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Boston, Massachusetts

Program Director(s):
Jon Wee
Raphael Bueno

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  • General Program Information
  • Eligibility
  • Fellowship Opportunities
  • Program Director(s)
  • Case Loads
  • Contributing Faculty
  • Accreditation

Description:

This is a comprehensive training program in advanced non-cardiac thoracic surgery, intended for those who have graduated from or intend to complete an ACGME cardiothoracic residency.  Foreign medical graduates who do not plan to practice in the United States are also eligible.  It is not intended as an alternative path to thoracic credentialing, but rather as an enhancement for specialized training in minimally invasive and robotic techniques, multidisciplinary thoracic and foregut oncology, and benign and malignant foregut surgery. The Division of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School offers an advanced one-year fellowship in minimally invasive general thoracic surgery for individuals who have completed their American Board of Thoracic Surgery requirements or their equivalence. Fellowships are also available for board certified cardiothoracic surgeons wishing to retool in general thoracic surgery and in minimally invasive thoracic surgery with emphasis on esophageal and lung surgery.  Outpatient, operative and postoperative management of the entire spectrum of minimally invasive general thoracic surgical cases is provided including endoscopic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, minimally invasive thoracoscopic and robotic surgery. In addition, there is expected access to both simulation and animal work as well as research.  There are eighteen general thoracic surgeons staffing the Division of Thoracic Surgery at BWH, performing over 3,000 procedures in the last academic year.  The fellows will work alongside residents enrolled in the accredited Thoracic Surgery program at BWH and actively participate in all educational conferences and activities. There is also an opportunity for clinical research.  We use an apprenticeship model whereby each minimally invasive thoracic fellow is assigned to surgeons two months at a time to gain exposure to the breadth and depth of minimally invasive practice  The focus changes from lung surgery to esophageal surgery based on the surgeon.  The fellow is the primary resident with the assigned surgeon so that there is no competition with the accredited residents.  The case volume is more than sufficient to accommodate all residents and fellows.

This is one of the busiest Thoracic surgery program in the country.  The fellows are primarily at Brigham and Women's Hospital where over 3,000 cases are performed each year.  In addition, our surgeons operate at 5 additional satellite hospitals (South Shore Hospital, VA Medical Center West Roxbury, Faulkner Hospital, Milford Hospital and Kent Hospital) where fellows may occasionally rotate to supplement fellow interests.

We also have one of the largest practices of esophageal cases with nearly 200 laparoscopic fundoplication per year (including first time lap nissens, redo nissens/ Collis nissens, heller myotomy, giant paraesophageal hernias, diverticulae, etc.).   We also perform over 100 esophagectomy cases a year, mostly minimally invasively, and evenly divided between anastomoses in the neck and chest.  Finally, we incorporate esophageal and laparoscopic staging routinely for esophageal and gastric cancer staging.

On the lung side, we perform over 150 lobectomies and segementectomies per year many using complete minimally invasive techniques.  In addition, approximately 250 Video thoracoscopic lung wedge resection are performed per year as well as many other miscellaneous video thoracoscopic cases such as sympatectomy, thymectomy, resection of all types of mediastinal and pleural masses etc. 

We are performing robotic surgery for the lung and esophagus, and endoscopic therapies like POEM.  We also perform hundreds of therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopies and bronchoscopies using EUS, EBUS, laser, PDT and stents.

Surgeons on our staff have trained in many institutions and bring multiple techniques to their students.

Basic Program Information:

  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Primary Program Site: Brigham and Women's Hospital
  • Primary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds: total number of staffed beds: 888; total operating rooms: 44
  • Secondary Program Site:
  • Secondary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds:
  • Clinic locations and schedule:
  • University Affiliation: Harvard Medical School
  • School of Medicine Affiliation: Harvard Medical School
  • Year Program Established: 2004
  • Number of Faculty:
  • % of Program Clinical: 90
  • % of Program Research: 10

Additional Program Information:

  • Interaction with Residents: Some cases shared
  • Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Primary Institution? Yes
  • Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Secondary Institution? No
  • Is there a curriculum in place for fellowship? Yes
  • Is there a skills lab at the institution with fellow access? No
  • Are there teaching conferences available for the fellow? Yes
  • Is there an evaluation tool for fellow by faculty in place? Yes
  • Is there an evaluation tool for faculty by fellow in place? Yes
  • Papers Accepted For Publication where PD was an author: 8
  • Publications that Involved Input from the Fellow: 2

Malpractice Insurance Information:

  • No Information provided.

