Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV Program

Program Identity & Fit

This is a five-year academic general surgery program built around University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, Nevada's only level-one trauma, burn, and transplant center, with additional rotations at the VA, Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center, and Sunrise Children's Hospital, giving residents unusually broad and early operative exposure across trauma, transplant, colorectal, and minimally invasive/robotic surgery. Research is structurally embedded but optional rather than mandatory: one categorical resident per class may take a dedicated non-clinical research year between PGY-2 and PGY-3, supported by an Office of Research offering statistical consultation, a Data Hub with HCUP access, and a resident research pilot program. The program explicitly frames itself around graduated autonomy from internship onward (early operative experience as interns, sole-resident coverage at the military medical center by PGY-3), work/life balance, and exposure to both academic and private-practice models of general surgery. Weekly didactics, a dedicated simulation lab, and access to current robotic platforms support residents heading toward broad clinical competency, whether that leads to fellowship subspecialization or independent general surgery practice.