GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Join the San Joaquin General Hospital General Surgery Residency Program: Your Opportunity for Growth and Excellence

San Joaquin General Hospital (SJGH) offers an exceptional General Surgery Residency Program with a rich history of producing skilled, confident, and compassionate surgeons. Located in the heart of Northern California’s Central Valley, our program offers residents an unparalleled opportunity for hands-on training, autonomy, and personal growth.

Why Choose SJGH?

• High-Volume Trauma & Acute Care Surgery: As a major county hospital, SJGH is the go-to destination for a diverse and high-volume caseload, including many complex trauma and acute care surgeries. SJGH is the only level II trauma center in San Joaquin County. Our residents gain early and extensive operative experience, with a focus on penetrating trauma from the Stockton area, ensuring that each resident is well-prepared for any surgical challenge.
• Extensive Surgical Exposure: Through rotations at top hospitals like Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, Washington Hospital (Fremont), and UC Davis Medical Center, residents benefit from a broad array of practice environments and specialty exposures. This diverse training ensures that you meet—and exceed—the required number of surgeries across all general surgery subspecialties.
• Early Responsibility and Surgical Autonomy: From the start of your internship year, you will be immersed in managing a service and performing surgery under expert guidance. By your PGY-4 year, you will operate independently, with the full confidence to make decisions and lead teams. In your PGY-5 year, you will refine your skills in complex surgery, teaching, and high-level patient care, preparing you for your future as a leader in the surgical field.
• Leadership Development: We emphasize the importance of becoming a surgeon-leader. Residents develop executive function skills and team management abilities, ensuring they are equipped to lead in any surgical environment.
• A Focus on Surgical Excellence and Tradition: At SJGH, we honor the long-standing traditions of surgery, including the pivotal role of quality assurance and peer review systems. We are committed to ensuring you master not only technical skills but also the ability to defend your surgical decisions and present surgical plans with confidence. This focus on strong communication and decision-making prepares you to excel both in fellowship and in your future surgical practice.
• A Supportive, Collaborative Culture: We are a smaller program, which means you’ll receive personalized attention from our dedicated faculty. Our residents thrive in an environment of camaraderie and mutual respect, where faculty and residents work closely together to foster both professional and personal growth. We value diversity and encourage every resident to bring their unique experiences and backgrounds to their practice. When you succeed, we succeed.

The Right Fit

We are committed to selecting residents who share our values of patient-centered care, integrity, and a passion for surgery. We take great pride in the surgeons we produce—graduates who go on to match into competitive fellowships and enter surgical practices with confidence and strong reputations. Our residents are well-prepared for any challenge, and we’re excited to welcome new candidates who share our vision for excellence in surgery.

At SJGH, we don’t just train surgeons—we build leaders. If you are looking for a residency program that will provide you with hands-on experience, leadership development, and a supportive community, we invite you to consider SJGH as your surgical home.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you take the next step toward becoming an exceptional surgeon.

Sincerely,
Gabriel Herscu, MD
General Surgery Program Director
San Joaquin General Hospital