Training Tracks
Categorical Medicine Track
The categorical or "traditional" pathway is a three-year program leading to Board eligibility upon completion. This pathway prepares residents to assume diverse roles ranging from private practice in General Internal Medicine to further training as a clinical or research fellow. The center of the categorical track is our core curriculum of inpatient and outpatient general internal medicine rotations. These core experiences are supported by electives in a variety of subspecialty disciplines. Residents with further interest in research are able to utilize elective time to undertake research projects under the mentorship of faculty.
Physician-Scientist Training Pathway (Research Track)
The Physician-Scientist Training Pathway (PSTP) is for applicants who already have an interest in either clinical sciences or basic science research. This pathway is best suited to graduates with an established interest in basic science research, and provides rigorous training in both clinical medicine and biological science. Often, residents opt to combine their research experience with subsequent clinical subspecialty fellowship training, satisfying both research residency requirements and requirements for subspecialty board certification. Alternatively, some may opt to perform subspecialty clinical training prior to beginning their postdoctoral research studies.
The clinical portion of the program consists of two years in the categorical medicine track. The research portion of the program consists of mentored research training for two or more years in a variety of premiere laboratories at either the University, or affiliates in the biomedical community. During research training, candidates maintain a weekly half-day general medicine or subspecialty continuity clinic. In this pathway, trainees can apply for certification in Internal Medicine after three years and for subspecialty certification after six.
For specific questions contact the program coordinator, Allison Reinhardt.
Preliminary Medicine Track
The Preliminary pathway is a one-year internship designed for resident applicants who are interested in obtaining a basic understanding of internal medicine in preparation for further training in a non-internal medicine field. Trainees in the Preliminary Medicine Pathway will have an experience identical to that of the other categorical or research interns with whom they will be working.
Combined Medicine/Pediatrics Track
UCSD is also excited to offer training in our combined Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program. The goal of this residency program is to ensure comprehensive training in both internal medicine and pediatrics. Graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge to enter either clinical or academic careers in primary care or subspecialty training. The program's strength lies in the long-established academic and clinical expertise of both parent departments. Our program offers an equally exciting and diverse academic training environment dedicated to combined medicine and pediatric training which is provided through multiple state-of-the-art training facilities including a freestanding Children's Hospital of San Diego.
Combined training at UCSD includes a total of 48 months of rotations equally divided between Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Residents rotate every three months between the two departments over their four years of training. There are a total of 16 residents in the combined Medicine/Pediatric residency program; 4 residents per post-graduate year of training.