Additional Information

Applicants must graduate from one of the following: 

1. U.S. or Canadian medical school accredited by the Liason Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the Committee on Accreditation ofCanadian Medical Schools, or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditations; or
2. A foreign medical school which has been evaluated by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or one of the ECFMG authorized foreign medical school accreditation agencies and deemed to meet the minimum requirements substantialy equivalent to the requirements of medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. The foreign medical school listed on the World Federation for Medical (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) World Directory of Medical Schools joint directory, or the World Directory of Medical Schools; or
3. A foreign medical school that has been approved by the Medical Board of California (Board) 

Additional information can be found at www.mbc.ca.gov

1. Background.  Established in 1975, in far northern California, our fully accredited residency program enjoys an affiliation with the University of California Davis School of Medicine in a community setting.

2. Hospital support. The residency is sponsored by Mercy Medical Center, with 283 total beds, level II trauma center, regional cancer center, active cardiac surgery and over 467 active medical staff members. Mercy provides beautiful facilities with excellent staff and ancillary services. 

3. Medical staff support. The program involves six core clinical faculty members, with the assistance of over 112 volunteer clinical faculty physicians, comprising almost half of all hospital medical staff members. Our residents benefit from direct teaching by a combination of core faculty and community faculty. Residents learn directly from highly trained and respected board certified family physicians, internists, obstetrician gynecologists, emergency physicians, pediatricians, neonatologists, surgeons, orthopedists, intensivsts, psychiatrists, psychologists, and multiple other specialties. 

4. Effective teaching with good support and abundant patient care opportunities.  With only family medicine residents in our community, residents have direct hands-on experiences in all aspects of their training.  Residents enjoy the patient diversity and hands-on experience of a charity teaching hospital, with the facilities, amenities and support of a private community hospital.  Residents are provided  with ample  backup from preceptors and senior residents and can take on significant levels of responsibility when ready.

5. Rural and Underserved Training.  During the rural rotation, second year residents work with rural community physicians in one of several rural settings. In addition to rural training, residents provide continuity care for mostly low-income patients at Mercy Family Health Center. The residency program also works with Shasta Community Maternity Center to provide comprehensive obstetrical care to low income and high risk patients. Residents also attend specialty and procedural clinics at Shasta Community Health Center. Many of our graduates have chosen to practice in areas of unmet need, mostly in the north state, but also across the nation and some internationally.

6. Outpatient training. In addition to the three-year continuity component of patient care at our Family Practice Center, well-developed outpatient rotations in the curriculum include cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, community medicine, gynecology, behavioral science, emergency medicine, ENT, ophthalmology and urology.

7. Collaboration with Shasta Community Health Center Family Medicine Residency Program.  Shasta Community Health Center (SCHC), our local Federally Qualified Health Center, started  new family medicine residency program in 2013.  We work closely with their program, sharing resources including inpatient and outpatient rotation experiences. This is an exciting collaboration which allows for additional clinical experiences for both program's residents.  This is also an opportunity to train additional family physicians who we hope will settle permanently in Northern California and provide much needed primary care to our communities.

8. Electronic Health Records.  Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Family Health Center utilizes Cerner EHR for clinical documentation. Implementation of Center Outpatient EHR began in June 2013.

9. Reasonable call schedule.  Hybrid night float/traditional call system.

10. Excellent Family Practice Center.  At Mercy Family Health Center, the residents work alongside faculty in a group practice setting. Resident panels include a broad spectrum of ages and clinical problems from prenatal care to geriatrics. Residents are encouraged to recruit patients from the hospital into their clinic practice to enhance their learning experience. A current reference library with both hard copy and internet access is readily available at the Family Practice Center.

11. Family Practice Clinic Rotation provides well-rounded training.  During the four 3-month long Clinic rotations (C1 & C2), residents see a higher volume of wrok-in and continuity care patients. they also participate in a variety of specialty clinics including colposcopy, minor surgery, HIV consultation, orthopedics, renal, dermatology, psychiatry, pediatric cardiology, and allergy. During these specialy clinics, residents render the appropriate care under direct supervision of the preceptor, thus maximizing the learning experience. The opportunity to develop strong outpatient skills and work one-on-one with such a wide array of specialists make this rotation particularly attractive, prepaing many of our graduates to go on to practice in rural areas and other settings where a specialists may not be readily available. 

12. Inpatient training.  Our Family Practice residents do not compete with residents of other specialties, thus enhancing their training and the number of procedures they are able to perform. All residents receive certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation and Advanced Life Supporting Obstetrics, with opportunities for certification in Advanced Trauma Life Support. We utilize an on-line database called New Innovations to keep track of resident procedures and other patient care experiences.

13. Obstetrical training.  Obstetrical training remains a strength of the program, with ample deliveries available during a resident's training, including care of complex obstetrical patients. In addition, the program has benefits from the support of the UC Davis Medical Center Perinatology Group, who come to Redding regularly. Perinatologists consult on high-risk OB patients and lecture during the residency noon conferences. 

