MISSION STATEMENT
The Brown University Program in Surgery is structured as a five-year program leading to eligibility for certification by the American Board of Surgery. Broad exposure to the components of general surgery and to the surgical subspecialties is gained through rotations at the core facilities: Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital, VA Medical Center and Memorial Hospital. In addition to the five categorical residents accepted into the program, up to seventeen interns are accepted into a preliminary program for one to three years of education in general surgery prerequisite to entering programs in various surgical subspecialties. The primary goal of the program is to produce superior clinical and academic surgeons who are trained in all facets of modern general surgery. Specifically, this training includes intensive exposure to surgery of the gastrointestinal tract, breast, head and neck, vascular system, endocrine system, trauma, cardiothoracic, pediatric surgery, transplant surgery, and surgical nutrition. Surgical residents are part of the operating team in all cases at the affiliated institutions. All residents are afforded a rich operative experience due to the volume and variety of surgical diseases throughout the hospital system. Interns will perform an average of 100 cases during this first year and chief residents will average 1200 cases over five years. The operative experience of the program is complemented by the rigorous academic conference schedule which is designed to promote resident advancement in surgical knowledge and to develop and hone presentation skills. The interdisciplinary nature of several of the conferences enhances the educational experience of the residents and promotes an appreciation for various views and approaches to surgical problems and issues. In recognition of the need for both clinical and academic physicians in the current and future healthcare environments, the program offers two tracks to categorical residents. Those residents who wish to pursue an academic surgical career may enter into two years of basic science research in one of many available research opportunities following their PGY-2 year. The Department of Surgery represents one of the most highly funded and productive clinical and science research departments in the Brown University School of Medicine. The second clinical track allows for completion of the categorical program in five years. Your growth as a surgeon should parallel your personal development. During your training, many of you will form close, lifelong relationships both inside and outside the hospital. Do not neglect these relationships. We encourage you to continue hobbies and interests that make you a complete person. These endeavors will not only be fruitful for you in your personal growth, but will benefit your patients, by providing them a balanced, compassionate surgeon. Our program will provide each of you with the support and resources needed to help maintain and develop these relationships, meet family obligations, and handle any personal issues that you may encounter during your time with us. Surgical training should not become an arduous burden, but come to be an exciting addition to your life with a committed faculty helping each resident to concentrate on and attain his/her career goals. The quality of education offered by the Brown program ranks highly among its peers, yet a committed faculty continuously search for ways to improve upon the structure. We value your individual participation and feedback regarding your experience. The entire faculty hopes that you will find a balance of clinical and academic activities and enjoy a healthy camaraderie and team spirit with the class of 2006.
William G. Cioffi, M.D. J. Murray Beardsley Professor & Chairman
FACILITIES
The Rhode Island Hospital complex consists of 32 buildings on 69 acres. Each resident spends approximately seventy-five percent of his/her time at this complex. The remaining twenty-five percent of the time is spent at rotations at the three affiliated hospitals.
Rhode Island Hospital is the largest hospital in the state and is the parent institution for the surgical residency. A 719-bed acute care academic medical center, the hospital is a major teaching affiliate of the Brown Medical School. The hospital is a Level-I Trauma Center and serves as a regional referral and tertiary care center for Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Eastern Connecticut. The hospital admits more than 30,000 patients yearly and its surgeons perform approximately 10,500 inpatient operations and more than 14,400 outpatient procedures yearly.
The Hasbro Children’s Hospital was added to the Rhode Island Hospital complex in February of 1994. This hospital was designed with state-of-the-art facilities both in the operating rooms and on the wards. With a newly expanded pediatric surgical faculty under the direction of Thomas Tracy, M.D., the Hasbro Children’s Hospital provides an excellent training experience in Pediatric Surgery, one of the six major services in the Brown University Program in Surgery.
The complex housing the Ambulatory Surgery Center and Medical Office Center was completed in July of 1994 and contains eight ambulatory surgery suites including designated laparascopic and general surgery rooms, office facilities for surgical faculty and staff. These facilities are connected by skyway to the Rhode Island Hospital and the Children’s Hospital.
