Kaiser Permanente, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Oakland
University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health
The Kaiser Permanente Oakland Internal Medicine Residency Program offers a unique Internal Medicine/Masters of Public Health (IM/MPH) combined track, in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health (UC Berkeley). This innovative program supports in-depth pursuit of professional career tracks in hospital medicine, primary care, and medical specialties with an added focus on public health and policy, leadership, education, and research. Residents are closely mentored, and their first three years are mapped with research, clinical, and educational scholarship; health policy and global health rotation options; and national scientific meeting opportunities. Kaiser Permanente provides a rich research environment to study patient populations in a world-class health care delivery system over four years of clinical and public health training.
Residents complete internal medicine requirements during the first three years at Kaiser Permanente Oakland, with an emphasis on research, epidemiologic methods, and scholarly work in collaboration with mentors at Kaiser Permanente Oakland and in preparation for the PGY-4 MPH year at UC Berkeley. The fourth year is an immensely rewarding academic year at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health where IM/MPH residents complete an 11-month Interdisciplinary Masters in Public Health program. Information about the Interdisciplinary MPH can be found here. Full salary support is provided in this final training year at the PGY-4 level, plus paid tuition for the MPH degree, and clinical experiences are tailored to resident career paths. This unparalleled opportunity to receive graduate public health training after three years of mentored support has enabled our IM/MPH graduates to accelerate into a broad range of academic, community, public health, and leadership career paths. These include not only clinical practice careers, but also academic faculty tracks, leadership positions, and competitive advanced fellowships.
The IM/MPH track at KP Oakland is directed by Dr. Joan Lo, IM Residency Assistant Program Director, who has a special interest in mentoring the next generation of physician leaders. She partners closely with Dr. Anke Hemmerling, Director of UC Berkeley’s Interdisciplinary MPH Program, who shares a similar passion for mentoring and has closely supported our IM-MPH residents and their graduate careers for more than a decade.
Our IM/MPH residents look forward to careers in:
- Public Health and Policy
- Academic Medicine (faculty-track careers)
- Primary Care, Hospitalist Medicine or Community Health Leadership
- Graduate Medical Education
- Global and International Health
- Clinical and Epidemiologic Research
- Medicine Subspecialty Careers
Please see The UC Berkeley School of Public Health Interdisciplinary MPH Program for more information, including the Interdisciplinary MPH Student Handbook and Newsletter.
A publication and video abstract about our IM MPH program can be found here:
INNOVATIVE partnerships to advance public health training in community-based academic residency programs (Lo JC, Baudendistel TE, Dandekar A, Le PV, Siu S, Blumberg B)
Read News From Our Graduates to hear about the impact of the IM-MPH training program on their career paths.
IM/MPH Residents
IM/MPH Track Objectives
- To increase the resident’s knowledge and competence in the applications of public health core competencies in biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy, and management; and to develop an in-depth understanding of the interaction of environmental factors and social behavior on health outcomes.
- To expand the resident’s knowledge and skills beyond diagnosis and treatment of individuals to encompass community assessment and the design and evaluation of population-based interventions.
- To enhance the resident’s skills in health promotion, chronic disease management, delivery science, injury prevention, and disaster preparedness.
National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Code: 1042140C1
Residents interested in both the IM/MPH and Categorical IM tracks at KP Oakland should know that these programs have unique NRMP code numbers and are separately matched programs.
Juergens N, Huang J, Gopalan A, Muelly E, Reed M. The Association between Video or Telephone Telemedicine Visit Type and Orders in Primary Care. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2022 Nov 19;22(1):302. PMID: 36403030
Juergens N, Wei J, Cullen E, Graubard M, Gupta VK, Weintraub MR, Sax D, MD. Downstream Acute Care Utilization Following Initial Prescription of an Opioid Pain Reliever Among Emergency Department Patients with Low-Severity Conditions. Perm J 2022 Apr;26(1):47-56. PMID: 35609170
Haysbert DB, Lo JC, Ramalingam ND, Gordon NP. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Middle-aged and Older Adult Vietnamese American Members of a Northern California Health Plan. Public Health Rep. 2022;138(1):123-130. PMID: 35184632
Li CF, Ettinger B, Chandra M, Lo JC. Vitamin D status among older women initiating osteoporosis therapy. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2019; 67(10):2207-2208. PMID: 31441499
Santo EC, Vo MT, Uratsu CS, Grant RW. Patient-Defined Visit Priorities in Primary Care: Psychosocial Versus Medically-Related Concerns. J Am Board Fam Med. 2019 Jul-Aug;32(4):513-520. PMID: 31300571
Banerjee S, Kim E, Parker MM, Gilliam LK, Dlott R, Adams A.
