对于让外科系成为一个真正的学术部门，研究生（基础科学和外科住院医生）的培训是基于积极的研究项目基础。许多基础科学毕业生继续完成北美高级学位（博士，医学博士）或博士后。许多临床住院医生通常不仅取决于他们的临床能力，还取决于他们的学术参与，无论是硕士或博士学位。
基础科学学生与临床住院医生的互动，为解决临床相关问题的基本机制提供了独特视角的良好基础。这些关系是研究生项目和外科研究成功的基础。
For the Department of Surgery to be a truly academic department it is essential that the training of graduate students (basic science and surgical residents) is based on a foundation of an active research program. Many basic science graduates go on to complete advanced degrees (PhD, MD) or postdoctoral fellowships across North America. Many clinical residents are often awarded prestigious fellowships based not only on their clinical abilities but also on their academic involvement, whether at the masters or PhD level.
The interaction between basic science students and clinical residents provides an excellent foundation with unique perspectives to address the basic mechanisms of a clinically-relevant problem. These relationships are fundamental to the success of the graduate program and surgical research.