AFFILIATED INSTITUTIONS:
The Miriam Hospital, located on the East Side of Providence, is a 247bed acute care facility that plays an integral role in the surgery residency. The department of surgery averages over 4,500 general surgical procedures annually. The ambulatory surgery facility accommodates the increasing demand for outpatient procedures which now average over 8,000 per year. The hospital provides a full range of surgical and medical care with an increasing emphasis on cardiovascular diseases. Other disease populations such as the elderly, oncology, acute surgical problems and AIDS make up additional patient populations.
Veterans Administration Medical Center, in Providence, is a 230bed acute care facility providing inpatient and ambulatory care in medicine, surgery and psychiatry, and specialized care in rehabilitation medicine, geriatric evaluation and hospital based home care. The hospital admits approximately 4,000 veterans annually and provides care to over 170,000 outpatient visits in 42 clinics. The Surgical Service averages 1,200 major and 1,000 minor surgical procedures each year. Continuity of care is given special importance in the Surgical Service; residents have the unique experience to participate in all phases of diagnosis, treatment and patient follow-up care. General surgery, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, otolaryngology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, thoracic surgery and podiatric surgery complete the spectrum of surgical care at the hospital.
Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, located in Pawtucket, is a 300bed acute care hospital. It is the site of the Brown University Program in Family Medicine, a regionally and nationally recognized center of teaching excellence. The hospital averages 5,000 surgical cases per year. The resident surgical team becomes an integral part of a large surgical group practice participating in
an integrated team approach to surgical care, interaction with Family Practice and Internal Medicine residents and the role of Memorial as an academic community hospital.
SURGICAL SERVICES
General Surgery There are three major general surgery services at Rhode Island Hospital. The general surgery experience includes hepatobiliary, endocrine, oncologic, colorectal, laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. Residents obtain general surgical experience at all PGY levels. The Miriam Hospital Surgical Service includes extensive general surgical, thoracic, and vascular operative experience. The team at the VA Medical Center is led by a PGY-4 resident and includes all aspects of inpatient and outpatient surgical care as well as thoracic, head and neck, and vascular surgery. The service at the Memorial Hospital is led by a PGY-3 resident and provides experience in community-based surgery. Each categorical surgical resident in their fourth year has a designated 2.5 month rotation in endoscopy at Rhode Island Hospital. Trauma Service The Trauma Service manages patients from their initial evaluation in the Emergency Department through their operative and postoperative care. Rhode Island Hospital is the only Level-I Trauma Center in the region and also operates a 10-bed Trauma Intensive Care Unit. Residents gain experience in trauma and critical care at every PGY level. Rhode Island Hospital also serves as a regional referral center for all aspects of burn care. A portion of the Emergency Department facilities is dedicated to trauma care which is directed by the Department of Surgery Trauma Service. The Rhode Island Hospital Emergency Department is the highest volume center in New England. Approximately 10,000 of the 115,000 yearly visits to the Emergency Department are trauma patients.
Surgical Critical Care General Surgery residents on the ICU Service provide the primary care for critically ill patients for Rhode Island Hospital. Residents rotate through the 9-bed closed SICU which admits a variety of patients from the General Surgery, Vascular and other subspecialty services. A third-year resident and a second-year resident have complete and direct responsibility for patient care in this unit and, in this capacity, initiate virtually all invasive and diagnostic procedures. A surgical critical care fellowship is now based at Rhode Island Hospital. They also manage the emergency care of acute post-surgical complications. Residents at The Miriam Hospital
and the VA Medical Center follow their general surgery patients through the ICU at those institutions should this type of postoperative care be indicated.
Pediatric Surgery The Pediatric Surgery Service provides care for 25-45 patients at any given time. Babies born at adjacent Women and Infants Hospital who need surgery are transferred to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital. This service is run by a PGY-4 surgical house officer, in conjunction with the Pediatric Surgery fellow, with the support of two surgical interns and a PGY-2 pediatric resident. The resident team also provides coverage for two critical care units; one at Women & Infants Hospital and the other located in the Hasbro Children's Hospital.
