Residency in General Surgery

Campus: Astana, Kazakhstan, NU School of Medicine building, hospitals

Language: English, Kazakh, Russian

Delivery mode: Full time

Duration: 5 years

General information

NU School of Medicine’s General Surgery Residency is a five-year program designed to train doctors of medicine in general surgery by focusing the program on basic and clinical research that enhances patient care expertise and surgical practice.


The primary objective of the General Surgery Residency Training Program is to produce a polyvalent general surgeon well versed in all aspects of general surgery, with a good grounding in basic and clinical research. Our graduates will be able to practice with confidence in either community hospitals or as a clinical faculty in academic medical centers or university teaching hospitals.


The clinical assignments are carefully structured to ensure that graded levels of responsibility, continuity in patient care, a balance between education and service, and progressive clinical experiences are achieved for each resident.


The five-year curriculum provides cognitive, psychomotor, and specific objectives and competencies for general surgery training and offers residents with the opportunities to acquire a broad understanding of general surgical principles and foster appropriate technical skills.


Career: Residency graduates continue working as physicians.

Program aims

Program aims are:

  • To prepare the specialist of General Surgery capable independently perform the role at the advanced level according to the six ACGME core competencies
  • To prepare the resident to direct interprofessional and multispecialty teams necessary for the care of surgical patients
  • Instill habits of professionalism and lifelong learning.

Curriculum

PGY 1

These rotations are designed to provide the resident broad-based exposure to the fundamentals of pre- and post-operative surgical care and a solid basis in surgical technical skills, such as the handling of tissue, closure of simple and complex wounds, exposure, and performance of basic general surgical procedures. Rotations consist of one month of experience in general and vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, trauma surgery, and pediatric surgery, anesthesiology, colorectal surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, endocrine/breast surgery, outpatient clinic, intensive care unit.


PGY 2

These rotations are designed to provide the resident with the knowledge, experience, and judgment necessary to evaluate and care for critically ill patients as well as patients with common surgical diseases such as abdominal wall hernias, colon cancer, and acute inflammatory conditions of the abdomen. The rotations consist of one to two-month experience in surgical oncology, general surgery, thoracic surgery, trauma surgery, colorectal surgery, endocrine/breast surgery, intensive care unit, endoscopy, and transplant surgery.


PGY 3

During PGY-3 training emphasizes surgical technique and skill refinement with rotations that include transplant surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, colon and rectal surgery, general surgery, and gastrointestinal surgery. Assignments are four to six weeks long. The 3rd year surgical residents are responsible for providing elective and emergency surgical consults on the general surgery services.


PGY 4

During PGY-4 training emphasizes surgical technique and skill refinement with rotations that include surgical oncology, colon, and rectal surgery, upper GI, trauma, and endocrine surgery. Assignments are six to ten weeks long. The 4-year surgical residents begin to assume a leadership role in caring for surgical patients. These residents are responsible for providing elective and emergency surgical consults on the general surgery services. Under the direction of attending surgeons, these residents will perform a wide spectrum of basic and laparoscopic general surgical procedures including breast biopsy, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, exploratory laparotomy, and colostomy.


PGY 5

This senior year is established with the primary goal of maximizing the number and variety of clinical experiences, sharpening diagnostic and therapeutic skills, of becoming an independent consultant, and maturing into an independent, competent, and confident general surgeon. Clinical rotations provide the chief resident with experience managing patients with both basic and complex general surgical problems. Under the guidance of an attending surgeon, the chief resident in surgery is responsible for managing the continuum of preoperative, operative, and postoperative care of his or her patients in general surgery, surgical oncology, colorectal, and upper GI services.


Educational Activities

Throughout the program, there are regularly scheduled conferences. On a weekly basis, the surgical service conference reviews all morbidity and mortality cases. A weekly basic science and clinical seminar series review a core curriculum in fundamental problems relevant to surgical care. Presentations are given by members of the surgical staff, and faculty from other clinical and basic science departments. Surgical grand rounds are held once a month and include presentations from all aspects of general surgery such as vascular, endocrine, trauma, and gastrointestinal surgery, as well as the surgical subspecialties.

