Residency Training Program

The residency training program is designed to afford the resident progressive independence and responsibility while learning all aspects of the broad specialty of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

The PGY 1 year is a traditional straight surgery year rotating through various subspecialties.

The PGY 2 year is spent entirely at the Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center (The County Hospital). This is the largest, busiest hospital in the United States. Nine months are spent on a team consisting generally of a PGY 5, a PGY 3, a PGY 1, and a medical student. Three months are spent on the pediatrics rotation at the Womens and Childrens Hospital of the LAC + USC Medical Center.

Eight months of the PGY 3 year is also spent at the LAC+USC Medical Center. Three months are spent at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and one month is spent at the House Ear Institute. The time at the House Ear Institute exposes the resident to a large volume of advanced tomporal bone surgery, plus a significant time with Jennifer Derebery, M.D. in a busy otolaryngic allergy practice. Plus, there will be ample time to study temporal bone histology with Dr. Fred Linthicum and the largest temporal bone collection in the world. Also, the resident will gain exposure to the multiple research projects there in basic hearing science with a heavy emphasis on molecular biology and the genetics of hearing loss.

The PGY 4 year is divided between 6 months at the LAC+USC Medical Center and 6 months at the USC University Hospital. The former 6 months involve a combination of covering the consultation service, coupled with time for research. The other 6 months are spent working with the full-time faculty at the private USC University Hospital. This is a heavy operating experience where the resident works one-on-one with the faculty on patients. This period prepares the resident to function as an effective chief resident in the PGY 5 year.

The PGY 5 year is spent entirely at the LAC+USC Medical Center functioning as a chief resident in charge of a team consisting of a PGY 3, PGY 2, PGY 1 and a medical student. As required by the ACGME and the RRC, the PGY 5, in particular, is given significant, progressive responsibility to perform individually and to supervise more junior residents.

Intellectual curiosity is encouraged and all residents after the PGY 2 level are expected to engage in research each year resulting in a publication in a peer review journal or presentation at a national meeting or both. Residents who have papers accepted at regional and national meetings have their expenses paid and there is no limit on the number of meetings.