Valley Health System Announces Residency Program for Surgery

PARAMUS, NJ, April 30, 2024 – Valley Health System, in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is proud to announce the establishment of a Graduate Medical Education (GME) program to educate and train the next generation of surgeons.

“Valley is proud to be furthering our partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the United States, to expand our medical education program offerings in northern New Jersey,” said Robert Brenner, MD, President of Valley Health System.

Valley’s new surgical program was recently approved and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Valley will welcome 15 residents in the fields of internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology programs this July.

Applications for the General Surgery Residency Program will be accepted in September of 2024, with the matriculation of the first class of three residents in the summer of 2025.

“Mount Sinai is proud to continue to support Valley Health System in bringing medical education to Bergen County, NJ. These programs will not only increase the number of providers for the community but will also further improve the high quality of care,” said I. Michael Leitman, MD, Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Eric Lazar, MD, Chair of Surgical Services for Valley Medical Group, will serve as the Director of the General Surgery Residency Program. Dr. Lazar is board certified in pediatric surgery and treats all general, oncologic, and thoracic surgical conditions that occur in children from newborn to 21 years old. Dr. Lazar obtained his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in New York. He completed his residency in general surgery from New York University and fellowships in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation at Columbia University and pediatric surgery at Children’s Hospital of New York. He is the former President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and is currently on the Board of Governors for the American College of Surgeons.

“Surgery training is long and difficult. As a program director, I have the privilege and opportunity to be a guide and to light the path for a select group of those committing themselves to this training,” said Dr. Lazar. “Adding training programs to Valley is the next step in ascending the ladder of excellence. These new residents will become part of a welcoming community of caring people and a brand-new state-of-the-art facility. This is a win for patients, trainees, the hospital, and the community.”

To learn more about graduate medical education at Valley, please visit ValleyHealth.com/GME.