The College of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals offer approximately 615 residency positions in almost all areas of medicine. Training levels range from first-year residencies through seventh-year-level subspecialty fellowships. Inquiries about specific programs should be directed to the Program Director as listed in the Directory of Residency Training Programs, published each year by the American Medical Association, or to the chair of the appropriate College of Medicine department.
All residency programs meet the formal standards of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the appropriate specialty boards. UCI adheres to the Health Professions Educational Assistance Act of 1976, P.L. 94-484, Section 709, regarding shared-schedule residency training positions.
Residents in all programs rotate to the UCI Medical Center at some time. Residents in anesthesiology, dermatology, diagnostic radiology, medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, pathology, surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiation oncology, family medicine subspecialties of medicine, orthopaedics, otolaryngology, urology, and psychiatry also rotate to the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center (LBVAMC). Residents in medicine, medicine subspecialities, anesthesiology, radiation oncology, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, pathology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, diagnostic radiology, and surgery also rotate to the Memorial Hospital Medical Center (MHMC), Long Beach. Residents may also spend periods of time at other affiliated hospitals and clinics.
The Anesthesiology Residency Program offers training for residents at the postgraduate PG-2 to PG-4 levels. The residents spend three years in intensive clinical anesthesia training at LBVAMC and UCI Medical Center, with a one-month rotation at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, a month of cardiac anesthesia and a month of obstetric anesthesia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles), and a month of neuro anesthesia at UCLA. Training is offered in general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, cardiac anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, trauma anesthesia, neurosurgical anesthesia, anesthesia for all other surgical subspecialties, dental anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia, intensive care, respiratory therapy, and treatment of pain syndromes and outpatient anesthesia. Residents in their fourth postgraduate year may elect to take three to six months of subspecialty training in obstetrical anesthesia, critical care medicine, pediatric anesthesia, pain management, cardiac anesthesia, or research.
The Department of Dermatology offers a three-year accredited residency which has nine residents: three first-year, three second-year, and three third-year. It is a combined program between UCI Medical Center and Long Beach Veterans Administration Medical Center and is directed by Gary Cole, M.D., Chief of Dermatology Services at LBVAMC. First-year residents are stationed at LBVAMC; second-year residents spend four months in the Dermatopathology Laboratory at UCI Medical Center, four months on the ward there, and four months in research. Third-year residents rotate the Chief Resident position at UCI Medical Center and LBVAMC. They spend four months in a private practice environment at UCI, Kaiser, and Med Partners HMO programs. Additional participation includes the UCI Student Health Service, private practice offices of faculty, and the Beckman Laser Clinic.
The Emergency Medicine residency was established in 1988 and has full accreditation by the Residency Review Committee. The program has 18 residents, six for each of three post-graduate years. The UCI Medical Center Emergency Department is a high-acuity, Level I Trauma Center, treating over 40,000 patients annually. Ten board-certified emergency medicine faculty provide 24-hour patient care and supervision of residents and medical students. The Division of Emergency Medicine is active in public affairs, community service, and research in the areas of prehospital care, instructional methods, health policy, critical care technology, and infectious disease, among others.
The mission of the Family Medicine Residency Program is to train family physicians to succeed in a contemporary practice environment and to deliver high-quality medical care to a culturally and socioeconomically diverse patient population.
The Internal Medicine Residency Program has two tracks: the traditional categorical track, which is a broad-based primary care-oriented training program, and a one-year preliminary track. Within the traditional program there is a special research pathway which encompasses two or three years of internal medicine and two years of research. Residents spend their time at the UCI Medical Center and LBVAMC. They may also rotate to Memorial Medical Center, a private hospital in Long Beach. The traditional program presents a comprehensive, three-year curriculum in general medicine. Teaching is done primarily by full-time faculty within the Department of Medicine.
Subspecialty fellowships are offered in basic and clinical immunology, cardiology, endocrinology and metabolic diseases, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, infectious diseases, nephrology, pulmonary/critical care diseases, and rheumatology.
The Neurology Residency Program emphasizes the education and training of neurologists to meet the clinical needs of their patients by using both traditional methods and new techniques, some of which have been developed at the UCI Medical Center. Training takes the form of graded responsibility for inpatient care, regular outpatient clinical responsibilities, and rotations in associated neurological specialties. The Department strongly believes that an understanding of basic research methods is essential for the training of clinicians who will deal with the diversity of clinical problems in modern neurology. Thus, during the three-year training program, residents have the opportunity to participate in a variety of ongoing basic and clinical research projects within the Department.
This four-year program provides a solid foundation of reproductive pathophysiology in the obstetric, gynecologic, endocrinologic, and oncologic aspects of women's health care. Based on this foundation, training continues with progressive resident responsibility for operative and medical management and surgical techniques. While predominantly clinical in scope, the program is strongly flavored by academic and research exposure. Training is provided in general obstetrics and gynecology with rotations in the subspecialties of perinatology, oncology, and endocrinology. There are six resident positions available each year in this four-year training program.
This residency program is offered by the Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine. It is intended for physicians who are seeking certification by the Board of Preventive Medicine. A prerequisite to participation is a minimum of one year of postgraduate clinical training in a primary care discipline. The objective of the Program is the training of physicians in the fields of occupational medicine and industrial medical care. The resident is provided an academic foundation in occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, environmental toxicology, and epidemiology, in addition to practical experience in preventive medicine as it is applied to employed persons. This two-year program includes didactic training and clinical and field experience in occupational health and safety. Upon completion of training, the resident is qualified to enter the specialty practice of occupational medicine in an industrial setting, in private practice, in a government agency, or in an academic institution.
