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Resident Life
UCI Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care fosters a community of friendship and support for all members of the department. There is a strong camaraderie between all clinical providers and staff.
We support a balanced approach to residency training and recognize that everyone has full lives outside the workplace. When not on clinical duties, residents often participate in a variety of social activities together to maintain a balanced sense of wellbeing. To maintain a strong camaraderie between all clinical providers, the department hosts a few gatherings for all members of the department and their families to join and get to know each other.
Life in Orange County
Residents enjoy the ultimate Southern California lifestyle during residency - 42 miles of uninterrupted beaches, beautiful weather, endless options for fun in the sun and cultural exploration and performing and visual arts attractions. For the outdoor enthusiast, there is an abundance of parks, trails, gardens, wetland and miles of wilderness to explore.
Chief Residents’ Welcome
Welcome to the UCI Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care Residency Program! Our department offers exceptional training and state of the art facilities for residents to become skilled anesthesiologists with a wide breadth of experience. We are very excited that you are considering UCI for residency and would love to share what makes UCI an excellent, unique program.
The UCI Medical Center is located in Orange, California and serves as the only adult Level I trauma center in Orange County. As a major referral center for a variety of specialties where case volume continues to grow annually, training at UCI guarantees a wide breadth of clinical training that fully prepares residents to become confident anesthesiologists. Our residents have the opportunity to learn at various healthcare systems in Southern California, such as Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CHOC Children's, VA Long Beach Healthcare System and Long Beach Medical Center. Rotating at various healthcare systems complements training by exposing our residents to anesthesia practices in academic and private settings, allowing for residents to strengthen their professional networks while gaining a diverse learning experience. Our graduates have respected clinical reputations and consistently secure competitive fellowships, as well as academic and private practice attending positions.
We are a categorical residency program with an integrated clinical base intern year that is tailored to maximize a foundation of knowledge that is applicable to the subsequent training years in anesthesiology. Clinical base year rotations include general surgery, internal medicine, emergency medicine, high-risk obstetrics, various ICU rotations, Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), preoperative clinic and electives. The last rotation of the year is reserved for an introductory month in anesthesiology to ensure a smooth transition into clinical anesthesia. Additionally, interns will experience a specific curriculum based in the operating room to prepare for their clinical anesthesia years. All resident classes have a one day per month of protected didactic sessions with lectures, simulations, POCUS sessions and guest speakers catered to their level of training.
The faculty at UCI are dedicated to our growth as physicians and our well-being. Each one of them are approachable and collaborative, fostering a collegial environment that encourages inquiry and teamwork. Many of our alumni continue to have lasting friendships with our faculty after graduation. Our residents are well-rounded and well equipped for a successful career due to our committed faculty, strong clinical training and innovative didactics program. We value emphasis on enhancing resident education, providing excellent patient-centered care and promoting resident wellness throughout our training at UCI.
We look forward to welcoming you to the UCI family!
Cheers,
Kurt Leinginger, MD and Michael Ortman, MD
Chief Residents 2023-2024
Resident Life Gallery