Here's what you want in a program.
Do you get your case numbers easily? They should laugh and say they had most of their cases 1/2 way through.
Are they a major referral center that is full service and gets the nastiest cases referred to them on the daily? Those cases put hair on your chest and give you skills and instincts. If you can do a whipple on a 86 yo cardiac cripple or a AAA repair on a former president, you can do a lap chole or a lumbar fusion.
Do you get trauma or liver transplant experience? I think both are valuable and you get some good stool hitting the fan experiences, tough lines, dicey airways, etc.
Do they either teach or get you out at a reasonable hour regularly to study yourself? You need one or the other. My place had required lectures. Others may prefer independent study.
How is the pass rate for first time exam takers? They know, they know the exactly number for every class going back a decade.
How is fellowship placement? Great programs will have near 100% successful fellowship placement at major specialty programs.
And finally, and maybe most importantly, location. Can you live there without becoming suicidal for 4 years?