SUNY Upstate Medical University, Surgery Department

About the Department

The traditions of the Department of Surgery started as early as 1872, at which time surgeons and physicians worked in the precursor hospitals to serve and provide comfort and hope to the patients of Syracuse. Since then, the Department has grown immensely, and now has a consistent track record in supporting scholarly research and clinical investigation in the health sciences.

Our Mission

In building collaborative bridges, our mission is to seek to improve the health of the communities we serve through education, biomedical research, and health care.

Who We Are

The Department of Surgery consists of the following Divisions:

  • Acute Care Surgery
  • Bariatric Surgery 
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Dentistry
  • General Surgery
    - Thyroid
    - Gallbladder
    - Hernia
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotic Surgery
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
    - Breast Surgery
    - Colon and Rectal Surgery
    - Endocrine Surgery
    - Hepatobiliary (Liver and Pancreas) Surgery
    - Plastics
  • Thoracic (Lung) Surgery
  • Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Vascular and Endovascular Surgery

Unique Services:

  • A fully accredited general surgery Residency graduating five chiefs per year
  • The Clark Burn Center
  • The only Level I Trauma Center in the region
  • The only Transplant program in the central New York and northern Pennsylvania region
  • An advanced minimally invasive surgical center with established capabilities to perform complex surgical procedures
  • A state-of-art surgical simulation laboratory to include an associated advanced laparoscopy teaching laboratory offering training to Community Surgeons

What We Do

The Department is well known for its extensive experience in Endocrine and Breast surgery. There is also significant expertise that has been developed related to the management of complex wounds, and the care for patients with stomas.

The Department of Surgery has extensive research facilities that house both surgical and basic research scientists who are full-time members of the Department.

Representative areas of investigation supported by NIH and industry partners in the Surgical Research Laboratories:

  • Gastrointestinal
  • Cardiovascular
  • Pulmonary
  • Platelet and Burn Physiology
  • Immunology
  • Nutrition
  • Metabolism
  • Cancer Research

Elective opportunities for basic and clinical research are available as part of the residency program. Summer research projects for Medical Students have traditionally been offered. The Division of Cardiopulmonary surgery offers a two-year fellowship (upon completion of general surgery residency) through the match. Research activity is encouraged throughout the residency program. In addition to the 5 clinical years, selected residents are encouraged to spend 1 or 2 years in laboratory research. This is usually after the second year of clinical training.

The primary locations of the department's programs are the State University of New York, University Hospital Downtown Campus, and the adjacent Veterans Administration Hospital. Resident teams also rotate through the general surgical teaching services of adjacent Crouse Hospital and University Hospital Community Campus as well as St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center.