Philosophy
The general philosophy of the program is to allow the housestaff to learn in a supportive and caring environment, with significant room for independent decision-making. We believe that there is no substitute for experience, as long as good supervision is available.

Training Tracks
The internal medicine program at the UCLA-SFVP has three tracks (preliminary and categorical interns have similar schedules and requirements):
 

	Categorical: internal medicine three-year training program
	Combined IM/EM: internal medicine/emergency medicine five-year combined program
	Preliminary: internal medicine one-year training program

The categorical internal medicine program is designed to suit the needs of physicians who want to practice either general internal medicine (primary care or hospitalist practice), or who want to pursue subspecialty training in highly competitive programs. It is our program’s philosophy that training of both specialists and general internists is very important, and that all housestaff who graduate from our program should be competent to enter private practice, HMO, group practice, academic medicine, or subspecialty training. Over the past 10 years, the UCLA-SFVP has sent approximately 50-60% of our graduates into subspecialty training and the other half into general internal medicine. It should be noted that many of those trainees who elect to go into general internal medicine have been selected to be either a chief resident or a GIM fellow at sites throughout the UCLA system. Throughout the three years, elective months are available to insure the flexibility necessary to create an individualized program; this can be aimed toward more general internal medicine/primary care or more subspecialty oriented internal medicine training.

In addition to the traditional inpatient ward rotations and subspecialty services, the program offers a strong training emphasis in outpatient medicine. An ambulatory medicine rotation is available for all housestaff. This outpatient clinic model includes experiences in treating general medicine patients assigned to a resident firm panel, as well as exposures to medicine sub-specialties. In addition, our unique ambulatory medicine rotation includes non-internal medicine subspecialty clinics such as dermatology, neurology, otolaryngology, women's health, physical therapy, podiatry, complementary & alternative medicine and urgent care. A “Profession of Medicine” seminar series is also incorporated into the ambulatory medicine rotation for interns. Topics include time efficiency and organization skills, strategies to improve teaching and feedback, and patient-physician interactions among others. Injection techniques, suturing, splinting and line placement are also included in this seminar series. Categorical Housestaff also provide long-term longitudinal care for patients in weekly continuity clinics.

The Combined IM/EM program is an intensive five-year track that offers simultaneous training in both internal medicine and emergency medicine. Under the auspices of the Olive View-UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine and the Department of Medicine, the program is aimed at high caliber candidates who desire state of the art training in each field and who wish to assume leadership roles in the medical community. The accelerated curriculum takes advantage of the overlap in training requirements between both specialties to give our residents dual board candidacy in a significantly contracted time schedule. Residents participate fully in continuity clinics and coordinate educational activities that combine both disciplines. Please go to the Combined IM/EM website at http://www.uclacombinedimem.org/ for more information.

The preliminary program is for interns who are seeking a solid foundation in internal medicine prior to entering a different specialty. Interns in this track receive a broad exposure to all major areas of adult illness, and by the end of internship are competent to manage patient care issues on their own. It is designed to meet the needs of interns going into anesthesiology, radiology, radiation oncology, emergency medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, dermatology, and ophthalmology. At the end of the year, all interns who have completed this training are competent to continue on in internal medicine, if that is their desire.

Other Features of Note
As a part of the UCLA consortium of academic medical centers, our residents are responsible for teaching third and fourth year medical students. Third year UCLA medical students have rated the inpatient medicine ward clerkship at Olive View #1 overall among the seven UCLA affiliated hospitals for the past five years.  We have a strong commitment to providing an outstanding experience for medical students, and therefore we evaluate our applicants for a genuine interest in teaching.

The UCLA-San Fernando Valley Program has an active Academic Advisor program. In this, housestaff are assigned to a faculty member who will assist them in career planning and provide any advice or extra help the housestaff may need. Housestaff will periodically meet with their Academic Advisor to review performance and to discuss strategies for improving the educational experience at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.

A Kennamer Fellowship in General Internal Medicine is available for fourth year medical residents who wish to broaden their knowledge and skills in general medicine. The Kennamer Fellow acts as a junior faculty attending and gains added experience in selected medical and non-medical specialties. A research project may be carried out and course work at UCLA is provided in selected topics related to general internal medicine. Non-traditional topics such as cultural medicine, alternative medical therapies, orthopedics, and gynecology are discussed, as well as recent advances in internal medicine. Senior residents are encouraged to apply for this position.

Location
The San Fernando Valley is in the northern portion of Los Angeles County with a current population of over two million. It is close to the vast resources of the city, including the Music Center, Rose Bowl, the Forum, Staples Center, USC & UCLA sporting events, museums, the beaches and surrounding mountains, and the numerous facilities available at UCLA. The climate is warm and dry and allows for year round outdoor activities. Housing for rent or purchase is available close to the hospital at much lower cost than on the west side of Los Angeles. The immediately surrounding areas are pleasant middle class communities. However, about one-half of our housestaff and faculty live in the West Los Angeles area and commute to work (a short drive against traffic on the freeway). As part of the UCLA medical system, housestaff are entitled to participate in all educational and cultural activities at UCLA.

Benefits
Effective July 1, 2007 housestaff stipends are:

	PGY 1 – $44,200/annually ($3,683/month)
	PGY 2 – $45,685/annually ($3,807/month)
	PGY 3 – $47,527/annually ($3,960/month)
	PGY 4 – $49,347/annually ($4,112/month)
	PGY 5 – $51,215/annually ($4,268/month)

Residents receive four weeks of paid vacation per academic year. Excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance are provided through UCLA. Maternity, paternity, and sick leave are also provided.