Clinical Response to Real-Time Patient-Reported Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms. Perm J. 2019;23. PMID: 31050645
Liu LH, Fevrier HB, Goldfien R, Hemmerling A, Herrinton LJ. Understanding Nonadherence with Hydroxychloroquine Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. J Rheumatol. 2019;46(10):1309-1315. PMID: 30709949
Juergens N, Ettinger B, Hui R, Chandra M, Lo JC. Secular Trends in Long-Term Oral Bisphosphonate Use. J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(8):1383-1384. PMID: 31011979
- American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention (EPI) Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups Travel Grant, 2023 (Veronica Njuguna)
- Research Award, 20th Annual GI Symposium of the Northern California Society for Clinical Gastroenterology, 2023 (Donna Haysbert)
- Second Place, Resident Research Poster (Health Services and Policy), 2023 American Geriatrics Society Meeting in Portland, OR (Chelsea Yin)
- Third Place, Resident Research Poster (Health Services and Policy), 2023 American Geriatrics Society Meeting in Portland, OR (Christina Li)
- Clinical Research Award, East Bay Academy of Medical Educators 2023 Research Symposium (Andrew Lynch)
- Outstanding Abstract Award, 2022 Endocrine Society Meeting (Chelsea Yin)
- Clinical Research Award, East Bay Academy of Medical Educators 2022 Research Symposium (Chelsea Yin)
- Society of General Internal Medicine 2022 National Young Scholars in GIM Scholarship (Chelsea Yin)
- National Minority Quality Forum 2022 ‘40 Under 40’ Leaders in Minority Health Award (Joy Liu)
- 2022 Irvin David Yalom, M.D. Literary Award, The Pegasus Physician Writers at Stanford (Joy Liu)
IM/MPH Post-Graduate Careers
Chief Health Equity Officer, Kaiser Permanente National Medicaid & State Programs
Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Internal Medicine, University of California San Francisco at Fresno
Geriatric Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System / Stanford
Internal Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Internal Medicine, Highland Hospital – Alameda Health System
Kaiser Permanente Northern California (Primary Care, Hospital Medicine, and Rheumatology)
FELLOWSHIPS: Geriatrics (Stanford, UCLA); Rheumatology (UCSF); Palliative Care (Mt Sinai, UC Davis); Cardiology (UC Davis); Hematology/Oncology (KPNC), Academic Hospital Medicine (UCSF); Infectious Diseases (New York University School of Medicine); Patient Safety (Kaiser Permanente)
News from Our Graduates
Nathan Juergens, MD, MPH (2021), Hospitalist and Internal Medicine Residency Core Faculty at Highland Hospital
“The interdisciplinary MPH year at UC Berkeley was a perfect conclusion to my Kaiser residency training. I was able to reflect on the reasons I got into health care, develop skills that were put aside during the intensity of medical residency, and spend time thinking about my future. I came out of the MPH year refreshed and more prepared for diverse career opportunities. After completing an Academic Hospital Medicine fellowship at UCSF, I joined the Teaching Faculty at Alameda County’s Highland Hospital. My research interests include population health, the intersection of care delivery and technology, and machine learning in medicine.”
-Nathan Juergens, MD, MPH
Esme Cullen, MD, MPH (2020), Associate Site Medical Director, Marin Community Clinics
“I feel so grateful for the training I received in my years as a Kaiser IM/MPH resident and the opportunity to work on big data projects as early as my first year in residency. The program encouraged me to focus on my passion for underserved populations and helped me understand how an integrated healthcare system improves quality of care. At UC Berkeley I was able to reflect on my medical training and career, focus in on the skills I need as a physician researcher and connect with colleagues in interdisciplinary fields. Now as an Associate Medical Director at a large FQHC, I use those skills every day. I remain close to my colleagues and mentors at Kaiser Permanente and continue to feel their support. The IM/MPH track is a truly unique program where you can develop your passion within and outside of medicine, grow as a physician in a supportive environment, and build a career that you truly love.”
-Esme Cullen, MD, MPH
Carter English, MD, MPH (2019), Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellow, University of California, Davis.