Contact Information For Questions:

Amy Wong
Phone: 617-256-1062
Fax: 617-730-2898
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.chestsurg.org/education/residencies-and-fellowships.aspx

Facilities

Dry Lab
Wet lab
Library
Administrative Support
Clinical Research
Simulation Lab

Citizenship and Visa Requirements:

    US Citizens
    US Permanent Residents (Green Card)
    Canadian Citizens
    Canadian Permanent Residents
    Non U.S./Non Canadian Citizens
    Non U.S. Citizens eligible for/with planned J-1 Visa during their fellowship (For U.S. Fellowship Programs)
    Non U.S. Citizens eligible for/with planned H-1B Visa during their fellowship (For U.S. Fellowship Programs)
    Non U.S. Citizens eligible for/with planned O-1 Visa during their fellowship (For U.S. Fellowship Programs)

Medical School Requirements:

    We accept graduates of U.S. or Canadian Medical Schools and Foreign Medical Schools
    We accept graduates of Foreign Medical Schools only if ECFMG Certified
    We accept graduates of Foreign Medical Schools only if listed in the FAIMER Directory (https://imed.faimer.org/)

Examinations and Certifications:

    Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1, 2, & 3 exams
    Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 & 2 exams or the Medical Council of Canada Evaluation Exam (MCCEE)
    Applicants must have passed the TOEFEL exam
    Applicants who are ABS or Canadian Board Eligible or Certified
    Applicants who hold a General Surgery specialty certificate from a Board or College outside of U.S. or Canada at the beginning of the fellowship
    Applicants must have had at least 2 years of prior training in an AOA (American Osteopathic Association) accredited residency or fellowship
    Applicants must be AOBS (American Osteopathic Board of Surgery) eligible or certified

 

Licensure Requirements and Information:

Licensure requirements: all applicant must be eligible for a Massachusetts medical license.

http://www.massmedboard.org/

Accreditation Status Accreditation Period Length of Accreditation
Accredited for Advanced Thoracic 2020-2022 2

Fellowship Opportunity # 1

  • Number of Positions Available: 2
  • Type of Fellowship: Thoracic
  • Duration: 1 year
  • Start Day: August 1
  • End Day: July 30
  • Is this a salaried position? Yes
  • It is a requirement that the salary must be commensurate to a PGY 6 or greater in the same city. Does your program meet this requirement?
  • Is the salary guaranteed for the year? Yes
  • Is there funding available beyond salary for meeting attendance, research, etc? Yes
  • Is the salary dependent on call?
  • Is the Fellow on call? Yes
    What are the on call requirements?
  • What are the estimated fellow weekly work hours?
  • It is a requirement that Health Insurance be provided. Do you provide health insurance to your fellows?
  • Teaching Responsibilities: Yes
  • Courses/Academic Presentations: Yes
  • Does reimbursement for the above make up part of the salary? No
  • Does the fellowship contract include a non-compete clause?

Clinical Outpatient Experience

Research/Scholarship Resources


Program Director(s) Detailed Information

Dr. Jon Wee M.D.

  • At Institution Since: 2006
  • Program Director Since : 2013
  • Board Certification: Board Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

ACS

Other

AATS, STS, SSO, SUS

Areas of Expertise

Thoracic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

Teaching Qualifications

Summary of Qualifications

Education

06/1993    B.A.    Biology    Harvard University

05/1997    M.D.    Medicine    Duke University School of Medicine

Postdoctoral Training:

07/97 – 06/98    Intern    General Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

07/98 – 06/00    Resident    General Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

07/00 – 06/02    Research Fellow    General Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

07/02 – 06/03    Resident    General Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

07/03 – 06/04    Chief Resident    General Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

10/05 – 11/05    Visiting Fellow    Thoracic Surgery    Memorial-Sloan Kettering

07/04 – 06/06    Fellow    Thoracic Surgery    University of Pittsburgh

Faculty Academic Appointments

08/06 -    Instructor in Surgery    Thoracic Surgery    Harvard Medical School

 

Appointments at Hospitals/Affiliated Institutions

09/2006 -    Associate Surgeon    Thoracic Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

12/2006 -    Associate Surgeon    Thoracic Surgery    Faulkner Hospital

09/2006 – 09/2009    Provisional Staff    Thoracic Surgery    MetroWest Medical Center

01/2007-    Associate Surgeon    Thoracic Surgery    South Shore Hospital

01/2007 -    Associate Surgeon    Thoracic Surgery    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

10/2008 -    Provisional Staff    Thoracic Surgery    Milford Regional Medical Center

06/2009     Associate Surgeon    Thoracic Surgery    Carney Hospital

 

Other Professional Positions

2006 -    Co-Director Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

 

Major Administrative Leadership Positions

National and International

2008    Course Co-Director, The Science of Thoracic     Surgery 20th Anniversary Course    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2009    Symposium Co-Director, 2nd International Bi-Annual Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit    Harvard Medical School

2011    Symposium Co-Director, 3rd International Bi-Annual Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery Summit    Harvard Medical School

 

Committee Service

2012-       RoboticCommittee                                     Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2012-   Robotic Safety Committee                             Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2012-  Quality Improvement Committee                   Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2012- Fellowship Council Education Committee     American College of Surgeons

2012- Robot Advisory Committee                           South Shore Hospital

 

Professional Societies

05/1999 Massachusetts Medical Society Member

06/2005 American College of Chest Physicians Member

06/2005 Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons Member

10/2006 Society of American Gastrointestinal and  Endoscopic Surgeons Member

03/2008 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus Member

02/2009 Society of Thoracic Surgeons Member

11/2009 American College of Surgeons Fellow

 

