Graduate Medical Education

Salary and Benefits

General Surgery

“St. Luke's will always have a special place in my heart. I was fortunate and lucky to have matched at such a wonderful general surgery training program. The breadth of pathology I experienced during my training was immense. Our attending’s, nurses, physician assistants, and supporting staff also make this program special as we become part of a family and a community that helps residents thrive.”

How Yee Heidi Hon, MD
2018 Graduate

  • The St. Luke’s graduate medical education program offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. Residents who have successfully completed the St. Luke’s residency program and moved into practice have commented that the cost of living in the Lehigh Valley is lower and they found that they had more buying power than in the large cities.


    Current Salary Structure

    Post Graduate Year Annual Salary
    PGY-1 $65,618
    PGY-2 $69,578
    PGY-3 $72,368
    PGY-4 $75,453
    PGY-5 $78,489

    Note: Salaries effective July 1, 2023. Salaries correspond to the number of years in the resident’s chosen program.

  • Insurance

    • Choice of health care plans for residents and their dependents
    • Dental insurance for the resident and his/her dependents 
    • Life insurance equal to the yearly salary
    • Option to purchase short-term disability insurance
    • Malpractice insurance
    • Long-term disability insurance*

    *Coverage effective 6 months from date of hire.


    Paid Time Off

    • 4 weeks paid time off
      • 3 weeks vacation
      • 1 week sick/personal
    • Sick time will accrue at a rate of one day per month

    Education

    • Education Allowance - $600.00 per year
    • Payment of licensing and examination fees required for advancement in the program

    Conference and Travel Allowance

    • Funding up to $2,000 for a conference with the approval of the Program Director and the Chief Academic Officer
    • One additional conference yearly with a $1,500 stipend when a resident at any level of training has a paper accepted for presentation at a meeting

    Other Benefits

    • iPad/Surface Go for Epic use
    • Prescription plan for the resident and dependents
    • Base provisions, as well as an on-call allowance commensurate with schedules. We also provide food throughout the year with exclusive resident/fellow-only events
    • Two free lab coats
    • Employee assistance program
    • Child development center provides day care for hospital employees' children at competitive rates (adjacent to St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus)
    • Credit union membership
    • Membership in the St. Luke’s Health & Fitness Center
    • Tax sheltered annuities - option to establish payroll deductions for pre-tax contributions
    • Flexible spending accounts – option to establish pre-tax deduction to pay for non-reimbursed medical expenses and/or dependent (child or elder) care
    • Resident Well-Being: Various resident appreciation events and items including breakfasts, clothing items, get-togethers, and wellness activities.