Transplant Surgery The Division of Transplant Surgery was instituted in 1996 under the direction of Anthony Monaco, M.D. and is currently under the direction of Paul Morrissey, MD. Residents on the Trauma Service participate in all transplant procedures and follow these patients postoperatively. At present approximately 80 kidney and pancreas transplant procedures are performed yearly in both adults and children. The majority of vascular access procedures in the region are performed at Rhode Island Hospital. Nutrition Surgical residents rotate on the very active nutritional support service at Rhode Island Hospital for one month of their first year. This experience provides solid grounding in the fundamentals of surgical metabolism and the effects of illness on nutritional requirements. Residents also learn placement of central venous catheters. Residents' Animate and Inanimate Laboratory Residents receive additional operative training in monthly animal labs which are run by faculty members and the laparoscopic surgery fellow. Residents may practice a variety of open and laparoscopic general, thoracic and cardiac procedures. Level-appropriate tasks for each PGY-level have been designated and each resident will have at least two operative training sessions per year. Practice at inanimate skill stations is required of surgical residents at each PGY level.
BROWN MEDICAL SCHOOL PROGRAM IN SURGERY ROTATION SCHEDULE
Year 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3* 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rotation/Duration General Surgery - 7 mos. Trauma - 2.5 mos. Vascular - 2.5 mos. General Surgery - 2.5 mos. General Surgery - 2 mos. Pediatric Surgery - 2.5 mos. Trauma - 2.5 mos. Endoscopy - 2.5 mos. General Surgery - 6 mos. Surgical ICU - 1.5 mos. Trauma - 1.5 mos. Vascular Surgery - 1.5 mos Elective – 1.5 mos General Surgery - 6.5 mos. Consult - 1.5 mos. Surgical/Trauma ICU - 2.5 mos. General Surgery - 4 mos. Trauma - 1 mo. Vascular - 1 mo. TICU - 1 mo. Nutrition - 1 mo. Surgical Specialties* - 2 mos. Elective - 1 mo. Location RIH RIH RIH Miriam VAMC Hasbro Childrens RIH RIH RIH / Memorial RIH RIH RIH Various RIH / The Miriam / VAMC/ Memorial RIH RIH RIH / The Miriam / VAMC / Memorial RIH RIH RIH RIH RIH RIH
* Two PGY-3 residents are chosen each year to spend their elective time at Tenwek Hospital in western Kenya. All expenses are paid by the Department.
CONFERENCES
A full range of service and teaching conferences take place at each of the integrated hospitals. The primary focus of the conferences is to expand the knowledge base of our Housestaff and in the process allow for direct experience in preparing presentations of specific patients or on a more general topic. The Interns Conference and the Basic Science Conference are specifically designed to prepare the Housestaff for their in-service and board examinations. Grand Rounds lectures on Wednesday mornings feature both local and invited faculty from across the country and overseas presenting a variety of current topics. Weekly: - Grand Rounds - Grand Morbidity & Mortality Conference - Patient Management Conference - Trauma Conference - Interns Conference - Basic Science Conference - Pediatric Surgery Conference Series - Vascular Teaching Conferences - Surg I / Surg II / Surg III Patient Management Conferences - Breast Conference - Thoracic Conference Biweekly: - GI Tumor Board - Colorectal Tumor Board - Trauma / Critical Care Conference - Combined ICU Rounds Monthly: - Journal Club
ANNUAL LECTURESHIPS
Five annual lectureships are held which focus on specific areas or subspecialties of general surgery. An internationally renowned surgeon is invited for each lectureship to spend two days as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Surgery. During this time, the Visiting Professor will address the department on his/her clinical and research interests, as well as attend walk rounds, faculty and resident research presentations and surgical case presentations. J. Murray Beardsley Surgeon-in-Chief Pro Tempore (Spring): 1965 James Hardy, M.D. 1971 Rene Menguy, M.D. 1972 Ben Eiseman, M.D. 1973 H. William Scott, M.D. 1975 W. Dean Warren, M.D. 1976 James C. Thompson, M.D. 1977 H. Harlan Stone, M.D. 1978 Joseph M. Civetta, M.D. 1979 Walter Lawrence, M.D. 1980 Robert J. Freeark, M.D. 1981 G. Tom Shires, M.D. 1982 Jerome J. DeCosse, M.D. 1983 Donald D. Trunkey, M.D. 1984 Frank G. Moody, M.D. 1985 Robert Zeppa, M.D. 1986 David B. Skinner, M.D. 1987 Lloyd M. Nyhus, M.D. 1988 F. William Blaisdell, M.D. 1989 Richard L. Simmons, M.D. 1990 William McDermott, M.D. 1991 John A. Williams, M.D. 1992 Seymour I. Schwartz, M.D. 1993 Blake Cady, M.D. 1994 Ward O. Griffen, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. 1995 Hiram C. Polk, Jr., M.D. 1996 David C. Sabiston, M.D. 1997 R. Scott Jones, M.D. 1998 Samuel A. Wells, Jr., M.D. 1999 Alden H. Harken, M.D. 2000 Carlos A. Pellegrini, M.D. 2001 Jack Pickleman, M.D. 2003 Keith Lillimoe, M.D. 2004 Barbara Bass, M.D. 2005 David P. Jaques, M.D. 2006 Jeffrey Ponsky, M.D.