Clinical rotation sites

Program learning outcomes

1. Patient Care and Procedural Skills

  • Ability to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. (PC1)
  • Ability to competently perform all medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures considered essential for the area of practice. (PC2)
  • Competency in manual dexterity appropriate for their level. (PC3)
  • Competency in execution of comprehensive patient care plans, including management of pain. (PC4)

2. Medical Knowledge

  • Demonstration of knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care (MK1)
  • Demonstration of knowledge of the fundamentals of basic science as applied to clinical surgery (MK2)

3. Practice-based Learning and Improvement

  • Ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning. (PBLI1)
  • Development of skills and habits to be able to meet the following goals: (PBLI2)

a) identify strengths, deficiencies, and limits in one’s knowledge and expertise

b) set learning and improvement goals

c) identify and perform appropriate learning activities

d) systematically analyze practice using quality improvement methods, and implement changes

with the goal of practice improvement;

e) incorporate formative evaluation feedback into daily practice

f) locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients’

health problems

g) use information technology to optimize learning

h) participate in the education of patients, families, students, residents and other health

professionals;

i) participate in mortality and morbidity conferences that evaluate and analyze patient care

outcomes

j) utilize an evidence-based approach to patient care


4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills

  • Interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals (ICS1)
  • Effective communication with patients, families, and the public, as appropriate, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds (ICS2)
  • Effective communication with physicians, other health professionals, and health related agencies (ICS3)
  • Effective action as a leader of a health care team or other professional group (ICS4)
  • Action in a consultative role to other physicians and health professionals (ICS5)
  • Comprehensive, timely, and legible maintenance of medical records (ICS6)
  • Counseling and education of patients and their families (ICS7)
  • Effective documentation reporting of practice activities (ICS8)

5. Professionalism

  • Demonstration of a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles. (P1)
  • Demonstration of compassion, integrity, and respect for others(P2)
  • Demonstration of responsiveness to patient needs that supersedes self- interest(P3)
  • Demonstration of respect for patient privacy and autonomy(P4)
  • Demonstration of accountability to patients, society and the profession sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation (P5)

6. Systems-based Practice

  • Demonstration of an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care (SBP1)
  • Ability to work effectively in various health care delivery settings and systems relevant to their clinical specialty (SBP2)
  • Ability to coordinate patient care within the health care system relevant to their clinical specialty (SBP3)
  • Ability to incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care as appropriate (SBP4)
  • Ability to advocate for quality in patient care and optimization of patient care systems (SBP5)
  • Ability to work in interprofessional teams to enhance patient safety and improve patient care quality (SBP6)
  • Active participation in identifying system errors and implementing potential systems solutions (SBP7)
  • Practicing the high quality, cost effective patient care (SBP8)
  • Demonstration of knowledge of risk-benefit analysis (SBP9)
  • Understanding of the role of different specialists and other health care professionals in overall patient management, and active participation in interprofessional and multispecialty teams (SBP10)

On successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

  • Evaluate surgical patients, including recognition of medical and surgical emergencies which threaten life and require initiation of emergency medical or surgical care
  • Develop, evaluate and carry out a rational plan of care for surgical patients
  • Be proficient in written and oral communication in bedside care, case presentations, the medical records and manuscripts
  • Be proficient in use and application of the surgical literature, able to understand and participate in surgical education and research

These Program Learning Outcomes (LOs) are consistent with the ACGME General surgery residency Milestone Project. These Milestones provide a framework for the transversal and longitudinal assessment of the resident physician’s progression in all key dimensions, skills and competencies required in a specialty clinical setting.


For each reporting period, review and reporting will involve selecting the level of milestones that best describes a resident’s current performance level in relation to milestones, using evidence from multiple methods, such as direct observation, multi-source feedback, tests, and record reviews, etc. Milestones are arranged into numbered levels. These levels do not correspond with post-graduate year of education.

Career opportunities

This Residency Program will contribute to the reform of the postgraduate medical training in Kazakhstan which is one of the priorities set by the Ministry of Health. These are the main benefits:

  • Optimization of the scope of practice of different health care providers, with a view to make the best use of their qualifications and skills. This Residency Program promotes innovative and collaborative health service delivery models to meet the changing needs of the population health.
  • Training a sufficient number of health care professionals able to provide general care in broad specialities across a range of different settings to care for people with multiple co-morbidities, an ageing population, health inequalities and an increased in patient expectations.
  • Training will be limited to places that provide high quality educational experience and adequate supervision and that are approved and quality assured by Nazarbayev University School of Medicine.
  • To ensure that health workers acquire and maintain the right skills and competencies to deliver high-quality health services in more team-based and patient-centred approaches.

Faculty

Entry requirements

There are two types of admission: Unconditional and Conditional

Unconditional admission
Conditional admission

Applicants who qualify for unconditional admission are expected to have:

The NUSOM Admissions Committee will consider applicants recommended for admission by University Medical Center (UMC) Residency Admission Committee but the ultimate decision to admit these applicants is made by the NUSOM Admissions Committee.

