Department Website: med.unc.edu/surgery
Faculty Member Contacts
Luigi Pascarella
Surgery M4 Director and Assistant Professor of Surgery
luigi_pascarella@med.unc.edu
Note: Dr. Pascarella will connect you to a CGA
Tommy Caranasos
Director, Adult Cardiac Surgery and Assistant Professor
thomas_caranasos@med.unc.edu
Eldad Hadar
Vice Chair, Professor and Residency Program Director
eldad_hadar@med.unc.edu
Note: Dr. Hadar and Dr. Quinsey will connect you with any additional resources
Carolyn Quinsey
Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director
carolyn_quinsey@med.unc.edu
FAQs/Course Recommendations/Additional Info
How do students get assigned a career goal advisor?
Students contact the Clerkship Director. For the Application Process, Dr. Pascarella meets and follows all the students applying to Gen Surgery and Vascular Surgery
What should my Individualization Phase schedule look like?
Block 1: Step 2 prep and Step 2; Block 2- Block 7: Surgery Rotations
Recommended Courses for General, Vascular Surgery:
| AI/Acting Internship | Electives |
|---|---|
| 2 acting internships in surgery in first 2 trimesters | 2 |
| AI/Acting Internship | CC/Critical Care | Electives |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiothoraic Surgery or Thoracic (Non Cardiac) Surgery | Critical Care Elective | Cardiothoraic Surgery, Cardiology or Vascular Surgery |
| AI/Acting Internship | CC/Critical Care | ACS/Advanced Clinical Selective | Electives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neurosurgery home, 2 away rotations | Neuro critical care | Anesthesia | Pathology, other surgical subspecialty, other icu, research |
Do all my rotations need to be in Surgery?
For General Surgery, the rotation will have to be in the Divisions of the General Surgery Department. For Vascular Surgery, Rotations will have to be in the Department of General Survey with the addition of 1 AI in Vascular Surgery.
Should I do an away rotation? What in?
Away rotations are suggested but not mandatory.
Do I need a rotation at UNC if I spent my time in Charlotte/Asheville/Wilmington?
It is a general rule that at least 1 rotation is to be attended at UNC Central, if application phase was attended in Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro, Raleigh, or Wilmington.
When do I need to meet with my career goal advisor? How do I prepare?
A career goal advisor should be selected in October of App Phase. A meeting should be scheduled in September/ October to set up the 4 th year schedule.
How many letters of recommendation do I need? From whom should I get them?
For General Surgery: 1. Chair’s Letter; 2. Division Chief’s Letter 3. and 4. Surgeons the student has worked during his/her/t 4th year. For Vascular Surgery: 1. Chair’s Letter 2. Dr. Farber’s Letter 3. Vascular Surgeon’s Letter 4. Surgeon’s Letter
When do I ask for my letters? What do they need?
At the end of the rotation and generally around July-August of the application not residency year.
How do I determine the best programs I should apply to?
Students should have insights on their perceived competitiveness in the application process. Meetings with career goal advisors may help in clarifying which programs. In addition, geographic locations, characteristics of programs and their alignment to student’s values and career pursuits (academic vs private practice) are very important factors.
I just got this great piece of news…do I need to notify programs
Programs should be notified of any positive news.
My LORs aren’t in and ERAS just opened!
Please contact the letter writer and politely request an update.
I am waitlisted for an interview at X and I’d really like to see that program. What do I do?
Email the Program Director, Associate Program Director, or any faculty the student may know in the specific program.
I didn’t get an interview at X program. Should I send them a “letter of intent”?
Email the Program Director, Associate Program Director, or any faculty the student may know in the specific program.
Should I send thank you letters to programs?
Professional thank you letters should be sent to programs. The letter should be hand-written.
Should I send a letter to the program I am planning to rank #1?
It is recommended that if the student is interested in a specific program, an email, letter, or a communication in the form of a phone call should be made with the program director to notify interest.
How do I respond if a program reaches out to me after my interview?
A program reaching out after an interview, is a statement of interest. The student should politely answer to the communication and if there is any interest engage in further communications.