Henry Thomas Randall Distinguished Lectureship in Surgical Sciences (Fall): The Henry Thomas Randall Distinguished Lectureship in Surgical Sciences was established in 1994 to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Randall, Chairman of the Department of Surgey, Brown Medical School, from 1971-1979. As the "Father of Enteral Nutrition," Dr. Randall served as a leader, educator, and mentor to faculty, residents and medical students. Each December, an internationally renowned surgeon will be invited to spend two days as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Surgery. During this time, the Visiting Professor will
address the department on his/her clinical and research interests, as well as attend walk rounds and a variety of case presentations. 1994 Josef E. Fischer, M.D. 1995 Edward M. Copeland, III, M.D. 1996 Murray F. Brennan, M.D. 1997 George Sheldon, M.D. 1998 William C. Wood, M.D. 1999 Stanley M. Goldberg, M.D, 2000 Thomas R. Russell, M.D. 2002 John M. Daly, M.D 2003 Stephen F. Lowry, M.D. 2004 Basil A. Pruitt, Jr., M.D. 2005 Richard L. Gamelli, M.D.
William R. Thompson Lectureship in Gastrointestinal Diseases (Winter): This lectureship was established in 1997 in honor of Dr. William Thompson's dedication to the education of residents and medical students, to his clinical expertise and advancement of knowledge in the area of gastrointestinal surgery. Dr. Thompson's contributions spanned 30 years in the Brown Medical School Department of Surgery. Each year, a well-known academic surgeon in gastrointestinal surgery is invited as a Distinguished Visiting Professor for two days of lectures, presentation sessions and walk rounds. 1998 Michael Zinner, M.D. 1999 Andrew Warshaw, M.D. 2000 Richard H. Bell, M.D. 2003 Harvey J. Sugerman, M.D. 2005 Jon S. Thompson, M.D. 2006 Yuman Fong, M.D.
Frank G. DeLuca Lectureship in Pediatric Surgery (Spring-Summer): 1998 Jay L. Grosfeld, M.D. 1999 R. Peter Altman, M.D. 2000 Robert J. Touloukian, M.D. 2001 Patricia K. Donahoe, M.D. 2002 Moritz Ziegler, M.D. 2003 Charles J.H. Stolar, M.D. 2005 Donna A. Caniano, M.D. 2006 Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D.
Lester L. Vargas Distinguished Lectureship in Cardiovascular Surgical Sciences (Summer) 2000 Thomas J. Fogerty, M.D. 2001 Walter G. Wolfe, M.D. 2003 Frank LoGerfo, M.D. 2004 Carolyn E. Reed, M.D. 2005 Jack L. Cronenwett, M.D.
