Residents

Kaiser San Francisco is the perfect prelim program. My intern year there was the perfect balance between service to patients, furthering my own knowledge as a doctor, and taking care of my personal wellness. I always felt that my learning needs and my wellbeing were priorities of the program leadership. There is a strong emphasis on education with an abundance of educational conferences that are truly supported by the entire faculty. Kaiser San Francisco has a diverse mix of patients with enough ‘bread and butter’ medicine to become confident in treating common diseases but enough ‘zebras’ to stay intellectually on my toes. An additional bonus is Kaiser San Francisco’s role as a regional referral center for cardiac disease. Typically intimidating entities like intraaortic balloon pumps and TAVR became a routine part of my day in the ICU. I feel both well prepared for my residency in anesthesia and not so overextended from my intern year that I am burnt out for the years to come. Last but not least, the absolute best part of Kaiser’s program is the people. I made lifelong friends with my fellow interns and residents that have continued beyond my transition to residency.

My favorite thing about Kaiser San Francisco is the people. The residents are fun and motivated, making it a pleasure to come in every day. The faculty are also really warm and open-minded, fostering a comfortable environment of learning and development. Another strength of this program is the support and encouragement we receive in pursuing our ambitions. Residents pursue a variety of careers: primary care, hospital-based medicine, sub-specialty fellowship, public health, and administration. I have enjoyed the enthusiastic support of mentors and program directors in pursuing my own interest in gastroenterology. I was able to work with one of the faculty on a primary research project, eventually presenting a poster at a national conference and now have submitted a manuscript for publication. I was also able to rotate on the GI consult services at other medical centers to further explore my interest in gastroenterology. Other residents have elected to travel outside the country, working in Africa, Asia, and South America through the Global Health Program. But the best part of training here are the friends I’ve gained and hope to keep for the rest of my life.

Belief is a powerful thing. Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco epitomizes what it means to believe in its people. From the very first day of receiving an interview, to truly getting to know me and my interests during the selection process, and ultimately allowing me to tailor my experience during residency, this program provided an atmosphere that we all crave as adult learners. Support, camaraderie, and genuine care for the individual allowed each of us to flourish in ways I never thought possible. Whether it be allowing trainees to spend a month in Liberia fighting the Ebola outbreak, pursuing a 6-week tropical medicine degree in Peru, spending a research month at Mass General Hospital, or countless other experiences that fostered our personal and professional growth, KPSF always strived to provide us with the time and guidance to succeed in what was most important to us. Having the opportunity to learn from amazing and accomplished mentors and attendings, work within one of the country’s premier integrated healthcare systems and live in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Kaiser was the perfect place to train as a resident and begin a fulfilling career. The unique combination of rigorous academic expectations along with top-notch clinical performance allowed us to understand many different facets of medicine and science. In an era of increasing integration, expanding health information technology, and team-based work environments, you will be hard-pressed to find a training program that prepares you more appropriately for a new age in American healthcare. Deciding on a residency program is one of the biggest decisions of your life; looking back on it now, I can confidently say it was one of the best I’ve ever made.