Why are our residents happy?
The residents traditionally form a very close-knit group through frequent social gatherings, group outings where they can relax and spend time with one another in a non-work setting. Evaluation, improvement, and innovation is driven by our learners! In the friendly and supportive atmosphere here at Kaiser Oakland, resident ideas are respected, encouraged, and incorporated into the program structure. Our residents also participate in off-site overnight retreats twice a year that are supported strongly by the faculty and hospital leadership, and that serve as platforms for resident-based program evaluation.
You are the best physician when you are the most balanced physician. Work life balance is supported in a variety of ways:
- Administrative half days to allow time to complete trainings and tasks.
- Stipends for local fitness centers, up to $720 annually
- Confidential mental health support within and outside of Kaiser
What is the patient population we care for?
Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, with over 150 languages spoken within our city limits. This translates into an unsurpassed exposure to different cultures and backgrounds as well as pathology. During a clinic afternoon, you may see a teen who is struggling with food insecurity at home, a newborn baby of parents who are professors at Berkeley, followed by a recent immigrant family who does not yet speak much English. We have excellent translation services for a variety of languages and many of our staff and residents speak languages other than English as their primary language. Approximately 10% of our population receives their Kaiser coverage via Medi-Cal.
What is your call system?
We have a night float system for our wards, NICU and well baby nursery. Nights consist of 1-2 week blocks throughout the year. In the PICU, our residents follow a q4 day call schedule during they PGY2 and PGY3 years. We have 24/7 in house attending coverage on all services, providing excellent support and teaching to our night team. Our aim is to offer training that allows residents to focus on bedside and longitudinal learning and continuity of clinical experiences.
How can I contact the Program Director or Chief residents?
Please reach out to Trixy Bulba with any questions. She can put you in touch with the appropriate person. See How to Apply for more information
Will Kaiser Oakland prepare residents for fellowship success?
Absolutely! You can see from our Graduates page, that our residents have enjoyed outstanding fellowship match success. Mentoring beings prior to intern orientation as our mentoring lead reaches out right after match to pair you with a mentor. Your assigned mentor will help you navigate residency to get to your end goals and will also pair you up with additional mentors based on your chosen subspeciality. Residents also receive tremendous support for research and scholarship and have education stipends and educational leave time to allow them to present at conferences.
Can I do off-campus or international rotations?
The short answer is yes. Our resident rotate with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland for Adolescent Medicine and Emergency Medicine, with many other clinical experiences set up as electives. You can also rotate at other medical centers in the area and around the country during your call free electives. We are building back our global health program post-pandemic and hope to offer international rotations soon.
Is the East Bay a nice place to live?
The East Bay is one of the best places to live in the Bay Area. The temperature is moderate year round. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is available and can get you most anywhere in the Bay Area without driving. The East Bay hills abound in opportunities for hiking and outdoor activities. There are exciting cultural opportunities and incredible restaurants which are widely and easily available. Read here for more on Oakland.
