The residency training program in otolaryngology at Loma Linda consists of five years of progressive training in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery. The program provides excellent clinical training under the supervision of fellowship-trained attending staff representing every subspecialty in otolaryngology.

The first year consists of a rotating internship with six months on the otolaryngology service at Loma Linda University Medical Center and one month each on anesthesia, neurosurgery, SICU, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery and general surgery.

The second year is directed towards developing clinical skills by taking proper histories and performing thorough and specialized examinations of the head and neck. Residents will learn clinical- based skills such as taking biopsies of suspicious lesions or masses, ordering relevant tests and imaging, and properly preparing patients for surgery. They will become proficient in clinical minor procedures such as wide local excisions for suspicious lesions and skin cancers. Operative experience will focus primarily on pediatric and general otolaryngology, but residents will have opportunities to experience all of the facets of ENT surgery.

The third year expands upon the skills developed in the first two years. Increasing responsibilities are reflected in the resident's involvement in patient consultation, continuation of experience in managing patients seen in the outpatient clinic, and refining diagnostic and treatment skills. Rotations on the laryngology, otology, facial plastic and rhinology services allow for rapid growth of the resident’s surgical skills and medical knowledge.

In their fourth year of training, the resident bears an increased responsibility in the management of ENT patients, including running a resident-based clinic directed towards the underserved. Residents ideally follow their patients from initial presentation to the ENT clinic, through their operative treatment if indicated, and finally through their post-operative course. Surgical skills will be further refined in all niches of otolaryngology. Each resident will also spend three protected months dedicated to completing research requirements during the academic year.

The final year of otolaryngology is one of maximum responsibility including significant administrative duties as well as solidification of surgical skills. This year the resident will oversee the care of all patients on the assigned otolaryngology service and will spend three months as chief at each of our three hospitals. This experience prepares the resident for independent practice and board certification in the specialty of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery.

Facilities

Loma Linda University Medical Center is a 482 bed tertiary care hospital which opened in 2021. It is the level I trauma center and the only academic teaching hospital in the Inland Empire which has a population of over 4.5 million and represents the third largest metropolitan area in California. Complex head and neck resections with microvascular reconstruction, airway reconstruction, and skull base cases are performed at this hospital.

Loma Linda University Children's Hospital is a 343 bed tertiary care children's hospital and is the sole children's hospital in the Inland Empire serving 1.3 million children and youth. There is a dedicated children's emergency room and a 25 bed PICU and 73 bed level III NICU. Inpatient pediatric cases are performed here including airway reconstruction, tumor resection, and otologic surgery.

There are three ENT clinics on the Loma Linda campus.  The Faculty Medical Offices house the clinic for head and neck oncology and otology. There is an attached 6 room outpatient surgery suite where outpatient surgeries are performed.  The Orange Tree Lane ENT clinic provides care in rhinology, laryngology and facial plastics and features its own operating suite and on-site CT scanner.  The dedicated Pediatric Otolaryngology clinic is a new, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to outpatient pediatric ENT care.

Loma Linda University Surgical Hospital is a 28 bed hospital where short stay and outpatient surgeries are performed. This facility boasts 8 operating suites with full spectrum LED lighting, ceiling mounted HD monitors and video towers and surgical robotics. Over 200 thyroid and parathyroid surgeries are performed a year here as well as 200+ endoscopic sinus cases.

Centrally located in the city of Moreno Valley, Riverside University Health System Medical Center is a 520,000 square foot state-of-the-art tertiary care and Level I adult and pediatric facility. RUHSMC has 439 licensed beds, 12 operating rooms, a trauma center as well as adult, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. This hospital is staffed by head and neck oncology, rhinology, otology, and pediatric otolaryngology faculty on a weekly rotating basis and exists to care for the underserved residents of Riverside County, which is home to 2.5 million people.

The Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center is a 560-bed facility located in the city of Loma Linda, just a few blocks from Loma Linda University Medical Center. Serving over 57,000 veterans, the hospital provides a wide variety of services through inpatient, outpatient and home care programs. This hospital is staffed by faculty in otology, head and neck oncology, rhinology, facial plastics and laryngology.

Located in downtown Riverside, Riverside Community Hospital is a 470-bed Level I trauma center that affords our residents a broad surgical and clinic experience in a system unlike any of our other sites.

Stipend and benefits

See the LLUMC residency program stipend and benefits page.

Other details

We are accredited by ACGME to train 4 residents each year. With more than 20 full time faculty, operative experience is ample and comprehensive.

Loma Linda University Medical Center is located in a vast metropolitan area east of Los Angeles known as the Inland Empire. It is considered to be the crossroads of Southern California. The beaches of Newport, Laguna, and Malibu are only 60 to 90 minutes to the west, offering swimming, kayaking, sailing, surfing among other watersports. Also 60 minutes to the west is downtown Los Angeles, with its top-quality restaurants, world-renowned museums, opera, theater, and other cultural opportunities. Just 90 minutes south is San Diego.

The Inland Empire also provides a number of cultural opportunities of its own. The town of Redlands, adjacent to Loma Linda, turns its Main Street into an outdoor market once a week. The Redlands Theatre Festival puts on performances ranging from Shakespearean plays to musicals to contemporary drama. The Redlands Bowl provides a free outdoor concert series with world-class musical, dance, and dramatic performances each season. Traditionally, members of the audience bring blankets to sit on and a light dinner to enjoy before the Bowl performances begin. The Redlands and Inland Symphonies perform at concert halls within a 15-minute drive of the Loma Linda campus.

Those who enjoy snow skiing have easy access to the San Bernardino Mountains, only 45 to 60 minutes to the north. During the spring, summer, and fall seasons, these forested mountains also provide first-rate hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, and rock climbing. Water-skiing and sailing are also an option at nearby Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Lake, and Lake Perris.

The golf courses, shopping, and spas of Palm Springs are a 60-minute drive to the east. World-class Mammoth Mountain resort is a six-hour drive to the north.

The area around Loma Linda is a mountain biker's paradise. Miles of challenging trails are found in the unpopulated hills above the city of Loma Linda, within five minutes of the Medical Center. Other excellent mountain bike-riding areas can be found throughout the San Bernardino Mountain range a few miles to the north.

Winters are clear and mild with spectacular views of snow-covered Mt. Baldy, Mt. San Gorgonio, and Mt. San Jacinto – all over 10,000 feet in elevation. Temperatures rarely dip below 60 degrees on winter days. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 80 to 100 degrees on average.

Loma Linda University Medical Center is located in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Typically, LLUMC residents live in attractive, family-oriented, and relatively crime-free neighborhoods in or around Loma Linda. Housing costs in the area are among the lowest in Southern California and some residents choose the option of buying a home.