Saint Joseph General Surgery Residency
Train with purpose. Operate with confidence. Lead with integrity.
About our program
Founded in 1873, before Colorado achieved statehood, Saint Joseph Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in the Rocky Mountain West. Established by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, the hospital has a longstanding commitment to serving the community and caring for vulnerable and underserved populations. For generations, physician trainees have learned within this mission-driven environment, continuing a tradition of graduate medical education that has shaped surgeons dedicated to compassionate, patient-centered care. Saint Joseph Hospital's General Surgery Residency, established in 1949, is Colorado's oldest general surgery residency program and remains one of the most established surgical training programs in the Mountain West.
While our roots stretch back more than 150 years, our residents today train in a modern hospital facility in the heart of downtown Denver, combining a rich tradition of surgical education with contemporary technology, advanced clinical resources, and an innovative learning environment. Our five-year program offers the close mentorship and individualized support of a resident-centered community program while providing the breadth, complexity, and clinical diversity often associated with larger academic training systems. We are committed to developing technically exceptional, compassionate, and resilient surgeons who are prepared for either independent practice or competitive fellowship training.
Defining strengths of our program include early operative exposure beginning in intern year, graduated autonomy throughout training, and an unopposed educational environment at our primary clinical site, with no surgical fellows competing for operative experience. Chief residents graduate with more than 1,100 operative cases and extensive experience across the spectrum of general surgery, including trauma, acute care surgery, breast, endocrine, colorectal, vascular, thoracic, bariatric, minimally invasive surgery, robotics, surgical oncology, critical care, and endoscopy.
In addition to Saint Joseph Hospital, residents also have the opportunity to rotate at several of the region's premier referral centers, including Denver Health and UCHealth. These partnerships provide exceptional exposure to trauma, burn surgery, transplant surgery, pediatric surgery, and complex quaternary referral care while complementing the strong community-based surgical experience at Saint Joseph Hospital. The result is a well-rounded surgeon who is well prepared for community practice, academic surgery, or competitive fellowship training.
"A hallmark of our program is the close-knit culture between residents and faculty. Through meaningful longitudinal mentorship, individualized career guidance, and graduated autonomy tailored to their skill, residents develop not only technical excellence, but also the judgment, professionalism, and leadership skills required to succeed throughout their careers.” - Dr. Sydne Muratore, Program Director.
This year, the program will welcome five categorical residents and five preliminary residents into a collaborative and supportive training environment. Through individualized mentorship, robust operative experience, service to medically underserved communities, and a culture that prioritizes both excellence and well-being, Saint Joseph Hospital continues its tradition of training outstanding surgeons prepared to lead and serve wherever their careers take them.
Why choose SJH?
- 5-year pathway to practice or fellowship
- Colorado's oldest general surgery residency
- Unopposed training environment (no fellows at SJH)
- Early operative exposure beginning in intern year
- Progressive resident autonomy
- >1,100 operative cases at graduation
- Dedicated robotics and simulation curriculum
- 24/7 access to robotic simulation and laparoscopic skills laboratories
- Diverse clinical site opportunities: including community, tertiary, quaternary, trauma, transplant, pediatric, and rural surgery experiences
- Protected weekly educational conference time with small group learning
- Global surgery opportunities (ACGME approved rotation)
- Personalized mentorship preparing graduates for fellowship or independent practice
- Resident-centered culture in Denver, Colorado
What sets us apart
Program contact
Connect with us
Where we train
Saint Joseph Hospital
Residents spend much of their time at SJH among acute care and elective surgical services. During rotations at Saint Joseph Hospital, there are also opportunities to participate in cases at the nearby ambulatory surgery centers. Outpatient clinics are held across the street at the Midtown Office Building and Franklin Medical Offices.
In addition, our residents have the opportunity to train at other facilities including:
- Denver Health Medical Center
- Children's Hospital Colorado
- University of Colorado Health Sciences Center/University Hospital
- Medical Center of the Rockies
- St. Vincent's Hospital
- Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital
- Lutheran Hospital
Program details
Everything you need to know about our residency program and what to expect
Saint Joseph Hospital General Surgery Residency Curriculum Didactics Didactic content has been designed to present information in varying formats to accommodate different learning styles and provide repetition of material to cement foundational learning. They are described below.