“The IM-MPH program helped mold me into the physician I am today. Fused with my love of cardiology, my Interdisciplinary MPH year revealed so many avenues where cardiovascular disease and public health merge together. Throughout my journey in Cardiology at UC Davis, I have taught and provided new health care perspectives to residents-in-training, in addition to the patients I treat on a daily basis. The MPH experience has allowed me to see the power of both preventative and advanced health care treatments. I am currently completing an advanced cardiovascular imaging fellowship to assist in the identification of patients with disease prior to adverse life-changing health events.”
-Carter English, MD, MPH
Stutee Khandelwal, MD, MPH (2014), Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Medicine
“The IM/MPH program was the perfect fit for my interests and career plans. Learning to practice medicine in an integrated health care system went hand in hand with learning about the drivers of population health. I reference KP Oakland frequently in my primary care practice. In addition, my colleagues look to me for expertise in public health nutrition, epidemiology, grant proposals and much more. My mentors from KP Oakland and UC Berkeley have been very kind in providing ongoing support and guidance. I am very thankful and lucky to have been part of such a unique program.”
-Stutee Khandelwal, MD, MPH
Somalee Banerjee, MD, MPH (2017), Hospitalist and Director of Global Health, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Internal Medicine Residency; Lecturer, University of California Berkeley
“So many of threads of my current career have their seeds in the IM/MPH. I joined the interdisciplinary class hoping to expand my horizons about what health means in my medical practice. Connections through time at UC Berkeley have led me to my public health work in India and my current role as a lecturer in the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley teaching about the intersections of Art and Public Health. As core faculty now within the KP Oakland Internal Medicine program, I have the opportunity to grow these connections between art, medicine and public health into a flourishing career.”
-Somalee Banerjee, MD, MPH
Joy Liu, MD, MPH (2024), Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, Mt Sinai School of Medicine
“Completing the MPH year after finishing internal medicine training was the perfect time and opportunity to craft an educational experience that fit my goals. I took classes across five schools at Berkeley to better understand how other disciplines and sectors think about healthcare. I was able to directly translate my studies and experiences into policy through a capstone that resulted in a federal guidance document for healthcare on homelessness. Most importantly, it was such a gift to be back in the classroom letting my curiosity roam in a place that broadened my thinking.”
-Joy Liu, MD, MPH
Dr. B and Dr. Lo celebrating with 2024 MPH graduates/future fellows Dr. Drew Lynch (Hematology/Oncology, Kaiser Permanente) and Dr. Joy Liu (Palliative Care, Mount Sinai)
Joan Lo celebrating with 2023 MPH graduates Dr. Christina Li (Geriatrics, Stanford), Dr. Alex Pelliccione (Infectious Diseases, New York University), and Dr. Donna Haysbert (Patient Safety, Kaiser Permanente).
Sowmya Srinivasan, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
“The IM/MPH track helped me develop my clinical skills and gain a broader understanding of our healthcare system. I use the skills I learned in my training every day in my combined career. I currently practice clinical medicine and work on health systems redesign for older adults.”
-Sowmya Srinivasan MD MPH (2014)
Benjamin Maring, MD, MPH (2015), Physician, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center
Featured in Kaiser Permanente Northern California: Healthier Eating with Ben Maring
“The combined IM-MPH residency training program at Kaiser Oakland should become the standard to which other graduate medical training programs are compared. Just think – learning the art of medicine in a vibrant, urban center while also studying more broadly the forces and policies that exist to shape a population’s health. I feel lucky to have been a part of this program, as I learned daily from my peers, attendings, specialists, nurses, ancillary staff, professors, and, most importantly, my patients. Health and wellness are created, primarily, in the community, and secondarily in the clinic or hospital setting. Thus, the combined study of IM and public health at Kaiser Oakland and UC Berkeley, respectively, prepare any trainee for a real-world practice of medicine and a lifetime of learning.”
-Benjamin Maring MD, MPH
FAQ
In what way is the IM/MPH track different from the traditional categorical medicine track during the first 3 years of residency?
