Rotations include Trauma Surgery, Intensive and Critical Care Medicine, Anesthesia and Peri-operative care, Emergency Medicine, Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, General Surgery and several elective month-long rotations.

This is the first year of dedicated Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery concentration. Rotations will include time at San Francisco General Hospital where outpatient clinical care and trauma management is emphasized. This rotation is an excellent opportunity for early specialty surgical experience. The UCSF Parnassus rotation is where surgery in the fields of otology/neurotology/skull base surgery, rhinology /sinus surgery/endoscopic skull base surgery, and sleep surgery is experienced. Starting February 2015, our new, state of the art UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco is where pediatric otolaryngology rotations take place. Outpatient specialty clinics, located at Mt. Zion, are introduced and in-patient consultation is common. Introduction to surgical assistance on oncologic resections and the care of surgical patients with multiple co-morbidities is the focus of the rotation at the Bakar Cancer Hospital at UCSF Mission Bay - a part of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. This brand new hospital is the only National Cancer Institute designated hospital in the Bay Area.

Rotations at San Francisco General Hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital, and another block at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. The department’s specialty laryngology practice with Dr. Mark Courey and our Facial Plastic Surgery Practice with Dr. P. Daniel Knott are located at the Mt. Zion campus. These fields are also emphasized during this rotation block. A special course in clinical research during protected time from clinical work in the PGY-3 year is the catalyst for a future research block in the PGY-4 year.

Currently we offer four months of dedicated research, 4 months of early Chief level experience as the senior-most resident on the service at San Francisco General Hospital, and 4 months as the senior resident at the UCSF Parnassus practice (otology/neurotology, skull base surgery; rhinology/sinus surgery; sleep surgery).

This final year includes supervisory, administrative, and leadership roles at UCSF Parnassus, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center. The chief resident’s responsibilities include a busy surgical schedule, direct supervision of medical students and residents, as well as being in charge of the schedule for academic teaching and conferences. Although this is a rigorous year, and the learning curve is steep, the rewards are great. At the conclusion of the Chief Resident year, our graduates are prepared for an academic position or an independent practice in the community. Many of our residents choose to go on to advanced clinical or research fellowship training. Many of our program graduates have gone on to become chairmen, academic faculty, and clinical leaders throughout the United States.