14. Relaxed, collegial interactions between residents and faculty.  Residents, faculty physicians and staff participate in many social and recreational interactions outside of the hospital, including the Anual Resident Retreat at Whiskeytown Lake. Residents and faculty physicians share the Mercy Family Health Center facilities and patient care responsibilities.

15. Quality noon conferences.  A curriculum features varied topics representing all major specialties on a rotating basis. Lectures are provided by enthusiastic community and core faculty. Hospital grand rounds are scheduled each Friday. Selected case presentations occur at "Morning Report" on Wednesday mornings.

16. Well-developed medical community relative to the size of Redding. Although only 93,000 people live in Redding, there are approximately 179,000 people living in Shasta County. Redding has the largest population of any city north of Sacramento; the referral base for Mercy Medical Center is quite extensive, resulting in a well-developed medical community with high levels of care and expertise.

17. High involvement of residents in the decision making and leadership.  This is accomplished through resident-faculty meetings and administrative meetings, which include the Chief Residents. Residents have the opportunity to voice concnerns and strategize with the Chief Residents, their Faculty Advisors, and directly with the Program Director. Residents are involved in creating and implementing new ideas and programs. 

18. Excellent compensation and benefits.  Annual resident salaries range from $54,230.00-$64,705.00 with 40 hours of sick leave per year, and 4 weeks of vacation per year. Residents also receive payment for yearly membership in the AAFP, and coverage for their California Medical License and DEA Certification. Other benefits include health, dental, and vision plans, meals while on duty, lab coats, and a book allowance.

1. Housing. Residents often choose to live close to the hospital in one of the many apartments or houses that one can find within a five-mile radius. Other residents choose to live in the country or close to the lakes. Costs for purchasing or renting in the Redding area are reasonable, considerably less than other parts in California.

2. Cultural opportunities. This includes local groups, such as the North State symphony Orchestra, the Shasta Symphony and the Shasta Chorale.  The Cascade Theatre has recently been restored to its 1934 art deco splendor and provides a fabulous venue for music, theatre and cinema.  As part of the Turtle bay Exploration Park, the Sundial Bridge, with its unique single-span construction, is considered by many to be an architectural wonder.  Redding also has other museums, art galleries and a planetarium.  Annual events include the Redding Rodeo and Kool April Nites Car show.  Ashland, Oregon, 130 miles north of Redding, hosts a Shakespeare Fest

3. Academic opportunities:  A wide array of day and night classes are offered through Simpson University, a private four-year institution, and Shasta College, a community college, California State University, Chico, about 70 miles from Redding, provides other academic opportunities as well.

4. Beautiful setting and opportunities for recreation ( Hiking, Fishing, Snow Skiing, Water skiing, Mountain Biking, White Water Rafting, etc., etc..): Shasta-Trinity National Forest surrounds Redding, and there are spectacular views of Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, each of which is incorporated into a National Recreational Area or National Park. Shasta and Whiskeytown Lakes are both within 20 minutes of town, offering the entire spectrum of water sports year round.  Stream and river sports, hiking, biking and backpacking are within an hours drive in most directions.  Alpine and cross-country skiing are popular at Mt. Shasta, Tahoe area resorts and at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon.  The Sacramento River Trail with its 6-mile scenic loop is close to the city's center.  The Mount Shasta Mall, large warehouse discount stores and Factory Outlet Stores are located within 20 minutes of downtown Redding.

Frequently asked questions:

1. What are your minimum score requirements?
There are no minimum score requirements, but scores may be used to prioritize invitations to interview. Applicants with more than one examination failure on the USMLE or COMLEX may be excluded from the applicant pool.

2. Do you accept IMGs in your program?
Yes, we accept IMGs.

3. Are there IMGs working in your program?
Yes.

4. Is US experience mandatory for the program?
Yes, US experience including hands-on patient care, writing notes, developing treatment plans, and writing orders is required in hospital based and outpatient settings. Observation alone does not meet these criteria. Experience in family practice or another primary care field is encouraged. Applicants must have recent letter of reference from a physician supervisor in the U.S. documenting clinical performance and level of care. These references should include documentation of experience in hands-on patient care and responsibility for writing notes, developing treatment plans, and writing orders. Applications without clear documentation of these experiences will not be accepted.

5. Does the program sponsor Visas?
No. The program only accepts J1 Visas.

6. Does your program accept DOs?
Yes, our program has a long tradition of accepting and training osteopathic physicians. In addition, we have core and community osteopathic faculty members.

7. Are both the USMLE and COMLEX needed for DO students?
No. One or the other is acceptable.

8. Where can I get a listing of where your residents attended medical school?
Please take a look at our website for information pertaining to our current residents and graduates.

9. When does your program conduct interviews?
The interview season runs from October through January. Please take a look at our website for the most current information.

10. How many years after graduation from medical school do you still consider applicants for an interview?
For the 2019 incoming class, applicants must have graduated from medical school during or after 2016. For applicants who have not graduated in the past year, significant clinical experience since graduation must be documented along with written letters of reference. Applicants must have recent (the past year) US clinical experience to be considered for an interview.

11. Does your program offer observerships?
No, all students who participate in rotations at our program must be currently enrolled in LCME or AOA accredited schools.