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Internal Medicine at San Francisco
Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
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NEW IM/Preventative Medicine with MPH degree Program FAQ
- What is the combined program in internal medicine
and preventive medicine?
It is a new four-year program which combines residencies
in internal medicine and preventive medicine, as well as
a master of public health (MPH) degree. For more details,
click here.
- How is the combined internal medicine/preventive
medicine residency training program different from other
internal medicine residencies that also offer a MPH?
In addition to earning a MPH degree, our combined program
offers the unique opportunity to become eligible for dual
certification in both internal medicine and
public health/general preventive medicine. According to
the American
Board of Internal Medicine website, there are currently
only five other programs in the country that offer combined
internal medicine and preventive medicine residencies. Additionally,
residents will rotate through the renowned institutions
of the UC
Berkeley School of Public Health and the UCSF
Division of Preventive Medicine & Public Health,
as well as Kaiser Permanente, where preventive care has
always been a core value.
- Can I afford to pursue the MPH degree?
Full salary support from Kaiser is provided for all four
years of the combined training program.
- I already have a MPH degree. Can I still participate
in the combined training program?
No, because you have already received training that is a
large part of the preventive medicine residency. However,
a residency and career at Kaiser Permanente gives you the
opportunity to apply your MPH degree in various ways. One
of Kaiser Permanente's founding principles and core values
has always been disease prevention and health promotion.
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1. When is interview season? What is the
deadline for applying?
Interview season runs from the beginning
of November until the end of January. Interview days are Tuesdays,
Wednesday, and Fridays. Applications should be submitted by
mid December.
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2. How many residents and interns are there in the
program?
There are 37 residents in our program,
with 30 categorical positions (ten per year) and 7 preliminary
internship positions for those going into other subspecialties.
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3. How often will I be on call?
Ward team residents and interns are on
long call every five days. During the week, long call ends
at 8 p.m., and on weekends, long call ends at 3 p.m.
In the ICU, senior residents are on call for 24 hours every
three days, and junior residents and interns are on call overnight
every fourth night.
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4. Is there a night float system?
Yes. Admissions to ward teams after long
call ends are handled by the night float resident and/or attending
hospitalist until 8 a.m. the next morning. The night float
intern handles cross-cover issues from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m.
the following morning.
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5. Are there ‘caps’ on the
number of patients on the medicine wards?
Yes. For several years we have had a strictly
enforced cap of 16 patients per ward team, and up to 8 patients
per intern.
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6. What ancillary services are available to residents?
Kaiser San Francisco offers 24/7 coverage
for phlebotomy, respiratory therapy, radiology services, patient
transportation, and clerical support.
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7. How much time off will I have? How much vacation
time do I get?
During inpatient rotations, all residents
are off one day out of seven when averaged over any four-week
rotation per Residency Review Committee guidelines. Outpatient
rotations are Monday through Friday with weekends free. There
are three weeks of vacation each year, which are taken during
an elective rotation.
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8. What are my chances for fellowship after training
at Kaiser San Francisco?
Our residents have been very successful
in obtaining competitive fellowships. (check out our Life
After Residency page) Recent graduates have matched in
cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, critical care, geriatrics,
endocrinology, nuclear medicine, adolescent medicine, and
post doctoral research.
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9. How successful have graduates been in finding jobs?
Very successful. Graduates from our program
are practicing in all areas of internal medicine throughout
northern California and beyond. A majority has chosen to stay
within the Kaiser Permanente system for their career. |
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10. What changes are foreseen in the residency?
New this academic year is one day per
week of protected time dedicated to teaching. From 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. every Tuesday, residents are relieved of clinical
responsibilities and participate in didactic teaching sessions,
morning report, and other small group learning settings. For
more information, see our Academic Half
Day Seminar page. Additionally, long call on the medicine
wards ends at 3 p.m. on weekends.
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11. What choices exist for elective rotations?
We offer elective rotations in all the medical subspecialties,
such as Allergy/Immunology, Cardiology, Community-Based Medicine/Geriatrics,
Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Infectious
Diseases, Medical Consultation, Nephrology, Hospice/Palliative
Care, Pulmonary, and Rheumatology. Rotations outside of Internal
Medicine are also available, including Dermatology, Head and
Neck Surgery, Medical Orthopedics, Urgent Care, Neurology, Addiction
Medicine, and Ophthalmology. |
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12. Are off campus elective rotations allowed?
Off campus rotations are encouraged for
second and third year residents with an interest in pursuing
fellowship training as well as those who wish to experience
medicine in other settings, including overseas. Residents
must be in good academic standing and receive approval from
the program director. |
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13. What
research opportunities exist?
Categorical residents are encouraged to undertake a research
project during their residency with the opportunity to spend
four weeks annually pursuing this interest. A resident research
course is offered over the course of the year, where residents
formulate a clinical question, develop a research protocol,
and emerge with publishable data. These projects vary from individual
projects to collaborative efforts with other residents or staff
physicians, with opportunities for presentations at medical
society meetings such as the American College of Physicians
and the American College of Cardiology. Faculty investigators
are affiliated with the Kaiser Permanente Department of Research
(http://www.dor.kaiser.org/)
and act as mentors, with ongoing research in areas of HIV, cardiology,
gastroenterology, and osteoporosis. |
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14. Can I afford to live in San Francisco on a resident's
salary?
As a highly desirable place to live and work, the Bay Area has
always had a relatively high cost of living. Despite this challenge,
our residents have thrived. The residency program pays for residents’
parking fees, medical licensing fees and provides a $500 annual
educational stipend for PGY 1's and 2's, and a $750 stipend
for PGY 3's. Useful links to help you find a place to live include:
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15. Is Kaiser Permanente different from other HMOs?
Kaiser Permanente is unique in that we
offer a fully integrated system of providing care with collaboration
between the medical group, insurance plan, and hospitals.
We have enjoyed numerous accolades from independent health
care reviewers, including quality of care, preventative care,
chronic conditions management, and patient satisfaction.
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16. Are there restrictions on ordering tests?
No. Physicians at Kaiser Permanente are
free to order laboratory and radiological studies as well
as consults that are deemed necessary without seeking pre-approval
from administrators.
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17. Are medical student clerkships available?
Yes. Medical students are welcome at
our program with a choice of a fourth year acting internship
on the general medicine wards or elective rotations in one
of the medical subspecialty areas. For more details, check
our clerkship page or contact our Residency Coordinator for
Internal Medicine by e-mail (Eva.E.Ramirez@kp.org)
or by phone (415) 833-3034.
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18. How can I contact the Program
Director or the Chief Resident?
We encourage potential residency applicants
to speak with one of our Program Directors or Chief Resident.
Contact our Residency Coordinator for Internal Medicine by
e-mail (Eva.E.Ramirez@kp.org)
or by phone (415) 833-3034.
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