General surgery residents (from left to right) Margaux Mustian, M.D., Taylor Geraldson, M.D., Woody Farrington, M.D., Omeed Moaven, M.D., and Kavina Juneja , M.D., said they are looking forward to having a place to relax.The UAB Department of Surgery and General Surgery Residency Program are excited to announce plans for a new resident lounge space on the second floor of the Boshell Diabetes Building. This 3,040-square-foot area is expected to open in late 2017 and will feature a kitchen, a conference room, a sitting area, showers and lockers for general surgery residents.

“It’s kind of the front door of the program,” said General Surgery Residency Program Director John Porterfield, M.D. “We’ve never had a front door before. It’s the first part of the department anyone’s going to see.”

Dr. John PorterfieldPorterfield said he hopes the space will serve as an oasis for residents who might need an escape from their hectic schedules.

“We had a space like this for residents when I was in my residency program, and it was just awesome,” he said. ““We watched the ballgames in there, hung out and let our guard down in a way we couldn’t do anywhere else.

“This will really be a place for our residents to call home — a place that’s not a clinical work area.”