Resources for Residents-Books, Apps, etc.
TSRA offers various resources for medical students, general surgery residents, and cardiothoracic surgery residents and fellows interested cardiothoracic surgery education.*
TSRA has launched a new website that serves as a central location for access to all previously published resources, updated newsletters, event calendars, and the TSRA question bank.
This is the official YouTube channel for the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA). The mission of TSRA is to represent the interests of all residents training in cardiothoracic surgery. To that end, this organization was started by residents and continues to be overseen by residents who are still in training programs. Visit TSRA’s YouTube Channel.
With the help of residents and senior faculty from around the country, TSRA will release a series of podcasts covering various adult cardiac, thoracic, and congenital heart surgery topics. This resource is similar to the popular TSRA Clinical Scenarios but in audio format. In each podcast a resident interviews an expert faculty regarding the background, work-up, surgical considerations and pertinent potential complications of a given condition. Podcasts can be accessed and streamed via SoundCloud here or through the SoundCloud app. TSRA plans to release 1-2 podcasts per month over the next several years, so please check the website regularly for new material.
TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2nd Edition
The 2nd Edition of TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery expands the scope of clinical scenarios to keep pace with the ever-changing clinical cardiothoracic training environment. The goal the 2nd edition is to review common, high-yield clinical scenarios that may surface during a cardiothoracic surgeon’s practice in congenital, thoracic, or adult cardiac surgery. It was written by residents for residents. This new edition contains 19 new chapters (36-chapter revisions) with 91 chapters authored by 159 residents and faculty nationwide. The structure and flow of the book has been maintained, utilizing the three major sections of cardiothoracic surgery: General Thoracic Surgery, Adult Cardiac while expanding the congenital section to be Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Click here to purchase the e-book for Kindle or paperback on Amazon.
TSRA Decision Algorithms in Cardiothoracic Surgery
TSRA Decision Algorithms in Cardiothoracic Surgery is available for all cardiothoracic surgery residents, present and future. This unique application, developed by residents and cardiothoracic surgery faculty, is a 100-chapter compendium with an individual algorithm on various topics to provide a foundation and framework of important cardiothoracic surgery topics with clinical decisions. TSRA Decision Algorithms in Cardiothoracic Surgery is available on Amazon.
TSRA Online Question Bank
The TSRA Online Question Bank allows the user to register for free and immediately access hundreds of questions. The questions test their knowledge base by answering multiple-choice questions in the major disciplines associated with thoracic surgery: adult cardiac surgery; congenital cardiac surgery; general thoracic surgery; and trauma and critical care. The user selects the best answer and is immediately notified if their choice was correct. The notification contains the correct answer and, usually, an explanation for the correct answer and the incorrect options. The questions are reset to allow the user to repeat the questions as needed. The platform uses the Fred software platform providing a similar to that of USMLE testing. Questions will be updated.
Click here to access the TSRA Online Question Bank.
TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Edition
The second edition of TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery, edited by the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) and authored by thoracic surgery residents in North American training programs, is a summary of critical information that cardioth
oracic surgeons need to be familiar with. The second edition includes updated guidelines and additional chapters to offer a broad review of topics in general thoracic surgery, adult cardiac surgery, congenital cardiac surgery, and cardiothoracic trauma and critical care. The TSRA is an organization that represents all cardiothoracic surgery residents in the United States.
TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2nd Edition is available in the following formats:
- As a print book on Amazon.
- As an e-book for Kindle on Amazon.
TSRA Multiple Choice Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery
This app allows the user to test their knowledge base by answering multiple choice questions in the major disciplines associated with thoracic surgery: adult cardiac surgery, congenital cardiac surgery, general thoracic surgery, and trauma and critical care. Each of the four disciplines is subdivided into important categories with about 10 questions for each subject. The user selects the best answer and is immediately notified if their choice was correct. The notification contains the correct answer and, usually, an explanation for the correct answer and the incorrect options. Answered questions are stored on the device as either answered correctly or answered incorrectly. This gives the user the opportunity to review their previous attempts. The questions can all be reset to allow the user to repeat the questions as needed.
TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery
The goal of TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery, edited by the TSRA and authored by more than 50 cardiothoracic surgery residents from different programs around the country, is to synthesize the breadth of information that a cardiothoracic surgeon has to be familiar with into a few hundred pages. The material is organized into four different sections: General Thoracic Surgery; Adult Cardiac Surgery; Congenital Cardiac Surgery; and Cardiothoracic Trauma and Critical Care.
The TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery is available in the following formats:
1. As a PDF file in English (free English download) and Turkish (free Turkish download).
2. As an e-book (.mobi, .epub) to use with various electronic platforms (Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Nook, Mac/PC, and other e-readers) (free download).
3. As a print book on Amazon.
4. As an e-book for Kindle on Amazon.
TSRA Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery
The Primer is an integrated educational resource produced by residents, for residents, illustrating the fundamental concepts a new learner needs to become familiar with upon entering the arena of cardiothoracic surgery. It is a “primer,” and as such is tailored to the student in the neophyte stage of learning. The book is currently available on the iBookstore. Additional formats for Kindle, Android and other devices are in development.
Download the TSRA Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery from iTunes now.
TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery
This important resource completes the logical continuum of resident education aimed at the application of decision-making, surgical technique, and knowledge towards different clinical case scenarios. The goal of TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery is to review common, high-yield, and important scenarios that may surface during the course of a cardiothoracic surgeon’s practice in congenital, thoracic, or adult cardiac surgery. Like other TSRA projects, TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery was written by residents for residents.
Contents of the book are organized into three major surgical sections: General Thoracic, Adult Cardiac, and Congenital Cardiac. Each chapter contains 10 sections designed to emulate possible conversation during the workup and treatment of a given patient: concept; chief complaint; differential, history and physical; tests; index scenario; treatment/management; operative steps; potential questions/alternative scenarios; and pearls/pitfalls.
TSRA Clinical Scenarios in Cardiothoracic Surgery is available in the following formats:
1. As a print book on Amazon.
2. As an e-book for Kindle on Amazon.
3. As an iPad and iPhone app through iTunes. 
TSRA Operative Dictations in Cardiothoracic Surgery
This resource seeks to provide a review of the major steps of an operation, as well as a guide to the appropriate documentation of the conduct of that operation. TSRA hopes the text will be useful for both practicing surgeons and residents in training. While the list of operations included in the text is extensive it is not intended to be inclusive of the entire breadth of the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Additionally, the text provides descriptions of one approach to the operations included. TSRA acknowledges that the approach to a given operation may vary among surgeons and institutions. This text is not intended to establish a uniform ‘correct’ approach, nor is it intended as a surrogate for formal residency training.
TSRA Operative Dictations in Cardiothoracic Surgery is available in the following formats:
1. As a print book on Amazon.
2. As an e-book for Kindle on Amazon.
Fighting Fatigue
TSRA and TSDA are pleased to make available Fighting Fatigue: A Guide for Cardiothoracic Surgery Residents. This free download is provided to help cardiothoracic surgery residents navigate their way through long days and long nights throughout their training.
Click here to download your free copy.
Online Thoracic Oncology Course from the University of Michigan
This free online resource created by thoracic surgeons and oncologists at the University of Michigan provides a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary introduction to approaches in the care of patients with thoracic malignancies (encompassing lung and esophageal cancers). Didactic material covers epidemiology, screening and diagnosis, staging, imaging, radiation therapy, systemic therapy, surgery, psychiatry, and patient support topics. This is an on-demand course with integrated learning units that are focused on specific topics. Each unit contains several video lectures with interactive questions and is followed by a short quiz. The course is available at: https://www.coursera.org/learn/thoracic-oncology.
TSRA resources are provided as a basic guideline for the study of cardiothoracic surgery and should be used in conjunction with a variety of other educational references and resources. TSRA resources should not be construed as definitive study guides for either the TSDA In-Training Exam or the ABTS Part I (Written) and Part II (Oral) Certification Exams. TSRA makes no claims regarding the study guide’s value in preparing for, or its contribution toward performance on, either the TSDA In-Training Exam or the ABTS Certification Exams. TSRA resources are educational tools only and any medical decisions should be made only after discussions with appropriate healthcare providers.