About the Department of Surgery

The Department of Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine has a long tradition of excellence in education, patient care and research.

The department is home to the first Hansen® Magellan™ Robotic Lab on the west coast and offers innovative initiatives including a physician-scientist training program and a resident research program, in addition to numerous prominent surgical residency training programs.

The department’s Surgical Skills Simulation and Education Center provides an environment where students, residents and practicing physicians can learn and hone their technical skills prior to performing procedures on a patient. The center has the facilities and equipment needed to provide a comprehensive approach to surgical education.

Faculty physicians have focused on offering patients less invasive options in valve repair or replacement procedures and have established the school as a training site for other surgeons wishing to gain expertise in this area. More robotic surgeries are performed at Keck Medical Center of USC than any other hospital in the metro Los Angeles area. With the combination of highly-skilled surgeons and advanced robotic technology, Keck School residents and fellows are exposed to the latest treatment modalities and technology.

Residents and fellows obtain an unmatched spectrum of experience by training at several facilities, which include one of the country’s largest public general hospitals, a university tertiary hospital, an NCI-designated cancer center and hospital, two private community hospitals, and a nationally renowned children’s hospital.

Facts & Figures

• More than 60 ongoing clinical trials exist concurrently.
• More than $24 million in extramural grants supports the department’s long tradition of involvement in both basic and clinical research.
• The department earmarks $1.5 million every year in support of the educational programs.
• Over the past 5 years, 94 percent of our residents have passed the written or qualifying American Board of Surgery examinations on the first attempt; 91 percent have passed the oral or certifying exam on the first attempt.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to training the next generation of leaders in international specialty medicine. We strive for a level of excellence in our trainees that reflects our passion for our work and our specialty’s advances. Our unique commitment to patient care that moves from bench to bedside is manifested in programs that addresses of variety of complex problems.