University of Southern California-Los Angeles General Medical Center USC-LA General Program

Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Analyst Verified · Aug 31, 2026

University of Southern California-Los Angeles General Medical Center USC-LA General Program

University of Southern California-Los Angeles General Medical Center USC-LA General Program is a residency program specializing in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, located in Los Angeles, California, directed by Niels Kokot, MD and coordinated by Kimberley Schultz.. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at kimberley.schultz@med.usc.edu or (323) 442-5790. IMGPrep analysts have verified and compiled this program’s IMG acceptance rate, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 score requirements, Visa Sponsorship Policy, graduation year cutoff, and ECFMG certificate requirements — available to IMGPrep subscribers.

Program Identity & Fit

USC/LA General is a university-affiliated, tertiary/quaternary academic otolaryngology program built on a tri-institutional structure spanning a large safety-net county hospital (LAGMC), a high-volume academic quaternary center (Keck Medical Center), and a shared pediatric rotation at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Training emphasizes progressive autonomy, with residents operating independently at LAGMC on procedures like tympanoplasty and septorhinoplasty as early as PGY3, and exposure to advanced subspecialty work at Keck including TORS, skull base surgery, and microvascular reconstruction. Research is structurally embedded rather than optional, beginning in PGY2 with hypothesis-driven projects, protected research time in PGY3-4, funded conference presentation, and culminating in an annual named research symposium (Howard P. House Lectureship). The program also supports global health engagement through a dedicated funded elective (Stoneman Family Global Education Program) and international partnerships, signaling value placed on humanitarian/international surgical experience alongside academic productivity.

Who it fits

An academically driven surgical applicant with demonstrated hands-on research productivity and an interest in global health or humanitarian surgical outreach who wants heavy operative autonomy at a safety-net county hospital alongside quaternary complex-case exposure.

Research intensity

Strong - structured, expected research beginning PGY2 with dedicated protected time, funding for national presentations, and a signature annual symposium.

Career orientation

Mixed - Academic Medicine, Fellowship

Choose Specialty / Choose Another Program

Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Deadline

Accreditation Status N/A

SCORE

USMLE STEP 1

USMLE STEP 2

SCORE NOTES

VISA POLICY

VISA

GRADUATION CUT OFF

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

ECFMG CERTIFICATE

PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Quas adipisci ab nemo molestias omnis perferendis harum, est quasi, debitis, ipsa sapiente id deleniti distinctio. Fugiat consequuntur porro culpa maxime voluptatibus.

CURRENT RESIDENTS