Each week, all residents are provided with 4 hours of protected time, free of clinical responsibilities, for study and basic science instruction on Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition, each of the Orthopaedic Services has one half day per week free of clinic and operating room commitments for utilization in self-directed educational activities.

Every PGY3 resident will receive a two-month dedicated block of Basic Science/Research time to pursue the educational activities described for surgical and gross anatomy, anatomic and surgical pathology, as well as the pursuit of a basic or clinical research project to be presented at the end of the academic year.

Multiple resources are available to support resident research at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.  The Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) oversees all research activities at the hospital.  Facilities available include a free-standing vivarium and separate operating facilities for the use of animals in research.  LA BioMed biostatisticians are also available for the performance of data analysis as well as study design.  Within the hospital building itself, the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) is a dedicated ward for the inpatients involved in clinical trials.  This facility is staffed by full-time research nurses.  Freezers, centrifuges, refrigerators, and clinical laboratory equipment are on-site at the GCRC for exclusive use in clinical research activities.

Within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the Orthopaedic Learning Center (OLC), near the Orthopaedic in-patient ward, consolidates all educational activities for the Department.  Four computer work stations in the OLC are tied into the hospital Health and Information System and allow retrieval of clinical data for research.  Web access also allows electronic retrieval from medical databases 24 hours a day.  Funding for involvement in multi-center clinical trials is typically provided by the study sponsor, e.g., a device manufacturer or pharmaceutical firm.  Unrestricted educational grants from alumni as well as industry are used to support research activities including resident travel for presentation at scientific meetings.