Rotation Schedule Overview

Internship (PGY 1)

The intern year is a traditional preliminary surgery year where the intern rotates through various subspecialties. Rotations during this year consist of:

Three-month rotation on Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Los Angeles General Medical Center

Three-month rotation on Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Keck Hospital of USC

The intern also completes six one-month rotations in the following:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Burn Unit
  • Neurological Surgery
  • Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Trauma/Acute Care Surgery

This year is spent at Los Angeles General Medical Center and Keck Hospital of USC.

The PGY2 year is spent entirely at the Los Angeles General Medical Center on the Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery service. During this year, the resident is part of a team consisting generally of a PGY5, PGY1 and medical student. One of the three-month blocks will include a PGY3 resident.

The PGY3 rotations are divided among Los Angeles General Medical Center, Keck Medical Center, and CHLA as follows:

Los Angeles General Medical Center:

  • 3 months on the Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Service with a PGY5 and PGY2

Keck Medical Center

  • 3 months on the rhinology, laryngology, and sleep surgery service along with a PGY4 and PGY1 resident
  • 1 month on the otology service
  • 1 month on the sleep surgery service
  • 1 month in outpatient clinic

CHLA

  • 3 months on the Pediatric Otolaryngology service with a PGY3 resident from UCLA

Additionally, in the fall of the PGY3 year, residents have protected research time that is designed to prepare them well for their research rotation in the PGY4 year. Residents interested in clinical or translational research may enroll in a course on clinical and translational research study design, during which they develop a research protocol suitable for a research grant application. Residents interested in basic research have an equal amount of protected research time.

During the PGY IV year, nine months are spent rotating at Keck Hospital of USC in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery where they are actively involved in the management of the private patients of the attending physicians and obtain substantial clinical and operative experience.

PGY IV residents also spend three months on a research rotation. During this time, they are expected to conduct and complete a research project.

PGY V work in the capacity of Chief Residents and are expected to act as a supervising resident following the guidelines as laid by the Caruso Department of Otolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery and the Los Angeles General Medical Center. They will and are expected to be the leader of one of the four teams. They spend the entire year at Los Angeles General Medical Center.
*PGY – Post-Graduate Year
Sample Block Schedule