  • MD or an equivalent terminal medical degree (the highest-level medical qualification that provides eligibility for registration or certification to practice as an independent practitioner in the country), obtained from a recognized university listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. During the application period, final year students may submit official current transcripts for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcript and diploma before the end of the Program’s enrollment term. Graduates of the University are enrolled based on the evidence of the final transcript confirming the degree completion followed by diploma submission within a month.
  • MD or an equivalent terminal medical degree (the highest-level medical qualification that provides eligibility for registration or certification to practice as an independent practitioner in the country), obtained from a recognized university listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. During the application period, final year students may submit official current transcripts for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcript and diploma before the end of the Program’s enrollment term. Graduates of the University are enrolled based on the evidence of the final transcript confirming the degree completion followed by diploma submission within a month.
  • An overall IELTS test score of 6.0 or higher (with no sub-score less than 5.5 in each section), or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website;

Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life;
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a program officially taught in English;
  • The applicant is a graduate of NU.
  • An overall IELTS test score of 6.0 or higher (with no sub-score less than 5.5 in each section), or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website;

Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a program officially taught in English;
  • The applicant is a graduate of NU.
  • IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE Step 1 test report.
  • You may provide an IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE Step 1 test report after receiving Conditional Admission during your first year of enrollment.
  • A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the personal statement.
  • A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the personal statement.
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees, preferably related to the specific residency program.
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees, preferably related to the specific residency program.

Important dates

Online application deadline for the residency program for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan and for international applicants - May 16, 2025, inclusively (2 pm Astana time).

List of documents to be submitted by the applicants

All submitted documents shall be in English or with notarized English translation:

Unconditional admission
Conditional admission
  • Complete application form;
  • National ID or passport;
  • Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical diploma with transcript;
  • IELTS or TOEFL test report/certificate valid as of the date of online documents submission to the Programs (if applicable);
  • IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE step 1 test report;
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees preferably related to the specific residency program (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy) ;
  • Personal statement (up to 500 words);
  • 075у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health or other documents as requested by the University (for international applicants);
  • The document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record.
  • Complete application form;
  • National ID or passport;
  • Letter of recommendation from UMC;
  • Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical diploma with transcript;
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees preferably related to the specific residency program (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy) ;
  • Personal statement (up to 500 words);
  • 075у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health or other documents as requested by the University (for international applicants);
  • The document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record.

Tuition fee

The residency program fee is $11,200 (5 723 200 KZT) for the 2025/2026 academic year for all students.


To learn more about tuition fees, please contact us at bursars_office@nu.edu.kz.

How to apply

Entry requirements

There are two types of admission: Unconditional and Conditional

Unconditional admission
Conditional admission

Applicants who qualify for unconditional admission are expected to have:

The NUSOM Admissions Committee will consider applicants recommended for admission by University Medical Center (UMC) Residency Admission Committee but the ultimate decision to admit these applicants is made by the NUSOM Admissions Committee.

  • MD or an equivalent terminal medical degree (the highest-level medical qualification that provides eligibility for registration or certification to practice as an independent practitioner in the country), obtained from a recognized university listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. During the application period, final year students may submit official current transcripts for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcript and diploma before the end of the Program’s enrollment term. Graduates of the University are enrolled based on the evidence of the final transcript confirming the degree completion followed by diploma submission within a month.
  • MD or an equivalent terminal medical degree (the highest-level medical qualification that provides eligibility for registration or certification to practice as an independent practitioner in the country), obtained from a recognized university listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. During the application period, final year students may submit official current transcripts for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcript and diploma before the end of the Program’s enrollment term. Graduates of the University are enrolled based on the evidence of the final transcript confirming the degree completion followed by diploma submission within a month.
  • An overall IELTS test score of 6.0 or higher (with no sub-score less than 5.5 in each section), or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website;

Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life;
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a program officially taught in English;
  • The applicant is a graduate of NU.
  • An overall IELTS test score of 6.0 or higher (with no sub-score less than 5.5 in each section), or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website;

Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life;
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical degree was earned in a program officially taught in English;
  • The applicant is a graduate of NU.
  • IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE Step 1 test report.
  • You may provide an IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE Step 1 test report after receiving Conditional Admission during your first year of enrollment.
  • A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the personal statement.
  • A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the personal statement.
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees, preferably related to the specific residency program.
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees, preferably related to the specific residency program.

