Six-Year Integrated Plastic Surgery Training Plan

The Loma Linda University Medical Center, Plastic Surgery Training Program has been accredited as a six-year integrated residency in plastic surgery with a total of 12 positions distributed two per year.

The rotations have been specifically designed to fulfill all the program requirements for training an integrated resident in clinical plastic surgery as outlined by the Plastic Surgery Residency Review Committee.

For the first two years of training we have developed a curriculum with distinct goals for each rotation to prepare our residents for their concentrated training in plastic surgery in the PGY III-VI years. In addition to attendance of weekly conference, grand rounds, program evaluation committee meetings, and other education events, we have a rigorous requirement for performance on the yearly In-Service examination.

The overall training exposure will be uniform for each individual. Activities which are provided separately during the PGY I-II years include defined rotations on Plastic Surgery, ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Transplantation Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Acute Care Surgery, General Surgery, Critical Care/ICU, Orthopedic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery/Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Burn Surgery and Management, Ophthalmology, Emergency Medicine, and Pediatric Surgery. Service rotations selected for the first-year trainee emphasize a broad exposure to general plastic surgery and other surgical services, while rotations in the second year are designed to expose the residents to critically ill patients to hone their skills at complex patient care.  Rotations in the third and fourth year have been selected to allow the residents to have a longitudinal exposure to the various plastic surgery subspecialties, and the final two years allow the residents to develop more significant autonomy in their patient care and operative skills.

By design, each institution affiliated with this program will contribute a different practice setting, research opportunity, and special clinical focus to the overall depth of resident training. Taken together, they will afford the resident trainee exposure to adequate numbers of patients from all walks of life and with clinical problems in all major areas of our specialty.

Additionally, each resident will be required to complete the basic 40-hour microsurgery laboratory course in the microsurgical training laboratory at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Time for this course (exclusive of vacation) and tuition will be provided.