Honors and Prizes

1988 U.S. D.O.E. Honors Research Program Scholar

United States Department of Education

1988 Science Now D.O.E. Award

United States Department of Education

1989 Nevada Scholar State of Nevada

1989 Presidential Scholar The Presidential Scholars Program Excellence in education

1991 Harvard College Scholarship Harvard University

1992 John Harvard Scholarship Harvard University

1995 Four Schools Physician –Scientist Program Scholar

1996 AOA Original Studies Symposium Outstanding Poster Presentation Award

2004 Francis D. Moore Award Brigham and Women’s Hospital

 


Dr. Raphael Bueno MD

  • At Institution Since: 1996
  • Program Director Since : 2006
  • Board Certification: Board Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

ACS

Other

AATS, STS, SSO, SUS

Areas of Expertise

Thoracic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

Teaching Qualifications

Summary of Qualifications

Education

1981  A.B. Magna cum laude, Biochemical Sciences, Harvard University

1985  M.D. Cum laude, Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 

Postdoctoral Training

1985-1988       Intern and Resident in General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

1985-1995       Clinical Fellow, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

1988-1990       Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA           

1990-1992       Resident and Chief Resident in General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

1992-1993       Assistant to the Surgeon-in-Chief, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Veterans Administration Medical Center, West Roxbury, MA

1993-1995       Resident in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Faculty Academic Appointments

1996-2000       Instructor, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

2000-2003       Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

2003-2010       Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

2011-               Professor, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

 

Appointments at Hospitals/ Affiliated Institutions

Past

1988-1990       Assistant Surgeon, Harvard University Health Services

1992-1993       Associate Surgeon, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

1996-2004       Associate Surgeon, Department of Surgery, Thoracic Surgery Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

1997-2008       Assistant in Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

1997-2009       Staff Surgeon, Veterans Administration Medical Center, West Roxbury, MA

2003-2008       Provisional Staff, Department of Surgery, MetroWest Medical Center,

                        Framingham, MA

Current

1996-                              Associate Surgeon, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

1996-               Associate Surgeon, Carney Hospital, Dorchester, MA

1997-               Associate Surgeon, Faulkner Hospital, West Roxbury, MA

1997-                              Provisional Staff, New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA

2001-               Affiliate-Provisional Staff, Department of Surgery, South Shore Hospital, So.

                        Weymouth, MA

2004-               Senior Surgeon, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

2008-               Courtesy Staff, Department of Surgery, Milford Regional Medical Center, Milford, MA

2013-    Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA


Division of Time

Percentage of Time Spent in Clinical Activity: 90%
Percentage of Time Spent in Research Activity:10%


Case Load as Reported By Fellow(s)

2 Fellow(s) performed 148 cases with 180 procedures during the 2021-2022 Fellowship Year.
2 Fellow(s) performed 329 cases with 435 procedures during the 2020-2021 Fellowship Year.

List of Contributing Faculty

M. Blair Marshall MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Faculty Member
   
Daniel Wiener MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Faculty Member
   
Christopher Ducko MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
   
Ciaran McNamee MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
   
Jon Wee MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
Program Director
   
Scott Swanson MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
   
Raphael Bueno MD 20%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
Chief of Thoracic Surgery
   
Brian Whang MD 10%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Faculty Member
   
Abraham Lebenthal M.D. 10%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Faculty Member
   
Hisashi Tsukada MD, PhD 10%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Faculty Member
   
Namrata Patil M.D.,M.P.H. 10%
Area of Expertise
Thoracic Surgery
Role in Training
Director, Thoracic Intermediate Care Unit
   
Michael Jaklitsch MD 10%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
   
Steven Mentzer MD 10%
Area of Expertise
Role in Training
   

Accreditation History

Director Program Length Start End  
Jon Wee Thoracic 2 2020 2022  

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Non-ACGME Advanced Colorectal and Advanced Thoracic Fellowship Application and Matching Process Schedule

The Fellowship Council application and matching process has now been closed and the results have been archived.

Fellowship Application Process Opens:
August 2, 2021

Fellowship Application Closes:
November 9, 2021

Letters of Recommendation Deadline:
November 9, 2021

Deadline to Inform Applicants of Interviews:
November 23, 2021

Fellowship Ranking Order List Start:
January 5, 2022

Fellowship Ranking Order List Deadline:
January 18, 2022

Fellowship Scramble Day:
January 24, 2022

Date for Announcement of Fellowship Matches:
January 25, 2022

Fellowships Begin:
August 1, 2022

About The Fellowship Council

It is an incredible honor to serve as your Fellowship Council President this year.  I first want to acknowledge the leadership and vision of Dr. Aurora Pryor who has just concluded her term as FC President.  Dr. Pryor has guided us through a challenging year as a result of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to move the FC steadily forward.  Her initiative of curriculum redesign will undoubtedly positively impact the fellowship experience for years to … [Read More...]