Residency programs awarded $950,000 to help address physician shortages

UC Davis Health residency programs have been awarded $950,000 in CalMedForce funding. Administered by Physicians for a Healthy California, the CalMedForce program’s goal is to expand the physician workforce in the state. The focus is on addressing shortages and providing care in medically underserved areas.

Three residency programs will receive the funding: family medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology.

Over the last four years, 35% (18) of the graduates from UC Davis Health’s Family and Community Medicine Residency Program have gone on to work in medically underserved areas, including Federally Qualified Health Centers. That’s above the national average of 25 percent.

“We are thrilled to receive this CalMedForce grant,” said Sarah Marshall, Family Medicine Residency Program director and associate clinical professor. “The funding will allow our program to strengthen resident training experiences with our local Federally Qualified Health Center partners. It will also allow residents to work in rural parts of our state where there are physician shortages.”

We are thrilled to receive this CalMedForce grant. The funding will allow our program to strengthen resident training experiences with our local Federally Qualified Health Center partners and allow residents to work in rural parts of our state where there are physician shortages."—Sarah Marshall

What is CalMedForce?

The CalMedForce grant program was established by Physicians for a Healthy California in collaboration with the University of California. CalMedForce funding comes from the 2016 voter-approved Proposition 56 tobacco tax.

The program allocates millions of dollars each year to sustain, retain, and expand California graduate medical education programs in primary care and emergency medicine.

“The UC Davis pediatric residency program appreciates how CalMedForce grant funds have allowed us to expand our general pediatrics training to prepare outstanding pediatricians to serve our under-resourced populations,” said Su-Ting Li, pediatrics professor, residency program director and vice chair of education.”

Most of our residents have their continuity clinics — clinics where our residents are able to work and follow a patient over a longer period of time — in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Every year many choose to practice in a Federally Qualified Health Center when they graduate from residency.”—Su-Ting Li

She notes that they’ve used the funds to improve training in pediatric mental and behavioral health, quality improvement, and the department’s CHAANJE Lives initiative [Child Health Advocacy, Anti-racism, Neighborhood partnerships, social Justice, and health Equity].

“Most of our residents have their continuity clinics — clinics where our residents are able to work and follow a patient over a longer period of time — in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Every year many choose to practice in a Federally Qualified Health Center when they graduate from residency,” Li said.

CalMedForce awarded more than $38 million for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The funds will support 210 residency positions in 129 accredited graduate medical education programs at hospitals and clinics throughout the state.