Residency in Surgery is a full time endeavor that requires a total commitment and concentration in learning the art of science in surgery. Service to patients is an integral part of the concentration and unique learning experience.

The National Kidney Institute (NKI) - Department of Surgery produced its first graduate of its residency program in 1991. Six more graduates of the General Surgery program followed until 1997. The graduates of the program are now practicing surgeons venturing out as north as Ilocos and as south as Catanduanes. Other resident doctors who took their first two years of General Surgery program are now in the field of Urology.

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) - General Surgery residency program for the new millennium is an integrated one with the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC). This is in line with the Department of Health's mandate to link the 4- subspecialty hospitals namely National Kidney & Transplant Institute (NKTI), Philippine Heart Center (PHC), Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) and East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC). The integrated hospital system is named as the Philippine Center for Specialized Health Services. The new EAMC - NKTI General Surgery residency program has one set of resident doctors rotating at the five hospitals under the integrated system.

The training in the Department of Surgery is a modified pyramidal system with graduated responsibility over a five-year program. Application for the first year residency program can be availed of and should be submitted to the Department of Surgery Office - East Avenue Medical Center. An applicant should pass the Qualifying Examination for Residency Training or QUERT given by the Department of Health before applying. The number of residents admitted in the first year level is decided upon by a board composed of consultants under the Integrated EAMC-NKTI Genera Surgery program. Not all of these residents will be able to continue to the third, fourth and fifth year level. One or two residents are admitted in the first year, however, these are expected to proceed to a subspecialty. (Urology and Orthopedics) after 1-2 years of General Surgery.

The trainees carry the title of assistant resident from first to third year level, is called a senior assistant resident at the fourth year and becomes the chief resident in his fifth year.

During the first and second year level, the assistant resident is expected to become familiar with the diagnostic work-up and pre-operative and post operative care of surgical patients with emphasis on trauma, emergency surgery and the fundamental knowledge of surgical nutrition, wound healing, prevention and control of infection, critical care (ICU), fluid and electrolyte corrective therapy. Operative skillsexpected to be developed are essentially that of understanding the variety of intra-operative surgical judgment and maneuvers rather than doing the operations itself.

Thus, O.R. experience will essentially be that of a second or first assistant. They may be allowed to do minor or medium type operations with the chief resident acting as first assistant. Rotation to subspecialties is usually started at the second year and is continued to the third and fourth year. Operative responsibilities is gradually increased and is individually adjusted depending on the trainee's capability and maturity.

As fifth year and chief resident, he is expected to assume full responsibilities of patient care and is directly responsible to the Chairman of the Department. He is allowed independent operative experience but is continuously supervised by the Chairman of the Department and his delegated consultants. This considered being the most important year in his training where he is expected to be fully mature into a full-fledged surgeon with sound surgical judgment and adept technical skills. He is expected to pass the certified examination of the Philippine Board of Surgery upon completion of the five-year training.