University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health are proud to announce the launch of a new General Surgery Residency Program and seek an accomplished academic surgeon to serve as its Inaugural Program Director. This is an exceptional opportunity to design and lead a residency program from inception—shaping its structure, culture, and educational vision while recruiting its inaugural cohort of residents and faculty. This role blends visionary educational leadership with active clinical practice in a dynamic and growing integrated health system.
Position Overview
The Inaugural Program Director will provide strategic leadership in developing the program’s curriculum, clinical learning environment, and educational philosophy. Responsibilities include:
- Establishing program policies and expectations for faculty and residents
- Overseeing initial and ongoing ACGME accreditation activities
- Building systems and processes to ensure long-term success and sustainability
- Fostering a culture of excellence, professionalism, collaboration, and patient-centered care
This role is integral to institutional GME governance, working closely with the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), the Office of Graduate Medical Education, and the Department of Surgery.
Clinical and Academic Responsibilities
The position includes approximately 0.3 – 0.5 dedicated to academic leadership and 0.5 – 0.7 clinical practice. Clinical duties encompass comprehensive surgical care, including preoperative evaluation, operative management, postoperative care, and participation in multidisciplinary teams. The Program Director will maintain active engagement in scholarly activity and demonstrate a strong commitment to student and resident education, patient safety, and high-quality clinical care.
Department of Surgery, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine:
The Department of Surgery at UNR Med is committed to advancing surgical education, patient care, and research throughout Nevada. Our mission is to provide outstanding training in surgical principles and practice, preparing the next generation of physicians to lead with skill, compassion, and innovation.
Through partnerships with Renown Health, the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, and other regional hospitals, we deliver hands-on clinical experiences for medical students and residents. Learners gain exposure to general surgery and a wide range of subspecialties, including orthopedic surgery, otorhinolaryngology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, thoracic, trauma, and vascular surgery.
Our faculty includes fellowship-trained surgeons and dedicated educators who foster a collaborative, inclusive environment focused on excellence and patient-centered care. The department plays a vital role in UNR Med’s integrated academic health system, supporting clinical innovation and expanding access to high-quality surgical care across northern Nevada
Ideal Candidate Profile
- Current role 3-5 consecutive years as Program Director General Surgery
- Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and passion for surgical education
- Strong leadership and communication skills
- Ability to foster an inclusive, respectful learning environment
- Meets UNR Med and ACGME requirements for Program Directors, including:
- Minimum of three years of graduate medical education leadership experience
- Active clinical practice
- Evidence of scholarly activity
- MD with Board Certification in General Surgery (ABS)
- Eligibility for Nevada medical licensure, DEA registration, and controlled substance license
- Experience in GME leadership (Program Director, Associate Program Director, or equivalent)
This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on surgical education and healthcare in the region.
Clinical Practice Highlights:
- General Surgical APPs available for assisting in surgery
- Strong ancillary support: MAs, PARs, Surgery RN, dedicated surgery schedulers
- 24/7 Perfusionists and Anesthesia support
- 28 OR suites; 8 DaVinci Robots and Hybrid Suite
- ECMO program; VA and VV
- 92 ICU Beds; Closed ICUs – Intensivists attend in all ICUs
- Competitive Compensation
- Full Health Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision
- CME Stipend up to $5000
- Paid Malpractice with 100% Tail Coverage
- $30,000 Start Bonus
- No State Tax
Reno/Tahoe is in one of the West’s most desirable regions offering four seasons, more than 300 days of sunshine and a welcoming family-friendly community. The city features a vibrant dining scene, growing arts and culture, and abundant recreational opportunities. With easy access to nearby Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains, residents enjoy world-class outdoor activities year-round – from skiing in the winter to boarding, hiking and biking in the summer – providing an exceptional quality of life.
Renown Health is Nevada’s largest, not-for-profit integrated academic healthcare networks serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Renown Health has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. Our organization is comprised of the area’s only Trauma Center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, an acute rehabilitation hospital, a physician-led, highly esteemed medical group, and the insurance company, Hometown Health. In 2021, Renown Health and UNR Med joined to form Nevada’s first integrated academic health system to advance our mission of commitment to supporting health and advancing healthcare across the state by expanding clinical care, medical education, clinical research and access to evidence-based care.
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) is a research-intensive, community-based medical school. With over $30 million in annual grants and contracts, our transformative and ground-breaking research not only sets us apart but serves to attract top-tier researchers and students. UNR Med currently trains future physicians in our M.D. program, resident physicians in our Graduate Medical Education programs, physician assistants, speech pathologists and audiologists, and scientists in our Physician Assistant, Speech Pathology and Audiology and graduate degree (Ph.D.) programs.
For more information contact the Renown Health In-house Recruiter, Monica Mikulich | [email protected]
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