Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship Program

Program Director: Patrick J. Recio, DO, FACS, FASCRS
Fellows per year: 2

Quick guide to Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship

    About the Program
    Application Information
    Benefits and Stipends
    Contact Us
    Curriculum
    Program Director
    Faculty
    Fellowship Graduates
    Testimonials

About the program

The attending staff for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship consists of 7 board-certified colon and rectal surgeons. The fellowship is based at St. Vincent Health Center in Erie, PA with secondary activity at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. The surgical volume between the two sites includes approximately 650 abdominal cases, 400 anorectal cases and 1500 colonoscopies annually. The teaching faculty represent the largest colorectal surgical presence in northwest Pennsylvania drawing from western New York and northeast Ohio as well as the largest colorectal group in the greater Pittsburgh area whose patients range into central Pennsylvania, southwest Ohio and northern West Virginia.

The program is proud of its devotion to providing our patients with the most up to date minimally invasive surgery techniques and evidence-based surgical treatments. Robotic and laparoscopic surgery are performed on a routine basis for both malignant and benign diseases of the colon and rectum. There are a wide array of anorectal cases ranging from the routine hemorrhoidectomy to that of complex Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) for low rectal disease. Additionally, there is ample exposure to and experience with complex IBD surgery and ileal pouch construction.

The same devotion exists to the endoscopic and physiological assessment services. In addition to routine colonoscopy, therapeutic modalities including stenting, hydrostatic balloon dilation, argon beam plasma coagulation and tattooing are performed. Available physiologic studies include anal manometry, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing and anorectal ultrasound. In office, the full spectrum of challenges in the appropriate diagnosis and workup of malignancies, benign disease as well as anorectal pathology is present. This allows for excellent continuity of patient care for the fellow - both pre-operatively and post-operatively.

There is active interest in both prospective as well as retrospective clinically based research with projects ongoing annually. Each fellow is expected to prepare a manuscript suitable for oral presentation to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. The program is devoted to an ACGME competency-based approach to evaluating progress through the program. Fellows alternate in preparing and delivering weekly evidence-based PowerPoint presentations covering the topics of the colorectal curriculum based on the ASCRS textbook. This serves as the basis for discussion of key points and controversies within the surgical literature. Additionally, a multi-disciplinary tumor board and GI conference meet on a monthly basis.

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Application information

Applications for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship are taken through Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®).

For more information, please call the medical education administrator at 1-800-730-3003.

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Benefits and stipend

Salary: $69,004.00
Moving expenses: Reimbursement of out-of -town moving expenses up to $2,000 with receipts (subject to prevailing tax rate)
Health and dental insurance: Interns, residents and associates pay a portion of the premium costs
Life insurance, long-term disability and malpractice insurance
Education: Reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending the annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, such attendance being a condition of employment. Expenses will be reimbursed to a total of not more than $3,000
Meal stipend
24-hour parking available in parking garage
Paid time off: 10 working days per year for vacation or travel for interviews for prospective employment

An additional 10 days of salaried absence for off-site medical education (courses, symposia, etc.). No fewer than three of these days will be reserved for attendance at the annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

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About Graduate Medical Education

The Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship program is part of the graduate medical education (GME) opportunities offered by the AHN Medical Education Consortium. Learn more about graduate medical education.

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Contact us

Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship

Medical Education Administrator
Saint Vincent Hospital
Erie, PA 16544

Phone: 1-800-730-3003

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Curriculum

The goal of the Colon & Rectal Surgery Residency Training Program is to train safe, competent and confident surgeons who are experts in the field of colon and rectal surgery and committed to ongoing learning through study and assessment of their outcomes. Graduates of the program will be committed to and capable of making significant contributions to the field of colon and rectal surgery through teaching, leadership and scholarship.

Click here to download the current Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship academic conference syllabus.

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