In this section
Dismiss Modal

Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency

GBMC’s ACGME-accredited Colon and Rectal Surgery Program accepts one resident each academic year (August 1 to July 31). Founded in 1974 by Dr. Jack Rosin, the program has prepared over sixty graduates to treat patients with a high degree of skill and to manage even the most complex of colorectal problems. We are dedicated to providing our residents with well-rounded clinical training and a personalized, high-yield didactic curriculum. 

Our program's guiding philosophy is that the residency year at GBMC is a purely educational experience—there is no service component to our training program. Residents are given great flexibility and independence in planning their daily activities so they can maximize opportunities for learning.

Program Strengths

  • High degree of autonomy
  • Choice of cases with no competition from other surgical residents or fellows
  • Case volume (five-year average, AY2018-2019 to AY2022-2023):
    • 167 abdominal procedures
    • 172 anorectal procedures
    • 182 colonoscopies
  • Strong laparoscopic experience
  • Strong endoscopic experience
  • Extensive exposure to office practice of colorectal surgery
  • No in-house call
  • Support to attend ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting, regional Chesapeake Colorectal Society meetings, and multiple skills training courses (robotics, advanced endoscopy, HRA, HALS and TAMIS, etc.)

Our Faculty


George Y. Apostolides, MD, FACS, FASCRS 
Program Director 
Head, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery 
Profile

Joseph DiRocco, MD, FACS, FASCRS 
Associate Program Director 
Medical Director, GI Oncology 
Profile

Valerie Cabrera Leon, MD 
Faculty 
Profile

Francesco Grasso, MD, FACS, FACRS 
Faculty 
Profile

Rotation Sites

Greater Baltimore Medical Center: Located in the Towson suburb of Baltimore, GBMC is a 257-bed community hospital with more than 1,000 physicians and 23,000 annual admissions. The hospital completed a modernization and expansion of its inpatient facilities in late 2023 and will open the Sandra R. Berman Pavilion, a new home for cancer care, in early 2025. As the program’s primary clinical site, residents spend the majority of their time at GBMC. 

Endoscopy Center at Bel Air: Approximately 25 miles from GBMC, the Endoscopy Center at Bel Air is a state-of-the-art endoscopic surgery center specializing in colorectal procedures. Residents perform occasional cases at the center with GBMC faculty. 

Cleveland Clinic: All residents complete a two-week rotation at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio for additional experience in operative management of IBD, FAP, pouch procedures, and other complex cases. 

Suburban Hospital: Residents have the option to participate in a rotation at Suburban Hospital, part of Johns Hopkins Medicine, to gain additional robotics experience.

Didactic Activites

  • Didactics (resident-led), twice per month
  • GI Tumor Board, twice per month
  • Monthly Pathology Conference
  • Monthly Journal Club
  • Mock oral board examinations
  • CARSEP study tool

Salary and Benefits

  • AY2024-2025 Resident Salary: $77,868
  • CareFirst Platinum PPO medical and prescription drug insurance (resident pays share of premium)
  • Dental and vision insurance (resident pays share of premium)
  • Short-term disability insurance (resident pays share of premium)
  • Life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance
  • 15 days of vacation
  • 5 days of Sick and Safe Leave (SSL)
  • Free parking

Application Process

All applicants must complete a residency program in General Surgery accredited by the ACGME, RCPSC, or ACGME-I. 

GBMC accepts applications through ERAS only. We conduct virtual interviews in August and September of each year; all interview invitations will be sent using Thalamus

Our NRMP program code is 1241060F0

Visa Sponsorship: Residents are eligible for J-1 visa sponsorship through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). GBMC does not sponsor H-1B visas for residents.

Contact us

Program Director 
George Y. Apostolides, MD 
6565 N. Charles Street 
Physicians Pavilion East, Suite 501 
Towson, MD 21204 

Program Coordinator 
Vanessa Weese 
Phone: (443) 849-6910 
Email: vweese@gbmc.org