During their first 3 years, residents in the IM/MPH track will complete the same core requirements as the categorical residents to allow them to sit for the ABIM Board Exam upon completion of the 3-year residency. Residents also have the opportunity to complete a special 2-week elective in Health Policy prior to the 4th MPH year. The IM/MPH residents will also complete the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research online training course in designing and implementing clinical research (beginning with how to develop a research question and then how to conduct statistical analysis) and be given opportunities for participating in research projects based at the Division of Research to “jump-start” their Public Health and epidemiology training. Additionally, IM/MPH residents will be introduced early on to faculty and mentors at the School of Public Health and Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.
In what way do the IM/MPH track and IM Health Equity & Disparities track differ?
If you are interested in in-depth training in social justice and in eliminating disparities in health care you should consider the IM/MPH or Health Equity & Disparities tracks. Both tracks have separate NRMP codes and it is not uncommon to apply to either (or both) of these tracks in addition to applying to the categorical program. Both tracks are designed to create in-depth experiences for residents interested in careers in Public Health or Community Health. As such the tracks share common aspects, but also differ in some ways:
- The IM/MPH track extends training by a year so residents can obtain their MPH degree from UC Berkeley in their fourth year while still being fully supported and funded by Kaiser Permanente. In this track, you will gain epidemiologic research skills in a mentored setting, obtain an MPH degree from UC Berkeley, and use your elective time during residency and the MPH year to tailor their public health experiences to meet your unique career interests, whether it be public or global health, leadership, clinical practice in diverse settings, academic medicine, or fellowship.
- The IM Health Equity & Disparities track is a three-year program in which residents spend over a third of their residency in underserved community settings, truly experiencing the ‘best of both worlds’ clinical practices at Kaiser and in several FQHCs in the East Bay. As a Health Equity & Disparities resident, you will learn the intricacies of different systems of care delivery by serving as the primary care physician for longitudinal panels of patients at both Kaiser and at our community partner, Lifelong Medical, an FQHC in Oakland. Residents in the Health Equity & Disparities track also have unique access to community rotations such as San Quentin Prison, Native American Health Center, La Clinica de la Raza, Asian Health Services, and other FQHCs. While Categorical and IM/MPH residents have access to some community rotations, the extent of involvement and the capability of serving as a primary care provider in the community are unique aspects of the Health Equity & Disparities track In this track, if you are interested in scholarly activity you will work with research mentors at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, including those whose research portfolio focuses on addressing health disparities. You will have dedicated mentoring by faculty who are passionate about diversity and eliminating disparities and who are engaged in community advocacy and policy initiatives.
Is there a separate application process for the IM/MPH track?
There is a separate National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Code for this track: 1042140C1. Applicants to this track will be contacted separately by the KP Oakland Internal Medicine Residency program during the interview season and asked to provide just a few pieces of additional information not included in ERAS (for example, a brief personal statement of your reasons for applying to the track). There is no additional interview for this track—your interviewers will discuss your IM/MPH interest with you on your interview day.
If I am interested in the IM/MPH track, do I need to apply to both the categorical internal medicine residency and to the IM/MPH track?
IM/MPH applicants are strongly encouraged to apply to both the categorical internal medicine track and to the IM/MPH track.
Is there a clinical component during the MPH year (the PGY-4 year)?
Yes. We believe it’s important for your future career to maintain your clinical skills during the PGY-4 year. We will develop a specific plan on an individual basis so as not to interfere with your MPH work. For residents considering a career in outpatient medicine, we would envision ambulatory clinics or elective rotations in general medicine and subspecialty care during the PGY-4 year to further refine your clinical effectiveness. Hospitalist-bound residents may opt for additional work in the inpatient setting. Furthermore, our program provides opportunities for unique clinical experiences in the community surrounding Kaiser Permanente, depending on your interests. The PGY-4 year will also focus on building and establishing administrative and leadership skills—including curriculum and program development, project management, strategic planning, and junior resident mentorship—which are critical for preparing you for the next phase in your medical career.
Who mentors the IM/MPH residents?
In addition to mentoring by the faculty and Program Directors in the internal medicine residency training program, the IM/MPH resident will meet with faculty at the School of Public Health and at the Kaiser Division of Research beginning as early as their intern year. While Dr. Joan Lo will be the initial mentor for all residents in the IM/MPH track, it is anticipated that over the course of the first 3 PGY years, IM/MPH residents will establish additional mentors tailored to their specific research and program interests. During the PGY-4 year, residents will be mentored by faculty at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health for their UC Berkeley course and project work, as well as by Program Directors in the internal medicine residency training program.