Protected Education Time • Wednesday mornings: 7:00 am – 10:30 am • No clinical responsibility during this time.
Tuesday mornings: 7:00 am – 8:00 am •
Core Curriculum - Case Based Learning (CBL) - One of the key strengths of the Saint Joseph Hospital Residency Program is our weekly education conference, held during protected time to ensure full resident participation. The curriculum covers the entire SCORE framework. A distinctive feature of our program is the emphasis on case-based learning, where residents and medical students engage directly with attending surgeons in small groups—typically maintaining a 5:1 learner-to-faculty ratio—fostering rich, interactive discussions and deeper clinical understanding.
Adjunct Curriculum: The conference also addresses a broad range of essential topics—including health disparities, global health, and physician wellness—that are integral to a well-rounded surgical education.
Simulation Lab - At Saint Joseph Hospital, we have a large lab conveniently positioned next to the resident work room and doctor’s dining room that has a variety of simulation equipment. This includes laparoscopy trainers, colonoscopy simulators, manikins for placement of drains/lines/tubes, suture material, suture boards, ultrasounds, and more In addition, we have a robust robotic curriculum. Our program has a thoughtfully structured robotics curriculum that can start as early as day 1 of intern year. Simulation training is available at all times of day when actual robotic surgery experiences are not available to assist on. The hospital has a high volume of experienced robotic surgeons across many specialties including a range from hernias to thoracic to Whipples.
Mock Oral Boards - This is a monthly conference where each level resident is taken through oral board type scenarios with immediate attending feedback. This is done in a small group format so that all residents can learn techniques and knowledge from the examiners and examinees simultaneously. Our program also hosts a city-wide full length mock oral board examination twice a year with other residencies in Denver to prepare residents for their certifying examination.
Vascular Surgery Conference - This is a quarterly meticulous review of vascular surgery over the course of the year lead by the Vascular Surgery attendings. This includes high yield material for being successful on your vascular surgery rotation, in addition to ABSITE and Board prep.
M&M - Classic M&M format with residents presenting cases and providing learning points to the resident body. The goals of our M&M conference is to and generate supportive discussion around difficult cases with focus on areas of improvement. The culture at SJH is exemplified here: that of a supportive community collectively striving to optimize patient care.
General Surgery Teaching Rounds - Teaching rounds conducted on the various services with the opportunity to cover a wide variety of topics based on resident and student educational needs. This could be a review of perioperative management or broad discussion of pathophysiology of patient specific diseases.
Grand Rounds - This monthly conference includes local, regional, or national experts presenting on topics specific to their practice or research.
Multidisciplinary Tumor Conferences - Breast Conference and Tumor Board are two separate weekly multidisciplinary conferences held to provide comprehensive care to our surgical oncology patients.
Global Health - St. Joe's General Surgery Residency has a long history of dedication to the medically underserved and strives to expand opportunities for underrepresented and underserved communities. This involves both creating a culture of inclusion, as well as providing opportunities to immerse in global surgical missions in various countries, most predominantly Zambia.
Healthy Surgeon Curriculum - We strive to create an environment that develops well rounded surgical residents who go on to have sustainable, healthy careers. This requires a multifaceted approach to physical and psychological health and also supports residents in their reproductive phase of life. This is spearheaded by both faculty and resident champions.
Our program seeks to offer opportunities for interested residents to impact the surgical needs of global communities. Opportunities may vary based on the year and attending availability, but detailed below is the consistent experience that numerous surgery residents and attendings have had the opportunity to participate in for many years.
The Mwandi Mission Hospital in Western Zambia
Dr. Peggy Schrieber, a faculty member through CPMG, is a talented surgeon with a long history in international surgery. Dr. Schreiber takes annual trips to the Mwandi Mission Hospital, a 100 bed hospital in the rural western province of Zambia. She takes a surgical team that always includes general surgeons, ENTs, gynecologists, anesthesiologists, internists, and a 4th year general surgery resident from St. Joe’s Hospital.