2006 Randolph Chaitwood, M.D.
GRADUATES OF THE BROWN MEDICAL SCHOOL PROGRAM IN SURGERY
Graduates of the program have successful placement either in the private or academic sector. Fellowship placement has been successful whether the resident has followed an academic or a clinical track. The following represents the fellowships and private practice locations the first year out of residency for the past seven graduating classes. Fellowships Attained: 2005 Pediatric Surgery – Brown University Colorectal – Brown University Endorectal Ultrasound – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Thoracic Cardiovascular – University of Virginia Hepatobiliary Transplant – McGill University 2004 Colorectal – Cleveland Clinic, Florida Colorectal – Texas Medical Center, Houston Trauma/Critical Care – University of Michigan Laparoscopic Surgery – Brown University Cardiothoracic – University of Southern California Plastic Surgery – University of North Carolina 2003 Surgical Oncology – McGill University Plastic Surgery – Lahey Clinic, Boston 2002 Trauma/Critical Care-University of Maryland Cardiac Research – Brown University 2000 Transplant Surgery-University of Miami 1999 Surgical Oncology-John Wayne Cancer Institute Private Practice Locations: 2003 Providence, Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island 2002 US Military, Washington Providence, Rhode Island Trenton, New Jersey 2001 Cherry Point, North Carolina (Military) Las Vegas, Nevada New Jersey Columbia, South Carolina (Military) Providence, Rhode Island 2000 Florence, South Carolina Milford, Massachusetts Woonsocket, Rhode Island Alburquerque, New Mexico (Air Force) 1999 Columbia, South Carolina 1998 Hilton Head, South Carolina
Pediatric Surgery-Tufts University Trauma/Critical Care-University of Pennsylvania CVT – Washington University 1998 Thoracic Surgery - University of Ottawa, Canada 1997 Pediatric Surgery - Brown University Surgical Critical Care - Brown University Laparoscopic Surgery - Brown University 1996 Hepato-biliary Surgery - The Cleveland Clinic Vascular Surgery - The Cleveland Clinic Vascular Surgery - University of Arkansas Trauma - University of Tennessee 1995 Non-Cardiac Thoracic - Sponsored by The Royal College of Surgeons of England 1994 Surgical Critical Care - University of Mass Medical Center Cardiothoracic Residency - Alleghany General Hospital, Pittsburgh Vascular Surgery , Massachusetts General Hospital Colo-Rectal Surgery - The Cleveland Clinic, Florida 1993 Plastic Surgery - Baylor College of Medicine Surgical Oncology - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Vascular Surgery - Massachusetts General Hospital Laparoscopic Surgery, Brown University
New Bedford, Massachusetts Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1997 Florence, South Carolina Westerly, Rhode Island 1996 Lahore Hospital, Pakistan 1995 New Bedford, Massachusetts Warwick, Rhode Island
1993 Bartow, Florida
Residents in the Brown Medical School Program in Surgery receive wide exposure to general surgical procedures for a well-rounded educational experience. Our graduates average 1200 cases over their five years of training. Of particular note, Brown graduates perform an average of at least double the number of required procedures in each designated category defined by the ACGME-Residency Review Committee.
2001-2005 PROGRAM DATA RRC DEFINED CATEGORIES
PRIMARY Skin / Soft Tissue / Breast Head & Neck Alimentary Tract Abdomen Liver Pancreas Vascular Endocrine Trauma SECONDARY Thoracic Pediatric Plastics Endoscopy TOTAL MAJOR - RRC Surgeon Chief & Junior Cases TOTAL CHIEF 150 406 368 339 337 500 1031 880 877 1053 15 20 5 29 40 43 10 124 39 31 15 120 40 28 11 95 65 34 14 151 MINIMUM NUMBER 01-02 25 24 72 65 4 3 44 8 16 63 68 148 134 10 10 110 29 20 BROWN SURGERY PROGRAM 02-03 03-04 04-05 43 54 139 128 10 9 89 25 23 53 51 164 123 8 12 75 25 42 54 82 166 143 11 11 109 46 52
Major cases in chief year TOTAL TEACHING ASSIST Years 4 and 5 TOTAL MAJOR CASES Surgeon Chief, Surgeon Junior Teaching Assist & First Assist Rhode None Set 1203 1118 1073 1205
0
12
14
25
24
Graduate Medical Education Residency and Fellowship Programs
Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital
Salary and Benefits ~ Summary
Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital offer a competitive salary and benefits package to all of its House Staff. Stipends are reviewed annually and recommendations are made by the Graduate Medical Education Committee. PGY1 PGY2 PGY3 PGY4 $44,633 $45,877 $48,631 $51,029 STIPEND October 2005 PGY5 $54,098 PGY6 $57,347 PGY7 $60,784 VACATION PGY 1-3 (3 weeks) PGY 4-7 (4 weeks)
*BENEFITS
State and Federal Credentialing costs including malpractice insurance as a trainee Health Insurance & Dental Insurance Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance Employee Term Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Dependent Life Insurance Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts HIV Insurance - Legal Services Insurance Long Term Care Insurance Tax-Sheltered Accounts – TIAA - CREF Benefit costs are shared between the Hospital and the House Staff based upon options selected. *For specific details on benefit options contact the Lifespan Benefits office 401-444-8939
