Your clinical practice at California Surgical Specialists will encompass the full breadth of general surgery, from routine bread-and-butter cases to complex oncologic resections. This is not a narrow, subspecialized role where you perform the same procedure repeatedly. You will maintain and expand your skills across the entire general surgery spectrum, with opportunities to develop areas of particular interest within the group's supportive structure.
The core of your operative practice will consist of cholecystectomies, hernia repairs, and cancer operations. Dr. Abidali performs breast cancer and renal cancer surgeries, while Dr. Sana handles a significant volume of colon cancer cases. The practice rarely outsources complex cases, preferring to manage the full spectrum of surgical disease in-house. If you encounter something outside your training, your partners are ready to teach you. Dr. Abidali has emphasized that mentorship is built into the culture; he will personally guide you through unfamiliar procedures until you are comfortable operating independently.
You will have three dedicated operative days per week. For context, Dr. Abidali currently performs 15 to 25 operations per week across his operative days, though he acknowledges he works at an exceptionally high volume. New surgeons should expect a ramp-up period; building a surgical practice takes time regardless of experience level. The partners understand this reality and have structured the income guarantee accordingly. Insurance credentialing alone takes approximately six months, and establishing referral relationships requires consistent presence in the community.
Your operative work will occur primarily at San Antonio Regional Hospital and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, which together account for approximately 80% of the practice's surgical volume. You will be credentialed at five hospitals total, which positions you for future growth as the practice expands its footprint.
Your clinic schedule includes two half-days per week, split between the Upland and second clinic locations. This dual-clinic model exists by design: the practice maintains locations in both San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County to maximize insurance contracting opportunities. You will see approximately 15 to 20 patients during each half-day session, a mix of new consultations and post-operative follow-ups. Clinic visits drive your operative schedule; you will evaluate patients, book surgeries, and build the referral relationships that sustain a surgical practice.
Each surgeon has a dedicated Medical Assistant, and the practice will hire additional support staff as it grows. You will have your own clinic space and the resources needed to run efficient patient encounters.
Call responsibilities are shared equally among the surgeons and distributed evenly in terms of both frequency and compensation. With three surgeons in the practice, you will take approximately six to eight call days per month, plus one weekend per month (every third weekend). Weekend call runs Saturday and Sunday. Weeknight call primarily involves phone consultations; you must live within 30 minutes of the hospitals, but actual emergency call-ins requiring immediate presence are rare, occurring perhaps once every two months.
The hospitals manage scheduling so that call days are distributed throughout the month rather than clustered. During daytime hours, colleagues cover for each other; your call responsibility is primarily after-hours phone availability and weekend coverage.
The practice operates with modern technology infrastructure. Robotic surgery capability is essential, as a significant portion of cases are performed robotically. You will need to be comfortable with robotic platforms and prepared to expand your robotic skills under your partners' guidance if needed.
The proctoring process for new surgeons involves eight to nine observed cases before you operate independently. Either Dr. Abidali or Dr. Sana will personally proctor your initial cases to ensure quality and patient safety before signing off on your privileges.