She grew up in Madison, WI, but her medical school and surgical training took her away from her Midwestern beginnings and out to the east coast. After her undergraduate years at Yale, she spent 2 years in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone, West Africa, both teaching high school science and math and helping create a lab in an eye hospital. Stateside once again, she completed medical school at Tufts University, where she obtained both her MD and MPH, with a focus on international health. In 2002, she joined the CPMG surgical group in Denver and generously shares her mentorship and vast experience with our residents and students alike.
Through her decades-long relationship with the Mwandi Mission Hospital in Western Zambia, Dr. Schrieber has provided longitudinal surgical care to patients in this region. Mwandi Mission Hospital is a 100 bed hospital in the rural western province of Zambia, several hours up the Zambezi river from Victoria Falls along a pothole-marred road. Dr. Schrieber has gone there on an annual or biannual basis for 20 years (excepting 2020 due to the COVID pandemic). She often takes 2 trips per year, which enables an additional resident to have this invaluable experience. They spend 2 weeks away, (includes travel time and a short safari) which allows a day of patient screening and 7 full operative days in 2 operating rooms.
The most common procedures performed are adult and pediatric hernia repair, thyroid surgery, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and orchiopexy for pediatric undescended testicles. They operate on patients who frequently travel great distances across the country to have these procedures performed. The aim is to care for any patient who shows up, if possible, sometimes relying on telemedicine with colleagues at home for guidance when the diagnosis falls outside of the represented specialties.
The trip is a team endeavor between the 12 team members from the USA and our Zambian colleagues and hospital staff, with whom she has developed a close working relationship over 20 years. This model has enabled the provision of excellent surgical care, much of which cannot otherwise be delivered in this area of Zambia. Additionally, Dr. Schrieber aims to increase training over the next 5 years for Zambian providers to improve the overall surgical continuity by enabling these local practitioners to also be able to perform some of these procedures/services.
All categorical residents are required to engage in research and quality improvement projects prior to completion of residency. This is a great opportunity to engage our residents in learning about the process of research for those with no prior experience, or to hone skills already acquired. Residents work closely with faculty mentors in an often-multidisciplinary approach within the hospital to ask and answer clinically relevant questions about patient care.
- Peggy Schrieber, MD, FACS, Research and Quality Advisor GME, General Surgery
Pillars
- Completion of required training modules (PGY1)
- Attendance at semi-annual GME QI training (PGY1, 2)
- Faculty mentored Quality Improvement project, presented at quarterly Residency QI Meeting (PGY1, 2, or 3)
- Abstract submission of case report, or IRB approved QI or Research project, for regional or national meeting (PGY4) or publication.
Faculty Mentored QI Project
- Invitation to join in QI project by full-time faculty, though residents may suggest ideas for QI projects.
- This may be Quality Improvement or Quality Assurance hospital, clinic or residency focused
- Some projects may be more extensive requiring medical record review and data abstraction which is approved by the IRB (see QI folder on Gen/Surg Research Shared Drive)
- Completed projects are presented at the quarterly GenSurg Residency QI conference
- Required for categorical residency, target date no later than PGY4
Abstract Submission
- This can be a case report, IRB approved research project, or high-quality QI project, submitted for regional/national meeting presentation or publication
- A single submission fulfills the categorical residency requirement (acceptance not required) though many residents have multiple projects and submissions by PGY5
- Target date for completion by the end of PGY4 year
- Current residents may reference Gen/Surg Research Shared Drive “How To-” Folder for rules/guidance on each type of abstract submission
Saint Joseph Hospital Graduate Medical Education Residency uses ONLY the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) for each year's application process and match. This service necessitates electronic applications only. Please contact ERAS for more information on the application process.
