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Department of Surgery Department of Surgery

Residency Rotations in General Surgery

UCSD/VA General Surgery

The three major teaching hospitals are home to busy elective and emergency general surgery services. All three hospitals provide exposure to a wide variety of cases ranging from basic general surgical cases to highly complicated laparoscopic, oncologic, colorectal, endocrine and hepato-biliary cases. There is also ample exposure to surgical endoscopy with both EGD and colonoscopy.

Trauma Surgery

UCSD Hillcrest is a Level One Trauma Center under the guidance of Dr. Todd Costantini and his colleaguess. They are also involved in managing the Acute Care General Surgical Service at UCSD Hillcrest. This rotation provides a wide breadth of exposure to a variety of blunt and penetrating trauma. Also this rotation is one where critical care skills are developed and matured at the PGY 3 level.

Vascular Surgery

The three major teaching hospitals are home to a busy vascular surgical practice. There is a large exposure to both endovascular and open techniques.

Transplant Surgery

UCSD Hillcrest is the transplant center with a busy practice of liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. Residents work closely with the transplant surgical attendings as well as the nephrology and hepatology departments in managing these complicated patients.

Burn Surgery

UCSD Hillcrest has the only Burn Unit in the Greater San Diego Area. This unit is the referral center for all San Diego County. It has received recognition in the two recent wildfires in the San Diego area in 2003 and 2007.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente has a long standing partnership with UC San Diego for more than 20 years. Residents at Kaiser are exposed to a busy general and vascular surgery service. This rotation is often cited as one of the busiest and most rewarding rotation.

Rady Children's Hospital

The Rady Children's Hospital rotation is a high pace and busy rotation with a wide variety of cases. Rady Children's Hospital also has a partnership with nearby Mary Birch Sharp's Hospital and provides a wide variety of complicated neonatal cases to further enhance the experience.