Education
Shaping the future of cancer surgery: education & training at UCLA
At the forefront of surgical innovation and academic excellence, UCLA’s Division of Surgical Oncology cultivates the next generation of cancer surgeons through world-class residency and fellowship training, pioneering simulation programs, and specialized workshops that redefine standards in patient-centered oncologic care.
General Surgery Residency Program
The UCLA General Surgery Residency Program is a seven-year training program comprising five clinical years and two dedicated years for research or professional development. Residents receive extensive training in advanced surgical techniques, multidisciplinary patient care, and participate in rotations within the Division of Surgical Oncology, gaining exposure to complex oncologic procedures and patient management.
Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship
The UCLA Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship is a one-year, Society of Surgical Oncology–accredited program providing advanced training in the multidisciplinary management of benign and malignant breast diseases. Fellows rotate through Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. The curriculum includes surgical techniques such as oncoplastic surgery and nipple-sparing mastectomies, as well as rotations in medical oncology, radiation oncology, plastic surgery, breast imaging, pathology, genetics, and psychosocial care. Fellows also engage in clinical research and receive mentorship in grant writing and biostatistics.
Specialized training & simulation
Center for Advanced Surgical & Interventional Technology (CASIT)
CASIT offers state-of-the-art surgical education and simulation training. Programs include a two-year fellowship focused on surgical education and simulation research, robotic surgery training for residents, and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery (FLS & FES) testing. CASIT's facilities provide virtual reality simulations, dry and wet lab models, and hands-on experience to enhance surgical skills.
Specialized workshops
Fundamentals of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Workshop
Led by Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, Associate Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the Fundamentals of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Workshop is a hybrid course designed for surgeons seeking to incorporate oncoplastic techniques into their practice. The program includes pre-recorded lectures and a hands-on skills lab held at CASIT. Participants learn various techniques such as parallelogram mastopexy, crescent excision, round block technique, donut mastopexy, suture latticing, tumor bed marking, and mammoplasty using local tissue advancement. The course also emphasizes multidisciplinary communication and care techniques to improve cosmetic outcomes for patients.
For questions about registration, please contact Cianna Miller at . For questions about the course, please contact Dr. Kapoor at .
Additional educational opportunities
Office of Cancer Training & Education
The Office of Cancer Training & Education offers various programs to support education in cancer research and care, including fellowship awards for post-doctoral scholars, residents, and graduate students. Programs also provide trainee travel awards and NIH F-grant application workshops, fostering development in clinical and translational cancer research.