Categorical applicants
The following information is required to be submitted to ERAS for your application to be accepted for review:
- Personal statement
- Dean's letter
- Medical school transcript
- Three letters of recommendation
- USMLE transcript. (We do not recognize the COMLEX as an alternative to the USMLE for selection purposes for an interview.)
- Graduation from medical school must have occurred within the past 2 years.
- Applicants with a gap of 1 year or more between graduation and residency entry must have clinical experience in the United States during that period.
Categorical interviews
Applications are reviewed holistically, with consideration given to each applicant's experiences, attributes, academic record, letters of recommendation, and program signaling. Program signaling helps us identify applicants with a particular interest in Saint Joseph Hospital and is considered as part of our comprehensive review process. Selected candidates will receive interview invitations beginning in October.
Formal interviews will be offered in either a virtual or in-person format, according to the applicant's preference. Interview format will not influence applicant evaluation. This approach is intended to enhance accessibility, reduce financial barriers, and provide candidates with flexibility in exploring our program and the Denver community.
Interviews will commence November 6, 2026 – January 13, 2027 for categorical applicants.
We will be utilizing Zoom or Microsoft Teams platform for virtual interviews.
Preliminary applicants
Applications for preliminary positions must be submitted through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service). Saint Joseph Hospital offers two distinct preliminary training pathways, each with its own ERAS match code:
Traditional Preliminary Surgery Track
Designed for applicants seeking a one-year preliminary experience before entering another specialty or pursuing additional surgical training. Please see our alumni page for recent preliminary resident placement after completing their training with us.
NRMP code: 2505440P0
University of Colorado Anesthesiology Joint A/P Preliminary Surgery Track
This integrated preliminary surgery year is reserved for applicants matching into the University of Colorado Anesthesiology Residency Program. This opportunity offers the unique advantage of completing the preliminary year in the same city as your future residency program while gaining broad perioperative experience in a community-based teaching hospital. This pathway provides early exposure to the Denver healthcare environment and builds upon a longstanding track record of successfully preparing residents for anesthesiology training at the University of Colorado.
Applicants interested in this pathway within the Surgery department should apply using the designated ERAS match code listed below. An in-person non-evaluative visit will be offered twice during interview season or at your request if those times do not work. For additional information, please contact Sherry Morgan at [email protected] or the University of Colorado Anesthesiology Residency Program.
University of Colorado Anesthesiology Residency Application Information
NRMP code: 2505440P1
If you have additional questions regarding your application status and have not received communication regarding an interview by January 15 but have a strong interest in our preliminary program, you are welcome to contact Sherry Morgan via email.
Preliminary Interviews:
Preliminary resident interviews will be conducted virtually in January 2027 to promote accessibility and reduce applicant travel costs. Applicants are welcome to visit Saint Joseph Hospital and the Denver area through an optional, non-evaluative second-look experience. Participation is voluntary and will have no impact on an applicant's evaluation, ranking, or match outcome
For questions or additional information, please contact [email protected].
Saint Joseph Hospital residents are offered a comprehensive benefits package. The benefits package is designed to help residents and their families have peace of mind knowing they have the coverage they need.
- Competitive salary
- Health insurance provided, affordable dental and vision coverage
- Free covered parking
- Meal stipend when on-call, access to Doctors Dining Room for 2 hot meals a day and drinks/snacks
- $3,500 education fund per categorical resident (may be used for loupes, board exams, study material)
- DEA and state medical license reimbursement
- Retirement savings benefits through Intermountain Health
- FLS, FES, ACLS, and ATLS courses provided, completed early in training
St. Joe’s surgery residents truly embrace the phrase “work hard, play hard.” With an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, there is ample opportunity to enjoy the outdoors outside of clinical responsibilities. The illustrious Colorado mountains are a haven for hiking, biking, fishing, climbing, skiing, and snowboarding. Numerous ski resorts are within a couple of hours from Denver and are a popular weekend destination for the adventure-bound.