The three-year Ophthalmology Residency Program provides extensive clinical experience in conjunction with yearly basic research projects. The Department focuses on the total care of the patient, and training in a broad spectrum of disease and/or injury is coupled with an increasing level of responsibility in patient management. Surgical experience is provided in the full range of ophthalmic subspecialities, and residents also receive instruction and practical application in the newest laser surgical techniques as well as the use of state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment.
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program is a four-year training program which follows an internship year in the Department of Surgery. The program is designed to provide exposure and experience in all areas of orthopaedics including trauma, reconstructive and joint replacement surgeries, pediatric orthopaedics, spine surgery, sports medicine, foot surgery, and rehabilitation. It is structured for maximum resident participation and minimizes private hospital rotations. The program's teaching hospitals include UCI Medical Center, LBVAMC, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downey, and Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Anaheim. There are four resident positions available each year.
The Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery offers a four-year residency program providing extensive clinical experience in conjunction with an academic approach to resident research projects. One year of general surgery training is required. The four-year program provides a breadth of training in otological surgery, head and neck surgery, facial plastic surgery, and nasal and paranasal sinus surgery. Residents receive an extensive clinical experience at UCI Medical Center, LBVAMC, and Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Anaheim.
This training is targeted to be of the caliber necessary for young surgeons to embark upon an academic career. This training is excellent for those going into private practice as well.
The Department of Pathology offers a residency training program covering all areas of anatomic and clinical pathology. The program is affiliated with Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach and LBVAMC. The training for the combined anatomic and clinical pathology program consists of six months training in both anatomic and clinical pathology each year. The first two years consist of a core program providing exposure to each of the subspecialty areas of clinical pathology as well as surgical pathology, autopsy pathology, and cytopathology. The program is flexible to permit concentrated study in one of the subspecialties of clinical pathology or in straight anatomic pathology during the last two years.
Ample opportunities for research and teaching exist for individuals wishing an academic career. The opportunity for excellent preparation is also provided for individuals planning on a private practice in a community hospital.
The Pediatric Residency Program emphasizes the interrelationship of patient care, didactic teaching, and research in the training of the pediatric resident physician. The focus of the Department is on the total care of the child from birth through young adulthood. A strong clinical and educational foundation is provided through experiences in a broad spectrum of disease and/or injury as well as training in biosocial pediatrics, preventive health care, and community resources.
The program offers variety and depth due to the diversity of the Department's two major teaching hospitals--the UCI Medical Center and the Miller Children's Hospital (located at Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Long Beach). The faculty at these institutions provide a comprehensive teaching program in general pediatrics and cover the full range of pediatric subspecialties. The care of children seen through the two hospitals represents a cross-section of racial, cultural, and socioeconomic groups from a local population of more than 2.5 million. Thus, pediatric residents are exposed to a wide range of problems presented in settings ranging from intensive care to supervised office-based practice.
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation offers a three-year residency for applicants who have completed a one year internship. The focus is on the diagnosis and comprehensive treatment and care of patients with neuromusculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary disabilities, from newborns to the elderly. Residents are also involved in research and medical student teaching.
The Psychiatry Residency Program is a four-year program that fosters individuality, academic excellence, and broad patient experience. The core curriculum includes basic seminars, adult inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, child psychiatry, medicine, neurology, emergency psychiatry, consultation and liaison psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and substance abuse. Residents spend time at the UCI Medical Center, private facilities, LBVAMC, and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, all of which provide a broad base and mix of experience in psychopathology. A wide variety of elective courses and experiences are available in this flexible, eclectic program. All residents are expected to complete a research project of high quality prior to completion of the program.
The Department of Radiological Sciences has 22 residents training for certification in diagnostic radiology. The program is based at the UCI Medical Center and integrated with LBVAMC, and MHMC. Residents rotate through all three institutions.
The objectives of the program are (1) to provide individuals with a solid background in all modalities of imaging, (2) to provide an atmosphere conducive to research and to encourage opportunities for residents to participate in research work with physicians and scientists, and (3) to provide elective periods in which residents can work in given areas of the Department to increase their expertise or work on research projects during their residency training.
The residency program includes specialized training in interventional radiology, ultrasonography, nuclear medicine, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and spectroscopy, as well as opportunities to participate in major research programs conducted in the Department. All residents are encouraged to complete at least one major paper during the program.
Candidates are accepted only at the postgraduate-2 level for a four-year program. Fellowships are available for an additional year in specialized areas following the successful completion of the residency. The newest technologies in the field of radiological sciences are available at UCI Medical Center and the College's affiliated institutions.
The Residency Training Program in Radiation Oncology is designed to prepare suitably qualified applicants for academic and clinical practice careers in radiation oncology. Candidates enter a four-year program which includes clinical experience, didactic lectures, and integrated research experience. Unique opportunities exist for training in the use of interstitial and intracavitary treatment using radionuclides and specially designed applicators. An elective rotation may be taken in related branches of medicine (e.g., medical oncology, surgical pathology, gynecologic oncology) or at other radiation oncology departments. The Program includes rotations at three participating hospitals: UCI Medical Center, LBVAMC, and MHMC.
The philosophy underlying all aspects of surgical training is that surgery is best learned, taught, and practiced as applied clinical physiology. Operative techniques and applied anatomy receive appropriate attention. Major portions of clinical experience, teaching, conferences, research, and patient care are oriented toward understanding and correcting disordered human biology. The surgical specialty involves more years of training than other medical disciplines due to the breadth of diseases and complexity of pathophysiology involved in surgery. The Department offers residencies in general surgery, plastic surgery, and urology.
