Dr. Rajesh Patel was appointed Residency Program Coordinator, and he has created an environment in which clinical and didactic components of the educational program are not only well balanced but also critically evaluated by faculty and residents alike. Educational accountability has become a key component in the training program, and this attitude has been adapted for use in the medical student electives that are gaining in both educational rigor and enhanced specialty popularity.

The Anesthesiology Resident embarking on a 3 year curriculum (PGYII-IV) at the University of Southern California is exposed to a wide variety of cases during his or her training, covering all aspects of modern anesthesiology practice. In addition the resident gains experience in all major subspecialties of anesthesiology.

Our Department provides education for its residents at three University based hospitals, and Los Angeles County and USC Medical Center, all located on the medical campus of the University of Southern California. The USC University Hospital is an ultra-modern, full service medical center at which several groups of world famous surgical teams perform operations not done anywhere else in the country. The USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital is a National Cancer Institute designated facility providing comprehensive cancer care and is a major site of ICU and Pain Management training. The Doheny Institute is a world renowned ophthalmology referral center and includes a free-standing outpatient surgical facility. These four hospitals constitute the core training experience for our residents, allowing them to gain necessary confidence during their three year training period.

The LAC+USC Medical Center, which is the largest medical complex of its kind in the country, serves as the tertiary referral center for Los Angeles County as well as much of Southern California. Here, residents gain experience in a public hospital setting, working on cases ranging from minor elective operations to complex innovative surgical procedures. The LAC+USC Anesthesiology and Surgical Trauma Team has the enviable record of having one of the best survival rates for trauma patients in the country.

At Women and Children’s Hospital, our residents receive expert training in all aspects of pediatric and obstetric anesthesia from staff that have international reputations in their fields. The obstetrical service is involved in the care of over 5,000 deliveries per year, of which at least 15% are considered "high risk," and in which our residents participate fully.

In summary, our residents complete their training program having gained invaluable experience in virtually every clinical anesthesia setting. They leave the USC Department of Anesthesiology equipped with the theoretical and technical skills to embark on a career as a consultant anesthesiologist in either an academic or community based practice anywhere in the country. We are proud of their reputation in the community.