The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of California, Davis began its Thoracic Surgery Training Program in 1993. The program is designed to provide excellent training in cardiothoracic surgery. One trainee is selected each year through the Thoracic Surgery Residency Matching Program. The American Board of Thoracic Surgery has certified all trainees that have completed the program.

The Thoracic Surgery Training is a two-year program. During their training, the resident receives extensive training in general thoracic and cardiac surgery. The first year of the program is spent primarily in the area of general thoracic surgery with a substantial cardiac surgical experience as well. During the second year, the trainee focuses their experience in cardiac surgery and complex thoracic surgical cases.

The faculty sets specific goals for the trainees, the most important being that the residents learn to make appropriate surgical judgments and develop technical skills that will enable them to provide superb cardiothoracic care for their patients upon completion of the program.

The faculty of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is responsible for the training of the thoracic residents, and for the general surgical residents and medical students who rotate on the service. Both categorical and preliminary residents in general surgery rotate on the service. During their initial experience, they are familiarized with techniques in critical care, evaluation of the thoracic patient and basic surgical skills. All residents participate very actively in the outpatient and inpatient settings.

Exposure to all aspects of cardiothoracic surgery including general thoracic surgery, adult cardiac surgery, and pediatric cardiac surgery is provided to the Thoracic Surgical Resident. Experience obtained in each of these areas has traditionally far exceeded the requirements of the Residency Review Committee for Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. In addition, there are multiple didactic programs each week covering the entire scope of the cardiothoracic curriculum. Each thoracic resident is encouraged to participate in one clinical research project per year. The Division maintains funds to support the presentation of this research material by the thoracic resident at regional and national meetings

Members of the faculty in Cardiothoracic Surgery are actively involved in both clinical and basic research. The basic lab has had success with multiple presentations and publications in cardiothoracic journals and at national and regional meetings. Previous areas of investigation have included laboratory and clinical studies on myocardial protection, organ donor preservation and management, off pump coronary bypass surgery, esophageal surgery, and lung cancer. The Division is involved with the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group and the Southwest Oncology Group. Additionally, the Division extends its expertise internationally with collaborative programs in St. Petersburg, Russia, traveling to St. Petersburg at least once a year for the past twelve years.

The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is a very active and busy service. In the thoracic surgery area we work closely with the Division of Pulmonary Medicine as well as Medical Oncology. The thoracic clinic handles a large number of new referrals on a weekly basis. Residents receive excellent training in pulmonary resective surgery, esophageal surgery, and surgery for emphysema. Frequent and detailed collaboration occur with the adult and pediatric cardiology groups. The cardiothoracic resident receives extensive experience in all techniques related to coronary bypass surgery including off-pump and minimally invasive procedures, valve replacement and repair, Maze procedures, and routine and complex congenital cardiac surgical repairs in neonates, infants and children. A large, new Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California on campus affords the residents additional pediatric surgical exposure. The Division of Cardiothoracic surgery accomplishes this broad and involved training in an atmosphere of caring and respect for our patients and colleagues, entertaining a proactive approach to clinical and scientific progress.

J. Nilas Young, M.D., Professor and Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
                                      Director, Thoracic Residency Program
Royce F. Calhoun, Assistant Professor
David M.Follette, M.D., Professor
Gary Raff, M.D., Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director
Kuppe G. Shankar, M.D., Staff Physician

Andrew Nasseri, M.D.
Medical School: St. George's University
General Surgery Residency: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital

Sean Kwon, M.D.
Medical School: Tufts University
General Surgery Residency: Baystate Medical Center

The Thoracic Surgery Residency Program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery grants interviews after an initial screening process. The Thoracic Surgery Training Program participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service ( ERAS). If you are applying for the Thoracic Surgery Residency, it is listed through ERAS under AAMC ID: 1046460F0:Thoracic Surgery Fellowship at the University of California, Davis. For more information go to the NRMP Specialty Match at http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/match_name/thoracic/about.html.

Important Application Information: A requirement for acceptance into a residency program in the State of California is that an applicant is eligible for medical licensure. The Medical Board of California requires that all residents (regardless of their specialty) be licensed prior to the start of the PG-III training year.If you have any questions as to whether or not your medical school curriculum meets the requirement for licensure in the State of California, please contact the Medical Board directly at (916) 263-2344.

Currently, the University of California Davis Medical Center does not require drug testing of its residents. However, certain required rotations in the residency program, outside the UC Davis Medical Center, do require drug testing.

Required application documents:

       NRMP Thoracic Surgery Application Form

       One page curriculum vitae

       One page personal statement

       Three (3) letters of recommendation

       USMLE Scores, Step I, Step II and Step III

       ABSITE Scores

Juli Koeberlein
Thoracic Surgery Residency Program Coordinator
UC Davis Medical Center
2221 Stockton Bl., Cypress Bldg., Suite 2112
Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 734-7255
(916) 734-3066 Fax