive and genuinely invested in helping each other succeed. I was also excited to move to New Orleans where there’s so much culture, energy, and personality.

Ochsner caught my attention early in my application process because of the excellent operative experience, leading to both confident, capable surgeons at graduation and strong fellowship matches. What really sold me, however, was seeing the beautiful community that they had built for their residents here. It was immediately clear during the interview that residents and faculty knew each other well, cared deeply about it each other, and all valued a culture of learning and growth. I also hoped to find a program that would support me in my research goals without making it a primary focus of my time in residency, which has been true of Ochsner. When struggling to make my rank list, I constantly circled back to the way I felt on interview day, and Ochsner shined as a place I could really see myself spending such a critical time of my career

My priority was to find a program where I came out confident to go immediately into practice or pursue a fellowship of my choice. As a medical student I spent 2 years at Ochsner. I saw the skill and proficiency of the residents in this program firsthand. I knew I would be trained in a way that set me up to be a safe and successful surgeon for the rest of my career, regardless of what I choose to pursue.

While going through the residency application process, it quickly became clear to me that I was looking for a program with high operative volume, a strong sense of camaraderie between residents, and dependable mentorship from hospital staff. Fortunately, as an away rotator, I was able to see firsthand the breadth and depth of operative exposure and culture that the residents and attendings at Ochsner have fostered. I am confident that no matter what career path I choose, the training I receive at Ochsner will be more than sufficient to help me meet my goals.

I chose Ochsner for residency because it offers the kind of surgical training I was looking for—high volume, a wide variety of cases, and early, meaningful time in the OR. Early on, residents are involved in operative cases and given the chance to build their skills in a hands-on, supportive environment. The program strikes a great balance between strong clinical training and a culture that values teamwork, mentorship, and resident well-being. Everyone I met seemed genuinely invested in both patient care and in helping each other succeed. I’m also excited to be in New Orleans—a city with a lot of character, great food, and a strong sense of community. Ochsner is the kind of place where I know I’ll be challenged, supported, and inspired to grow.