Surgical Foundations and Residency Roadmap
A practical system to help you stay organized, communicate safely, and handle the most common situations on the floor, in the OR, and in the ICU with more confidence.
Taught by Dr. Foula Kontonicolas, board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.
Educational content only. Always follow your program’s supervision and clinical protocols.
If you feel like you are constantly catching up, you are not alone.
Surgical training moves fast. You are expected to manage details, prioritize quickly, communicate clearly, and follow through consistently. Most early stress is not because you lack intelligence or work ethic. It is because no one gives you a simple, repeatable system for how to function day to day.
This course gives you that system.
What changes when you have a system
- Run a consistent daily workflow so tasks do not get missed
- Approach pages and consults with structure instead of guessing
- Recognize red flags and know when to escalate
- Communicate clearly with seniors, attendings, nurses, and staff
- Build confidence with common procedures and OR expectations
- Understand ICU fundamentals and respond when things change
- Prepare for the career transition with boards, contracts, benefits, and risk basics
Who this course is for
Incoming surgery residents and early PGY1s
Current residents of any PGY level who want stronger systems for the floor, OR, and ICU
Medical students preparing for surgery rotations or sub internships
IMGs preparing for surgical training in the United States
This course supports your training. It does not replace supervision or program protocols.
What is included
Full access to all modules and lessons
Clear organization so you can jump to what you need quickly
Practical frameworks you can apply immediately
On-demand access so you can rewatch before rotations and call
Enroll NowCourse curriculum
Module 1: Surgical Residency Survival 101
Module 2: Essential Procedures for Junior Residents
Module 3: OR Basics and Instrumentation
Module 4: Troubleshooting in the OR and ICU
Module 5: Career and Academic Guidance
Meet your instructor
Dr. Foula Kontonicolas, MD.
Dr. Foula Kontonicolas, MD is a board certified General Surgeon and Surgical Critical Care surgeon affiliated with Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, New York. She earned her medical degree from New York Medical College, completed residency training at Danbury Hospital, and completed fellowship training at Hartford Hospital. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.
Dr. Kontonicolas teaches with a practical, systems based approach focused on real day to day performance in surgical training. Her work spans the operating room and ICU, and she is known for turning high pressure clinical situations into clear frameworks for workflow, communication, decision making, and safe escalation.
Frequently asked questions
Is this only for PGY1?
Does this replace program curriculum or supervision
How long do I have access?
Is this a certification?
How do I access the course?
 Ready to build your residency readiness system
If you want a structured roadmap you can return to anytime, this course was built for you.
Educational content only. Not medical advice. Always follow your institution’s clinical protocols and supervision.
