Introduction
The General Surgery Residency Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center and affiliated hospitals provides training in all areas of general surgery through an intensive five-year clinical, didactic, and research program. The Department of Surgery is dedicated to the education and training of outstanding clinicians. Loma Linda University has been training physicians since 1909 to serve God and mankind throughout the world.
The good knowledge base that our residents acquire is demonstrated by the fact that the first-time pass rate for our residents over the last five years on both the qualifying and the certifying exams is 100 percent. We are one of only nine programs in the country with this success rate.
Positions available
Currently, the residency has 22 total positions at the PGY-I level; six categorical residents for general surgery and 11 for surgical subspecialties (neurosurgery-1, otolaryngology-2, urology-2, and orthopaedics-4, plastic surgery-2), and five non designated preliminary rotate for one to two years with the general surgery residents. Six general surgery residents are at each of the PGY-II to PGY-V levels. Six chief residents complete the program each year.
A key strength of the General Surgery Residency Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center is its use of four separate hospital training sites. Residents are exposed to a broad range of clinical experiences with training conducted in university, county, veterans hospital, and health maintenance organization settings. Our residents experience a diverse group of patients from many socioeconomic levels, encounter a wide variety of diseases, and provide care in four distinct health-care systems.
Loma Linda University Medical Center
The primary hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC), is a tertiary care hospital with more than 800 beds. It is the only Southern California Level I trauma center east of Los Angeles.
The house staff provides primary care to all patients admitted to the medical services under the supervision of attending physicians. Residents are the primary physicians and write all the orders for all patients. There are no "private services" for inpatients. More than 10,000 surgical cases are performed at LLUMC annually. Approximately half of the total clinical experience in the five-year residency is at LLUMC.
The services and facilities of Loma Linda University Medical Center provide an opportunity for a wide variety of clinical experiences including a transplantation services with extensive experience in kidney/pancreas, liver, and heart transplantation.
Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center
The Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center is located on a beautifully landscaped, 34-acre campus one mile east of Loma Linda University Medical Center. The hospital serves an area that spans more than four counties. The VA is a 394-bed (118 surgical beds) hospital. The rotations at this facility include general surgery and neurosurgery.
Riverside County Regional Medical Center
RCRMC is a 358-bed (129 surgical beds) facility, which is run by the County of Riverside, and is located 17 miles from Loma Linda in Moreno Valley. RCRMC is in a new facility, which opened in April of 1998.
RCRMC provides care to a diverse population including the medically underserved and indigent. The medial problems and the needs of the population served provide learning opportunities to expand the scope of our residents' training in surgery. For this reason, rotations at RCRMC are among the most popular resident experiences. The rotations at this facility are general surgery, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, and anesthesia.
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) is a 230-bed (50 surgical beds) facility, which is run by the County of San Bernardino. The experience at this hospital includes significant trauma care and a wide variety of general surgical problems. ARMC is a new facility located in Colton, which opened in April of 1999.
At each of the hospitals, the faculty supervised all resident activities. Didactic and conference activities are held regularly to optimize the educational value of each rotation.
Loma Linda University's General Surgery Residency Program is outstanding in that it provides a large amount of clinical training in a variety of settings. There is a gradual progression of clinical responsibility throughout the five years. All major operations have staff supervision. The rotations by year level are as follows:
PGY-I year: general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology, anesthesiology, plastic surgery, vascular, SICU
PGY-II year: general surgery, pediatric surgery, GI, surgical intensive care unit, thoracic surgery, burn surgery, transplant
PGY-III year: general surgery, head and neck surgery, pediatric surgery, vascular surgery
PGY-IV year: general surgery, pediatric surgery, trauma
PGY-V year: general surgery
The teaching program is well organized with weekly basic science lectures for the PGY-I and PGY-II residents. Each week a clinical review conference discusses the indications for surgeries, complications, and deaths. Each of the surgical subspecialties conducts one or more conferences each week. Grand rounds occur each week at the individual hospitals. The PGY-III, PGY-IV, and PGY-V residents are given oral examinations annually. The chief residents are sponsored to the American College of Surgeons meeting.
The department believes that the development of investigative skills is crucial to the practice of surgery. By the completion of this general surgery program, each resident should have been involved in a clinical or basic science investigation. Active project laboratories are open to those residents with specific research goals. Specific time out of the residency at labs at other academic institutions can be arranged.
See the LLUMC stipend and benefits page.
Benefits provided for house staff include:
- Health insurance coverage for house staff member, spouse, and dependent children.
- Professional liability insurance coverage.
- Three white coats, plus laundry of the same.
- Three week vacation with pay for the first year house staff. Four week vacation for house staff in the second year and above.
- Eight holidays per year: New Year's, President's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- Ten days sick leave per year.
Drayson Center 
The Drayson Center provides residents with indoor sports facilities including, basketball courts, a weight room, volleyball courts, racquetball courts, table tennis, and floor hockey. Outdoor facilities include tennis courts, football and soccer fields. An extensive intramural sports program promotes friendly competition in softball, volleyball, football, soccer, and basketball. Classes and training are available in many outdoor and recreational activities including rock climbing, camping, tennis, and marathon race training.
About the area
Location
Loma Linda is a quiet residential community of 20,000, located 60 miles east of Los Angeles in the San Bernardino Valley. The narrow valley is surrounded by the picturesque San Bernardino Mountains which rise to more than 11,000 feet.
One of the advantages of living in the San Bernardino area is its proximity to a wide variety of recreational areas. The beach, mountains, and desert are all within one hour's drive. To the north lies the San Bernardino National Forest. In addition to many ski resorts, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear offer water skiing, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, boating, and camping. To the east is Palm Springs with its world famous golf courses, natural spas, and exotic shopping. To the west are sunny, spacious Southern California beaches such as Malibu and Laguna. Los Angeles offers many other nationally known recreational areas such as Disneyland, Magic Mountain, and Knott's Berry Farm. San Diego, a 90-minute drive to the south, offers the world famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, beaches, and temperate weather. Closer to home, Lake Perris is 20 minutes away and offers fishing, wind surfing, water skiing, and sailing.
Transportation
The Riverside and San Bernardino areas boast an extensive freeway system which carries much less traffic than the Los Angeles area. The local bus service is excellent. Ontario International Airport, a 20-minute drive from Loma Linda, offers daily connections to all major airports. Los Angeles has recently become more accessible due to the addition of the new public train system, Metrolink.
See more information about the area.
Five public school systems and 20 parochial schools serve the Inland Empire communities. The area colleges and universities include: Loma Linda University; University of Redlands; University of California, Riverside; California State University, San Bernardino; Chaffey College; Crafton Hills College; Riverside Community College; and San Bernardino Valley College.
For further information please contact:
Mark E. Reeves, MD, PhD
Program Director
LLUMC Department of Surgery
11175 Campus Street, Room 21108
Loma Linda, CA 92354
Phone: (909) 558-4289
Email: Carol Farrell, Program Coordinator
We participate in the National Residency Match Program and accept applications through ERAS for the match. For your ERAS application file to be complete, we must have the following items: application, personal statement, two letters of recommendation, USMLE Part I board scores, transcripts, and a dean's letter. To be considered for an interview, your application file must be completed by November 1.
Our program does not usually accept international medical graduates at the PGY-1 level unless the applicant has successfully completed an extensive research project with our program.
Interview dates are typically in December and January. If you are granted an interview, you will be notified on or after November 1.
Please see our web site, http://www.llusurgery.org/default.aspx, for further information.
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