Residency training at the UCLA Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine consists of four years of intense and rewarding clinical, academic, and personal growth. The program is based in the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (RRUMC), one of the most technologically sophisticated hospitals in the world. RRUMC has been named the #1 hospital in the western United States for 27 consecutive years, and in the top five hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA has also consistently ranked among the top pediatric medical centers in the United States, according to the U.S. News & World Report survey of "America's Best Children's Hospitals."
Judi A. Turner, MD, PhD
Director's Welcome >
Our residents benefit from diverse patient populations and challenging cases that are unsurpassed for anesthesiology training, from pediatric liver and heart transplants performed as early as the CA1 year at RRUMC, to ambulatory orthopedic cases in our fast-paced ambulatory surgery centers. Our program currently offers 100 residency positions with 25 residents per class in each of the four years. Training begins in the PGY1 year during our tailored Clinical Base Year, that includes a month of anesthesiology at RRUMC in addition to significant experience in preoperative evaluation, critical care, and internal medicine. At UCLA, we provide comprehensive exposure to a variety of hospital settings with additional training in cardiothoracic, pediatric, obstetric, and regional anesthesiology at several sites in the local area. Opportunities for international and other innovative experiences are encouraged.
Resident research and scholarly activity in informatics, quality improvement, and patient safety are an important part of training at UCLA. Residents present hypothesis-based research and other scholarly activity at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting, the Western Anesthesia Residents' Conference, and subspecialty conferences with department sponsorship. Advanced research track opportunities are also available.
Our residents successfully apply to the most competitive fellowship programs in the country. Recent graduates have pursued fellowship training in Clinical Research, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Liver Transplantation Anesthesiology, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, Pediatric Anesthesiology, Regional Anesthesiology, and Thoracic Anesthesiology.
Education is emphasized from a clinical perspective, and also with significant didactics including simulator experiences, all during protected time. Residents receive up to $1500 per year in education funds ($4,000 over four years). They receive five days of conference time and four weeks of vacation annually, the maximum allowed by the ACGME, in addition to major holidays.
Program Introduction:
Program Brochure (PDF) >
Our residency program emphasizes leadership in the perioperative care of patients and is committed to instilling an appreciation for lifelong learning. Education is a top priority, as evidenced by the membership of the Education Steering Committee (ESC), which includes:
Many other faculty members are involved in medical student teaching and department educational programs. Our chief residents and peer-selected representatives from each of the PGY1-PGY3 classes are the heart of the ESC, which meets monthly to seek resident input for program development and improvement throughout the year. In addition, an extensive program review with residency program directors and the residents occurs annually at the resident retreat.
We take great pride in our residency training program, and hope that you will take a few minutes to visit the rest of our departmental website to learn more.