OTHER BENEFITS
On-Call meals (residents only) Lab coats and scrubs (per departmental policy) Laundry (per departmental policy) On-Call rooms On-Site day care center Paid and unpaid leave of absence Professional leave Banking facility and ATM Machine on premises
Payroll deductions for U.S. Savings bonds Direct deposit to any bank House officer loan program Free employee parking Courtesy van service to the parking lots Employee health services Employee assistance program Employee activities and discount programs Fitness and wellness center on site Free notary public (located in GME office, Aldrich 126)
An exciting opportunity afforded the residents at the Brown Medical School Department of Surgery is a chance to travel to Kenya for a two-month elective rotation at a mission hospital. Dr. Russell White, a 1995 graduate of the Brown program, is a generalthoracic missionary surgeon at Tenwek Hospital located in rural southeastern Kenya. A generous endowment from Drs. Stanley Simon and Martin Felder (senior faculty members based at The Miriam Hospital) provides for the resident’s salary, travel, and housing expenses. Tenwek Hospital is a 300-bed facility, large by Kenyan standards. At present, there are two operating rooms, procedure rooms, maternity/birthing rooms, and an ophthalmology suite. A new operating theater and conference facicilities will be opened in 2005. The hospital has x-ray and ultrasound capabilities. In addition to Dr. White, the hospital has one additional full-time missionary surgeon, Dr. Michael Chupp and several full-time medical and pediatric physicians. Much of the staff support comes from short-term visiting attendings, residents, and medical students. Kenyan doctors, students, and nurses provide much of the patient care. In addition, they offer their friendship and collegiality without reservation. Residents who complete the rotation will not find a more rewarding experience.
Each year two PGY-3 residents are chosen for this elective. These individuals function with the independence and responsibility appropriate to his or her abilities. The residents will see patients in the clinic and the ER, book surgical cases and operate, and take call. One of the fulltime surgeons is always available for back up. The breadth and volume of cases and opportunity to learn about thirdworld disease is endless. The first resident to rotate to Tenwek Hospital in 1997 completed nearly 80 cases and 50 endoscopic procedures ranging from esophagogastrectomies and thyroidectomies to bowel obstructions, appendectomies and hysterectomies. Orthopaedic, neurosurgical, pediatric, and trauma cases including burns are also plentiful. Similar experiences have been the case with successive residents chosen for this rotaton. The opportunity for growth in mind, body, and spirit are limited only by the resident’s stamina and fortitude.
Rhode Island was founded in 1636 by colonist Roger Williams, whose legacies are visible throughout the state as well as in the founding ideals and philosophy of Brown University. The area’s rich history spanning the past three centuries is preserved in a wide array of historic houses and legendary mansions, colonial inns and Revolutionary War battlefields. The grace and charm of early New England is captured in impressive expanses of historic architecture where Colonial, Federal and Greek revival designs join brick sidewalks and cobblestone terraces. Beautifully restored residences, churches and museums overlook Providence’s historic waterfront and downtown, and dot many of the smaller towns, such as Warren and Bristol.
Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 states, with a population of 1.5 million, but with its abundance of natural resources and unique blend of people, cultures, recreational activities, it is a state that is cosmopolitan and vibrant. Geographically, Rhode Island is divided by Narragansett Bay, providing the state with four hundred miles of shoreline. "The Ocean State" is a Mecca for sailors and other water sport enthusiasts, as well as anyone desiring coastal living. Newport, a 40-minute drive from Providence, is a year-round center for yachting and social activities.
Providence is New England’s second largest city, with a population of approximately 160,000. As the state capital, it is the hub of the state’s business, governmental and cultural activities. The city is home of the Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Tony Awardwinning Trinity Repertory Theater Company, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Roger Williams Park Zoo, and the many educational and social activities of Brown University. Providence is located within easy driving distance of nearly every Rhode Island suburb. Boston is a one-hour drive to the north and New York City is approximately three and a half hours to the south. Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket and the major ski areas of New Hampshire and Vermont are all within a few hours of Providence.