Additionally, there is always something to do in the city. St. Joe’s is uniquely situated near downtown Denver, where there are a vast variety of restaurants, cafes, breweries, and more. When residents are not in the hospital, there are myriad opportunities to enjoy the arts, culture, food, and other unique experiences that the city has to offer:
- Peruse the offerings at one of our renowned museums (Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Art Museum, History Colorado Center, Museum of Contemporary Art, Clyfford Still Museum...to name a few).
- Catch a performance at the world-class Buell Theatre or Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
- Utilize the expansive park system, including multiple large parks within a short walk or drive from the hospital (City Park, Cheesman Park, Washington Park, Crestmoor Park).
- Visit the Denver Botanical Garden, which is not only a work of art but hosts many events such as concerts in the summer and a spectacular light display during holidays.
- See your favorite bands perform at both intimate and large concert venues (Red Rocks Amphitheater, Ogden Theater, Pepsi Center, Fillmore Theater, or enjoy a picnic with friends at the weekly Jazz in the Park during the summers) .
- Take the family to the Denver Zoo or Aquarium. Or drive down south for a unique experience at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Third- and fourth-year medical students interested in general surgery can apply to our residency program for a third-year clerkship or fourth-year sub-internship.
We collaborate with local medical schools to participate in the education of third-year medical students. In addition, fourth-year medical students from all over the United States that are interested in general surgery can apply to our residency program for a fourth-year sub-internship via VSLO.
We also strive to improve access to surgical education to underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students. We offer several scholarships listed under the Visiting Students Underrepresented in Medicine Surgery Scholarship: VSURiM SURG 800 elective. Please see the URiM section in Rotation Details linked below for more information.
Technical proficiency and confidence is built through deliberate practice, progressive responsibility, and expert mentorship. Our comprehensive skills curriculum begins on day one in residency and provides structured training through a combination of simulation, hands-on workshops, skills assessments, and operative experience. The curriculum is organized into three complementary pathways: Fundamental Skills, Laparoscopic Skills, and Robotic Surgery. Together, these programs ensure that graduates are prepared to meet the demands of modern surgical practice while maintaining the highest standards of patient care and safety.
Resident-led fundamental skills curriculum
Our fundamental resident skills curriculum provides focused training in knot-tying, suturing, tissue handling, anastomotic technique, basic operative procedures, and surgical decision-making through hands-on workshops, simulation, and senior resident and faculty-led instruction. By establishing a strong technical foundation early in residency, residents enter the operating room prepared to take advantage of increasing operative opportunities and responsibility throughout training.
- July: Instrument handling, suture boards, knot tying, instrument identification
- August: Intro to laparoscopy & FLS education
- September: Robotics (how to set up backpack, body positioning, etc.)
- October: Intro to endoscopy & FES education
- November: Ventral and inguinal hernia repairs w/ mesh
- December: FAST exam + US guided lines + FLS/FES practice
- January: Open session for intern skills test + FLS/FES practice
- February: Open stapler bowel anastomosis & stapler education
- March: Vascular lab - anastomosis
- April: Airway management (masking, intubation, bronch, +/- vent management)
- May: Hand-sewn bowel anastomosis
- June: Central lines, chest tubes, bronchoscopy, FAST refresh & arterial lines (ICU prep for PGY2)
Laparoscopic Curriculum
Laparoscopic surgery remains a core component of general surgery training and practice. Our structured laparoscopic skills curriculum combines simulation, dedicated skills training, and progressive operative experience to develop proficiency in fundamentals of laparoscopy which includes intracorporeal suturing, knot tying, bowel anastomosis and advanced minimally invasive techniques. Residents advance through proctored skills labs with dedicated faculty mentorship, building the technical skills, efficiency, and confidence needed for operative autonomy and independent practice.
Robotics Curriculum
Robotic surgery is an increasingly important part of modern surgical practice, and Saint Joseph Hospital residents begin developing robotic skills from the start of training. Our structured robotics curriculum follows nationally recognized recommendations and provides a progressive, competency-based pathway from Bronze through Diamond levels of training. Residents advance from simulation-based fundamentals and bedside assisting to dual-console teaching, increasing operative responsibility, and independent performance of key portions of robotic procedures under faculty supervision.