I haven’t decided for sure if the MPH track is right for me. If I match into Kaiser Oakland’s categorical internal medicine residency, will I have the opportunity to switch to the IM/MPH track during residency?
Currently, the number of interested applicants to the IM/MPH track far exceeds the available spots and it is anticipated that the IM/MPH program will be filled entirely through the match. However, while there is no guarantee, a categorical resident who demonstrates particular interest and acumen in epidemiology or public health may be considered for the IM/MPH program, space permitting. Categorical residents can also apply to enter the MPH program upon completing residency (but the tuition costs and PGY-4 stipend would not be guaranteed).
Did I read it correctly that the IM/MPH resident will get paid a PGY-4 salary during the MPH year AND have the tuition for the MPH program paid for by Kaiser?
Yes! Kaiser Oakland is 100% committed to this program’s success.
What are examples of research projects available to the IM/MPH residents?
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research Faculty is national and international leaders in the field of health services research and clinical epidemiology with publications every year in the highest-profile medical journals. We are very fortunate that the Division of Research (DOR) is located in Oakland, and many DOR faculty have mentored our residents in the IM/MPH track, including Dr. Lo. A list of ongoing projects and recent publications from faculty at the Division of Research can be found at: http://www.dor.kaiser.org/index.html. Residents also collaborate with physician faculty at KP Oakland. During the MPH year, residents collaborate with UC Berkeley Faculty, public health departments, and community programs, depending on their project focus.
Examples of Research Projects Conducted during PGY 1-3
- Cardiometabolic health of Asian Americans
- Osteoporosis treatment, fracture risk, and outcomes
- Pediatric obesity and new approaches to weight classification
- Prediabetes and diabetes in adolescents with high body mass index
- Optimizing type 2 diabetes care in an integrated healthcare system
- Dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk in youth
- Utilization patterns of Medicaid enrollees in an integrated healthcare system
- Psychosocial priorities during time-limited physician visits
- New approaches to palliative care education in residency training
- Analgesic management in patients receiving emergency department care
- Screening and treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- The epidemiology of autoimmune hepatitis
- Studies involving the Kaiser Permanente Members Health Survey
Examples of MPH Projects Conducted during PGY4
- Telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Healthcare utilization in the California Medicaid population
- Food security and distribution planning among Asian refugees
- Developing a geriatrics nutrition curriculum for public health students
- Nutrition education in internal medicine residency training
- Impact of emergency medical service policies on cardiac arrest outcome
- Impact of insurance type on Affordable Care Act healthcare exchanges
- Effect of breast density legislation on breast magnetic resonance imaging
- Hydroxychloroquine adherence in systemic lupus erythematosus
- Optimizing non-prescription naloxone distribution using spatial mapping
- Nutrition counseling for physicians using a smartphone application module
- Resident physician knowledge of health reform and the Affordable Care Act
- HIV testing and treatment needs of African American men
- Diabetic retinopathy in Mexican immigrant communities
- Dementia and COVID-19 infection
- Homelessness and the healthcare system (link to the US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) guidance document, published May 2024: How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness.pdf (usich.gov)
What are examples of careers pursued by graduates of the Interdisciplinary MPH program?
Recent graduates of the IM/MPH residency program have pursued varied careers. There are graduates with academic university appointments in General Medicine: at UCSF-Fresno, Dr. Stutee Khandelwal (Internal Medicine) leads an innovative program that teaches trainees how to help patients make positive lifestyle changes, and at Stanford, Dr. Sowmya Srinivasan (Geriatrics) was the Associate Director for Clinical Programs at the Palo Alto VA Geriatric Research Education & Clinical Center. Others have applied epidemiology research skills learned during the MPH to their fellowship pursuits, such as Dr. Lucy Liu (UCSF rheumatology), Dr. Carter English (UC Davis Cardiology), and Dr. Nathan Juergens (UCSF Hospital Medicine). This program also trains future leaders in community and public health: Dr. Esme Cullen, our 2020 graduate, is Associate Site Medical Director at Marin Community Clinics where her work focuses on health policy, transitions of care, provider and patient communication, and social determinants of health.
The Interdisciplinary degree program at UC Berkeley has been in existence for several decades. Other graduates of this program include advisors to the CDC, a former Medical Director of Housing and Urban Health with the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health, a Special Advisor to the UD Interagency Council on homelessness, Policy analyst for Emergency Preparedness, and a former Program Director at the National Cancer Institute.