Education
Welcome to the UCLA Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine Residency and Fellowship Programs
We believe in training world-class clinicians who are ready to be leaders in research, education, and professional citizenship
At UCLA, we value participation in state and national professional societies. Our residents and fellows work closely with high-level leaders in our specialty, and actively take part in advocating for our profession and our patients in Sacramento and in Washington, DC.
Our programs offer state-of-the-art clinical training, outstanding research opportunities, and superb preparation for a successful career as a leader in our specialty. Please browse through these pages to learn more about our residency and fellowship programs, and life in our magical "City of Angels"
Judi A. Turner, MD, PhD
UCLA Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine
Vice Chair of Education &
Assistant Designated Institutional Official
Our Mission:
To train Anesthesiologists to excel in all aspects of Perioperative Medicine, including:
- Providing exceptional clinical care that is compassionate and culturally competent
- Committing to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) and addressing healthcare disparities in our communities
- Engaging in Team-oriented, Supportive Leadership
- Performing impactful scholarly inquiry
- Fostering the education of our network of healthcare professionals
Our Goal:
To provide comprehensive preparation for UCLA Anesthesiology graduates to enjoy lifelong learning and the careers they choose, whether in academic medicine, in an advanced care subspecialty field, or in private practice. UCLA offers clinical fellowship training in:
- Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Liver Transplantation Anesthesiology
- Neurosurgical Anesthesiology
- Obstetric Anesthesiology
- Pain Medicine
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology
- Perioperative Informatics
- Perioperative Medicine
- Regional Anesthesiology & Acute Pain Medicine
- Thoracic Anesthesiology
Our Training:
Is centered in Westwood on UCLA's main campus, where the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center opened in 2008. This beautiful, light-filled quaternary care facility serves a diverse, high-acuity patient population. UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, located 20 minutes west of the main campus and only one mile from the Pacific Ocean, is an integrated facility that serves an increasingly complex patient population with a community hospital perspective. The Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Westwood, Santa Monica, and the Stein Eye Institute, located on the main Westwood campus, serve unique outpatient populations.
Four affiliated sites add to resident and fellow clinical experiences:
- West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (Critical Care, Cardiac, and Multispecialty Anesthesiology)
- MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center (Obstetric Anesthesiology)
- Olive View-UCLA Medical Center (Regional Anesthesiology)
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles (Pediatric Anesthesiology)
Together, all these locations provide wide experience for our residents and fellows in working with different patient populations and healthcare systems.
We also offer training for residents and fellows in advanced transesophageal echocardiography, research -- both basic science and clinical -- and informatics. Aspiring physician-scientists can explore the choices in UCLA's unique Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program.
We're Bruin Anesthesiology in our Community
Residents and faculty from UCLA's Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine collaborate with the California Society for Anesthesiologists to implement a four-year elective biomedical curriculum developed by Project Lead the Way in three LA area public high schools: El Segundo High School, Venice High School, and Girl's Academic Leadership Academy at Los Angeles High School. Led by Dr. Sophia Poorsattar, Director of UCLA's branch of the Project Lead the Way Partnership, this program furthers the department’s mission to contribute to advances in education equity and diversity and inclusion in health science related fields.
Leading the way for future generations
As part of this pipeline and community outreach program, residents and faculty serve as physician volunteers where they meet with high school students multiple times throughout the school year to help connect what the students have learned in their biomedical curriculum to real life clinical scenarios in anesthesiology. Pictured here, residents and faculty lead engaging and hands-on workshops on the perioperative application of ultrasound, including for vascular line placement, cardiac imaging, and regional nerve blocks. Other visit topics have included pathways to medicine and anesthesiology, airway anatomy and management, preoperative cardiac evaluation, and intraoperative monitoring.
Outstanding Clinical Research Opportunities
With the rapid advancements in technology and medical science, there is a constant need for research to improve patient outcomes and safety. As a resident, you can utilize the resources available that our department provides to conduct research projects, attend conferences, and publish your findings. Ultimately, the research opportunities at UCLA can help you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, gain experience in clinical research, and make an invaluable contribution to our field.
Global Health Equity Initiatives
Our department is dedicated to improving health equity globally through education, research and advocacy to improve anesthesia care around the world. Our residents, fellows, faculty and CRNAs are involved in these efforts. We have partners around the world including countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
We support this principle and prioritize these crucial values to help create a more just and equitable educational and healthcare system, promote a diverse and inclusive environment, and provide a higher quality of care for all residents and patients. By implementing JEDI values into our department, we educate and bring awareness to our residents the disparities in healthcare by addressing social determinants of health, such as poverty, racism, and discrimination. Additionally, promoting diversity and inclusion in our residency program helps to establish a workforce that better reflects the communities it serves, which leads to improved communication and better patient outcomes. Ultimately, by prioritizing JEDI values, our program produces a more just and equitable system.
Focused and Dedicated to Quality and Innovative Education
We are committed to providing a top-notch experiential education. Our team is focused on continuously improving our methodologies, curricula, and learning resources to ensure that our residents utilize the best possible educational tools and experience. We are dedicated to creating an engaging and challenging learning environment that promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. Through our commitment to quality and innovation, we aim to empower our residents to achieve their fullest potential and become lifelong learners who are equipped to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Learn more about our stellar Education Training Programs
Residency Program
The UCLA Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine's 4-Year Categorical Residency Training Program offers unparalleled clinical training, outstanding research opportunities, and superb preparation for a successful career as a leader in Anesthesiology.
For 33 consecutive years, UCLA Health's hospitals have been on U.S. News & World Report's National Honor Roll.
This year, our hospitals ranked No. 5 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, garnering Top-10 rankings in 11 specialty areas.
UCLA Health was designated “High Performing” in 17 procedures and conditions treated, including hip replacement, cancer, heart and back surgeries, diabetes and stroke.
Our program ranked No. 9 among Anesthesiology Residency Programs this year.
Fellowship Programs
Our various clinical fellowship programs offer comprehensive learning at the subspecialist level. UCLA provides the latest technologies, research, and treatment options, allowing our fellows to stay up-to-date with the most current developments in their area of focus. Additionally, our clinical fellowship programs offer the opportunity to work with and learn from leading experts in the field, who can provide guidance and mentorship to help develop their skill set. Overall, our Bruin fellowship training programs are an invaluable investment for healthcare professionals seeking to further enhance their knowledge, skills, and career prospects.
Medical Student Education
Our department offers various courses and clinical rotations for third and fourth-year medical students in the basics of Anesthesiology and critical care. These courses gives medical students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting, allowing them to apply the knowledge they have learned in the classroom to real-world situations. These experiences helps students develop critical thinking skills, refine their problem-solving abilities, and a better understanding of patient care from an Anesthesiologist's lens.