Beginning during intern orientation, residents receive hands-on training in robotic systems. Advancement is based on demonstrated competency, ensuring both patient safety and meaningful autonomy. Through dedicated faculty mentorship, objective performance tracking, and 24/7 access to robotic simulation resources, residents graduate with the technical skills, clinical judgment, and confidence necessary to incorporate robotic surgery into fellowship training or independent practice. Upon completion of the curriculum, residents are equipped with the skills, experience, and documented certification needed to apply for robotic surgery privileges after graduation.
Dr. Sarah Alfieri, PGY2 - "I am very grateful to be at Joes for general surgery residency training. My journey started as a Sub-I when I fell in love with the culture. Everyone (both faculty and residents alike) welcomed me, and all were eager to teach me. I was given ample opportunities and felt an immediate connection to the program. There was something special about this program. My experience as a resident has only confirmed this. The residents treat one another as family, and the faculty demonstrate passion for our learning. The program emphasizes wellness, so when we are at work, we can maximize our learning. Residents hang out A LOT outside of work which is a testament to our relationships that we choose to spend even more time together. Additionally, I appreciate the program's intensive focus on operative experience which was exhibited by the considerable number of cases I joined as an intern (with several as the only resident in the case!). We experience a breadth of subspecialties with a variety of faculty, so we are given the opportunity to explore several interests early in training. We also get early laparoscopic and robotic experience that is unmatched. As for our formal education, the faculty put in significant effort to make our didactics worthwhile. The weekly small-group Case-Based Learning (CBL) and monthly mock orals for ALL residents are incredibly beneficial to our future boards prep and help us score well on ABSITE. Finally, one of my favorite qualities about the program is our reputation: Joes residents are known both as strong surgeons as well as personable, friendly trainees in the city which is an honor we all strive to maintain each year. Matching at Joes was a dream come true, and I will cherish the memories I make during my years in this program."
Dr. Kat Tice, PGY 1 - "St Joes was my #1 choice from the minute I interviewed and I haven't regretted it since! The people are warm, welcoming, and work as a team to take care of each other. The attendings are incredible teachers, and the breadth of operative and clinical experiences across our sites in Colorado and beyond offer diverse and comprehensive training equally suited to fellowship or private practice. Not to mention the ease of access to the outdoors and a walkable, fun city!"
Dr. Ahmad Karim, PGY 1 - "From my first look at Saint Joseph Hospital’s residency website to my interview day, I could tell this program cared about its people. Watching the residents interact, I saw a warmth and camaraderie that felt like family. I ranked Saint Joseph number one, and now, as a categorical general surgery intern, I’ve experienced firsthand the support that drew me here.
The teaching has been one of the most meaningful parts of my training. Our case-based learning curriculum brings two faculty members and a resident from each level together around one table, encouraging us to understand the reasoning behind clinical decisions and apply what we learn. The clinical volume also creates opportunities to learn early. Even in my first months, I’ve performed bedside procedures and developed surgical skills with close supervision and mentorship. Faculty and senior residents take pride in teaching, and you can see their excitement when a concept clicks or you master a new skill.
That encouragement extends throughout the program, from fellow interns to chiefs and faculty. People teach with patience and respect, welcome questions, and care about your growth. They also care about your time off, important life events, and life outside the hospital. I feel encouraged to push myself, knowing I have support every step of the way.
As the first in my family to attend college and medical school, I find particular meaning in caring for underserved and uninsured patients from communities like the one I grew up in. Seeing that commitment in practice has affirmed that Saint Joseph is the right place for me. I’m grateful to train in a program that is helping me become a skilled surgeon and a compassionate caregiver."
Our faculty and residents
Meet our team of talented faculty members and our current classes of residents
Living in Denver
Denver is a wonderful place for residents and fellows to live thanks to its proximity to the Rocky Mountains, as well as being in the heart of a vibrant city with world-class amenities. Additionally, our trainees are part of a small and dedicated work family. The community we have built among our attending physicians, residents, fellows, and staff makes our program both incredibly supportive and incredibly strong.