UCLA will not be accepting visiting medical students for the 2020-2021 academic year. The only exception are students from local medical schools (southern California and Hawaii) that do not have access to training in Plastic Surgery at their home school. 

Applications for Sub-Internships are coordinated through the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA .  Applicants can visit the DGSOM website for a course description and instructions on how to apply. All application materials must be received at least two months prior to the start date of the elective.

I am a United States/Canadian medical student.

*International Visiting Students:  

Due to limited course availability, our international student elective program is now only open to pre-selected students from schools with which we have established reciprocal exchange agreements. Thank you for your understanding. 

 

Getting Started:

Rounds begin at 0600, or as scheduled by the inpatient chief. On the first day of rotation, students should report to the 6 West Round Room to pre-round with the assigned intern. If you get lost please page the intern using the virtual pager system (ext. 89006). The paging operator can also be reached at (310) 825.6301.
 

Goals and Requirements of the Three Week Sub-Internship:

The overall goal of this sub-internship is to provide you with a broad exposure to the clinical and surgical management of Plastic Surgery patients. Under the direction of the Plastic Surgery Chief Resident, you participate as a member of the plastic surgery team and attend the following:

• Morning rounds and patient management
• In-patient and outpatient surgery
• Outpatient clinic
• Multidisciplinary Craniofacial Clinic
• Plastic Surgery didactic conferences

During your sub-internship, you will see a variety of cases including general reconstruction, breast surgery, craniofacial surgery, and cosmetic surgery.

In addition, you will be asked to:

• Obtain daily sign-out from the chief resident before leaving the hospital.
• Participate in afternoon rounds with the chief resident (if you are not operating).
• Round with the team on one weekend day during the rotation. 
• Participate in any overnight call surgeries or procedures (encouraged, but not required).  
• Observe the following cases during your time with the craniofacial team:
  • Ear Reconstruction
  • Cleft Lip Repair
  • Cleft Palate Repair
  • Le Fort Osteotomy
• Observe the following cases during your time with the breast team:
  • Breast Reconstruction via Free Flap
  • Breast Reconstruction via Tissue Expander
  • Breast Reduction 
  • Nipple / Areolar Reconstruction
• Observe the following cases during your time with the cosmetic / general reconstruction team:
  • Abdominoplasty
  • Rhytidectomy
  • Breast Augmentation
  • BSC / SCC Excision
  • MOHs Closure
  • Skin Graft
• Keep a log of all of your cases that includes the patient's MRN, indications, diagnosis, treatment plan, out come, and complications.  You make note of your role in the case (observer, first assist, etc.) and be prepared to discuss each case.
• Exit Interview: Students will meet with Dr. Rudkin and Dr. Da Lio during the last week of their rotation. Please note that the interview will serve as your interview for the residency program. Please contact Karolina Smolinska to schedule your exit interview.

Evaluation of Student Performance:

• We only provide UCLA evaluations for visiting students.
• Upon request, Karolina Smolinska will provide you with a copy of your student performance evaluation, which may be sent directly to your home school after the completion of the elective.
• All visiting students will be required to complete a brief evaluation of elective clerkships and sub-internships and on teaching faculty. Students will receive an e-mail with evaluation instructions and links to the computerized UCLA evaluation system which protects student anonymity.

You will be evaluated by a member of the faculty and by the Plastic Surgery Chief Resident.

A. Evaluation of patients
The plastic surgery patient often has a very focused problem.  You will be exposed to evaluation and management of such problems.  The H&P should be aimed at focusing on the specific problem and salient concerns related to the problem as the primary goal of the evaluation. 

Plastic surgery patients often have multiple medical problems that will need to be addressed as well. These should be incorporated as part of your evaluation. Many of the new patients that you see will have either undergone surgery or will require surgery. Thus, a comprehensive H&P is still required. 

You will also begin to develop skills succinct oral presentation skills (i.e the pertinent points of the H&P) to the residents and attending faculty on inpatient wards and in the outpatient clinic setting.

B. Diagnostic Aspects of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
By the end of the rotation, you should be familiar with a variety of diagnostic modalities in the field of plastic surgery, and be aware of their indications, limitations, risks and alternatives. These include CT scan, MRI, and biopsy/ pathology evaluation of the presenting problem.

C. Surgical Treatment
You will have operative exposure to inpatient and outpatient plastic and reconstructive surgery, and should become familiar with the preoperative evaluation of these patients, as well as the basic instrumentation utilized for various procedures. You should gain knowledge of the potential risks of the surgery that you are observing, as well as the postoperative care and follow-up that will be required. 

Conference Schedule:

You are encouraged to check the schedule regularly and should plan to attend all conferences and lectures that are scheduled during your elective. Dress code for the dinner conference is business casual.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

My institution requires that I do a four week elective rotation. Am I able to request a four week elective rotation?

If your institution requires that you do a four week rotation, we will do our best to accommodate you. Please contact Karolina Smolinska for additional information. 

Does UCLA provide housing? 

• Although the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA does not provide housing, our students have been very gracious in their response to inquiries for short-term sublets to visiting students. Once confirmed for an elective, please visit our Visiting Student Sublet Database http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/applications/visiting_students/sublet/
• You may also wish to check the main UCLA Community Housing Office web site: www.cho.ucla.edu
• Or the Daily Bruin: http://dailybruin.com/classifieds/
• Rotating Room: https://rotatingroom.com/

Students who have been invited to participate in the sub-internship should visit the David Geffen School of Medicine Visiting Student web page for additional information on housing. 

Do I need to rent a car during my elective at UCLA?

Students who rotate with us typically walk, Uber, and/or utilize public transportation to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Students who wish to park on campus will need to purchase daily parking permits ($13/day). 

What documentation is required for the VSAS application?

• AAMC standardized Imuunization form
• CV/resume
• Letter of Recommendation
• Proof of Personal Health Insurance
• Step 1/COMLEX Score Report
• Transcript
• DGSOM Photo ID Application (form in VSAS)
• HIPAA Privacy & Information Security Training Certification (form in VSAS)
• MITS Confidentiality Statement (form in VSAS)

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Contact Information:

Coordinator: Karolina Smolinska

Address:

UCLA Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 460
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Phone: (310) 825-5582
Fax: (310) 825-0723 
Email: ksmolinska@mednet.ucla.edu