Important dates

Online application deadline for the residency program for the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan and for international applicants - May 16, 2025, inclusively (2 pm Astana time).

List of documents to be submitted by the applicants

All submitted documents shall be in English or with notarized English translation:

Unconditional admission
Conditional admission
  • Complete application form;
  • National ID or passport;
  • Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical diploma with transcript;
  • IELTS or TOEFL test report/certificate valid as of the date of online documents submission to the Programs (if applicable);
  • IFOM Basic Science Exam (BSE) or USMLE step 1 test report;
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees preferably related to the specific residency program (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy) ;
  • Personal statement (up to 500 words);
  • 075у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health or other documents as requested by the University (for international applicants);
  • The document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record.
  • Complete application form;
  • National ID or passport;
  • Letter of recommendation from UMC;
  • Official document confirming name change (if applicable);
  • MD or equivalent terminal medical diploma with transcript;
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 months from academic or clinical referees preferably related to the specific residency program (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy) ;
  • Personal statement (up to 500 words);
  • 075у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health or other documents as requested by the University (for international applicants);
  • The document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record.

How to apply

To participate in the competition the following steps must be completed:

Status assigned to the candidate

All registered candidates can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the candidate in the Personal account.


Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the candidate on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address.


Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the candidates who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.


Disqualified. The status is assigned to candidates who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition. For example, provided deliberately false information.


Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the candidate’s application.


Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the candidate for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.


Pending. Candidate’s application is pending.


Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the candidate’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such candidates should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other candidates reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.


Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend candidate for the program without going through the Zero Year of Graduate programs.


Recommended for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a candidate for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.


Withdrawn. Candidate decided to withdraw from the competition.


Accepted Program admission offer. The status is assigned to candidates who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.


Refused admission offer. The candidate was recommended for admission, but refused to study.


Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those candidates, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the candidate chooses another program.


Deferred. The status is assigned to candidates who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.


Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to candidates who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the candidate refuses to study at University.


Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to candidates who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the candidates in the Waiting list.


Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to candidates who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Candidate officially became a student.

What do our residents say
  • Botagoz Kaukenova
    I often used to find myself thinking: maybe it would have been better to choose a standard 3-year general surgery program? Is it really worth it to study two extra years? And then I’m reminding myself that it’s not the end point, but the journey that matters. And the journey is defined by the people that surround you, the atmosphere, abilities, opportunities, and memories that this journey gifts to you. Poetry aside, I particularly love that our residency program provides us not only with knowledge but also involves us in the teaching process as well as research opportunities. I believe these are the qualities every modern surgeons needs.
  • Azamat Bashabayev, BSc, MD
    I am a 5th year General Surgery resident at Nazarbayev University School of Medicine. I believe that the General Surgery residency program offers the opportunity to practice medicine at the best hospitals of Astana, where highly qualified physicians share their knowledge and experience with residents. The program also allows us to acquire a wide variety of surgical skills and knowledge, required to provide best possible patient oriented treatment, by the time we graduate.
  • Anuar Zhanapiya
    The Residency Program in General Surgery at NU SOM offers a unique opportunity for young physicians to gain comprehensive training at leading state medical institutions across a broad range of surgical procedures and subspecialties, including thoracic surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, colorectal surgery, pediatric surgery, gynecology, surgical critical care. As a resident of the program, I master the surgical profession under guidance of clinical preceptors, who are medical experts and leaders of Kazakhstani and international medicine. Together with a team of surgeons, we analyse diverse clinical cases (appendicitis, cholecystitis, hernias, endocrine diseases, oncologic cases, traumas and many others), perform operations according to indications and provide further care for patients. I appreciate the program’s curriculum that involves various clinical rotations and scholarly activities such as participation in research projects, master classes, conferences, lectures and teaching sessions. This diverse experience enhances my clinical decision-making and technical expertise. I also like a collaborative and supportive environment within a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals during my clinical practice. This program prepares residents for independent practice and leadership roles in their future careers.

  • Arman Kozhakhmetov
    I am Dr Arman Kozhakhmetov, a PGY-5 resident. I am pleased to share my experience with the General Surgery Residency at Nazarbayev University School of Medicine. After graduating from Astana Medical University, this program has been instrumental in my development as a surgeon. The affiliated clinical hospitals are exceptional, with some of the most outstanding surgeons in the field. Their expert guidance and mentorship have greatly contributed to my growth, providing me with valuable hands-on experience and enhancing my surgical skills, clinical decision-making, and research work.
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