Colorectal Surgery Fellowship

The Emory University School of Medicine (EUSOM) ACGME-accredited Colorectal Surgery Residency trains residents to become experts in the diagnosis and management of malignant, inflammatory, infectious and functional disorders of the colon, rectum and anus. Our program offers one position each year to a BC/BE general surgeon interested in an academic colorectal surgery residency which includes a large volume of clinical experiences, a first-rate educational environment and varied research opportunities. The EUSOM Colorectal Surgery Residency is designed to build upon foundational knowledge and technical skills acquired during general surgery residency. We anticipate graduates of our program will serve as leaders in the field of colon and rectal surgery via life-long participation in high-quality patient care, graduate surgical education, clinical research and mentorship. 

The residency includes 2-month long rotations alternating at Emory University Hospital (EUH), an 850-bed quaternary referral facility, and Emory Johns Creek Hospital (EJCH), a 180-bed hybrid academic/community hospital. Trainees benefit from busy inpatient and outpatient surgical caseloads, dedicated clinic time, a thorough experience with lower endoscopy, and broad exposure to inpatient care. Rotations at EUH involve management of more complicated patients (i.e., solid organ and/or bone marrow transplant, cardiopulmonary failure), while rotations at EJCH are more typical of “bread-and butter” community-based colorectal surgery. The trainee will gain experience via a mentorship model under the guidance of six BC/BE colorectal surgeons whose time in practice ranges from a few years to more than two decades. Our faculty offer a broad array of approaches, not only from experience gained in clinical practice, but also from their own training at 12 different academic surgical institutions.  

The mission of the Colorectal Division includes a commitment to providing high-quality surgical care to all patients, with a focus on understanding and respecting the needs of each individual patient. Situated in Atlanta, Georgia, our hospitals serve a diverse patient population from urban, suburban and rural settings throughout the Southeast. This environment not only enriches clinical skills but fosters cultural competence and sensitivity among our trainees. 

Our program is on the forefront of robotic colorectal surgery education. The Colorectal Surgery resident benefits from working with widely recognized robotic surgery leaders, one-on-one surgical video review sessions and dedicated robotic surgical training at Intuitive’s Southeast Headquarters in Atlanta. Recent graduates have performed between 60 and 80 robotic colorectal operations during their residency year. 

As part of the EUSOM, the Colorectal Surgery resident has significant mentoring, educational and administrative responsibilities for the clinical team comprised of general surgery residents and students (medical and physician assistant). The education curriculum includes multi-disciplinary conferences focused on colon and rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor disorders, as well as Surgery Grand Rounds, Morbidity and Mortality, Colorectal Textbook Chapter Review and Journal Club. The resident is expected to lead the discussion of some of these conferences. 

Involvement in clinical research is expected during the residency year. The trainee will have varied opportunities to further develop the skills required to investigate and present results in both abstract and manuscript form.

Dr. Seth Rosen is an associate professor of surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. He graduated from the Emory College of Arts and Sciences and New York University School of Medicine. He completed his training in general surgery at the University of Chicago, followed by a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida. He has been in practice since 2002. 

His clinical interests are focused on the management of diverticular disease, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and all benign and malignant anorectal diseases. He has extensive experience with robotic-assisted colon and rectal surgery, performing over 600 procedures to date. 

Dr. Rosen's research interests include evaluating outcomes of robotic colon and rectal surgery, measuring objective performance metrics during robotic surgery, using video assessment to evaluate robotic surgeon competency, understanding how best to train new surgeons in robotic colon and rectal surgery, and developing recommendations regarding privileging and credentialing for robotic surgery. 

Dr. Rosen serves as Chief of Staff of Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Chair of Emory Healthcare Robotic Surgery, and is the site director at Emory Johns Creek Hospital for Emory University School of Medicine's colorectal surgery fellowship, general surgery residency, and physician assistants training program. He serves on additional institutional committees that are focused on quality, safety, physician training, and credentialing. 

Dr. Rosen's numerous organizational memberships include the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, The International Society of University Colorectal Surgeons, and the Southeastern Surgical Society. He serves on committees focused on operative competency, resident training, and colorectal surgery.