General Surgery Residency Program

A note from the Program Director...

Welcome to the MercyOne Des Moines General Surgery Residency Program, an ACGME-accredited program established in 1921.

We at MercyOne Des Moines aim to foster a dynamic learning environment focused on the growth of our residents. With more than 30 faculty, majority of whom are fellowship-trained within the specialties of Vascular Surgery, Critical Care/Trauma, Breast Surgical Oncology, Colon and Rectal surgery, Surgical Oncology, Pediatric Surgery, and Cardiothoracic Surgery, residents are exposed to a breadth of general surgery and surgical specialties. The absence of surgical fellowships at our institution guarantees that our residents retain all the operative opportunities within the surgical subspecialties to enhance their skills. We have two external rotations to ensure exceptional training focused on Burn at the University of Iowa and Transplant at the University of Nebraska.

Our tertiary referral facility features 650 beds in the main hospital (22 operating rooms) and approximately 100 beds at our nearby community hospital (6 operating rooms). We average ≥20,000 surgical procedures annually, of which >7,000 are in general surgery. We perform the breadth of techniques ranging from open surgery, laparoscopic, robotic, and thorascopic operations. We perform ≥6,000 endoscopies annually. Our facility cares for ≥2,000 trauma cases annually. Our institution also boasts a comprehensive cancer center, accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer.

We believe that having a comprehensive didactic program which includes weekly education time free of clinical interruptions is paramount to the development of our residents. Our program offers a broad range of opportunities for residents to engage in clinical research spanning a variety of specialties. Significant exposure to a high volume of general surgery, both elective and acute, combined with complex oncologic as well as vascular cases, our residents build their confidence throughout their years here, and are well-prepared for practice right after graduation, or to pursue fellowship if they so choose. We have graduated residents who have the expertise to start practice immediately, and have simultaneously placed residents in highly competitive fellowships.

I invite you to explore all the opportunities available at MercyOne Des Moines focused on excellence in training the next generation of surgeons.

Sincerely,

Mayin Lin, DO, MPH, FACS

General Surgery Program Director

Colon and Rectal Surgeon

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying to the General Surgery program, please click here to see the requirements for an audition rotation or to apply for a residency position.