Dr. Stanes putting on a surgical mask
Keck School of Medicine of USC

Department of Surgery

Are you a patient?

Excellence Today, Breakthroughs Tomorrow

In the Department of Surgery, researchers and clinicians in every division do more than offer the most advanced specialty care. They also develop and perfect groundbreaking new therapies and devices. We give rising surgeons the rigorous training they need to develop exceptional surgical skills and offer compassionate care to their patients. 

Research

We are constantly working to improve patient care. Clinical research pushes forward new technologies — often originating at the Keck School. Basic science labs advance the art and science of surgery. And big data is deployed to improve clinical decision-making, benefiting patients across L.A. and worldwide.

Learn about our Research
Explore our Innovation Hub
A Keck Medicine scientist looks into a microscope

Training & Education

The Department of Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine has a long tradition of training excellent clinical surgeons. The Department of Surgery earmarks over $1.5 million every year in support of the educational programs for residents, fellows and medical students.

Learn about our Training Programs

Residencies

World-class experts mentor residents treating a broad range of cases. Build an impactful career that puts you in demand and serve diverse patients at Los Angeles General and Keck medical centers, USC Arcadia and CHLA.

Surgical Fellowships

Our subspecialty training hones good surgeons into top specialists. Use the latest technology while gaining experience with complex procedures in a high-volume setting.

Physician-Scientist Training Program

Connect the research lab and the surgical clinic by earning a master’s or a PhD during your residency. The combination sets you up to translate science to impact as a leader in your field.

Medical Students

Clerkships and workshops offer the early surgical experience you need to be ready for a top residency.

Surgical Skills Simulation & Education Center

Rising surgeons gain experience without risk by practicing in a controlled environment. Hone your skills in everything from sutures to open-heart operations to robotic surgery.

Resident Research

Our surgical residents have the option to do up to two full years of mentored research. The Department of Surgery encourages and supports presentations at national conferences.

Patient Care

The Keck School’s world-renowned surgeons bring extensive experience, including complex specialty and subspecialty training. Hospitals across Southern California routinely send us patients for advanced tertiary and quaternary care. We have high case volumes for conditions that surgeons at other hospitals may only see once or twice a year.

Maria Nelson, MD, works with a patient in clinic.

The entrance of Los Angeles General Medical CenterLos Angeles General Medical Center

Residents rotate through L.A. General, including its Level 1 Trauma Center and state-of-the-art Burn Center, working with world-renowned surgeons while offering vital service to under-resourced communities across the city. With a rare level of autonomy, this is  an unparalleled training experience.

Message from the Chair

Our residents work with world-class surgeons and one of the world’s most diverse patient populations. I look forward to guiding you on the most difficult and rewarding challenge of your life.

Distinguished Professor Vaughn Starnes, MD
Photo of Vaughn A. Starnes, MD, in a business suit

About Vaughn A. Starnes, MD

Dr. Starnes is a Hastings Distinguished Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Chair of the Department of Surgery, and holder of the H. Russell Smith Foundation Chair for Stem Cell and Cardiovascular Thoracic Research. He was honored to serve as the 100th President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Starnes pioneered the living-related double lobar lung transplant in 1993. He and his surgical team also performed Southern California’s first robotic heart operation in 2001 as part of the clinical trial evaluating the use of a remote surgical system. He has an ongoing interest in congenital heart disease and in minimally invasive repair and replacement of the valves of the heart.

The Maestro

Dr. Starnes came to USC in 1992. He was named Chairman of the Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1997 and Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 2008. As the founding Executive Director of the USC CardioVascular Thoracic Institute, Dr. Starnes has built an interdisciplinary powerhouse comprised of clinicians and basic scientists who are exploring better and more innovative ways of treating heart disease.


Dr. Vaughn Starnes stands with arms crossed in an operating room

Statistics

98.6%

10-year survival, open-heart mitral valve surgery

5,000

critical care patients each year at Keck Hospital and LA General Medical Center

1st

& only transfusion-free liver transplant program in western U.S.

54

active research grants totaling $34.5 million

97%

three-year survival rate for pediatric liver transplants

97%

of our gastrointestinal procedures are performed with minimally invasive techniques

Support Us

You can help shape the future of surgery. From enhancing care to seeding surgical advances, training the next generation to backing faculty and facilities, your gift is a powerful act of partnership.

Learn more about opportunities to support