About the Residency Program

The Sutter Amador Rural Training Track combines the best of both worlds with the first year spent training in our “flagship” medical center in Sacramento, CA and the second and third year spent in our state-of-the art hospital in rural Jackson, CA.

Discover a training experience as dynamic as the communities you’ll serve. The Sutter Coast Rural Training Track blends the intensity of urban medicine with the heart of rural care. Begin your journey in Sacramento’s leading medical center, then head to California’s breathtaking North Coast for two immersive years serving a medically underserved region. From cutting-edge clinical training to deeply meaningful patient relationships, this program empowers future physicians to lead with skill, compassion, and purpose—where they’re needed most.

The Osteopathic Recognition (OR) track at Sutter Family Medicine Residency Program gives residents an enhancement to their family medicine skills by incorporating additional training and exposure to Osteopathic education. With dedicated clinic time for osteopathic principles and practice, didactics, research, journal club, and an elective rotation, our residents utilize the whole-person philosophy of Osteopathic medicine and hands-on Osteopathic techniques. Residents will be trained by a Neuromusculosketal Medicine-Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Family Medicine double-boarded physician.

In more detail:

• Starting in intern year, you will have an additional OMM continuity clinic where you will see patients with a variety of OMT amenable techniques.
• Quarterly osteopathic lectures where you can learn new techniques and how to incorporate osteopathic principles into your regular family medicine treatment.
• An osteopathically focused elective rotation in 2nd or 3rd year
• Attend AAO’s Convocation (or similarly length CME program) at least once during your Residency.
• Osteopathic research topic.
• Receive training and testing to ensure you are competent to pass the Osteopathic Family Medicine Boards, and are able to sit for them. (Yes! MD residents will be able to sit for the osteopathic boards)

Requirements:

• Graduate of a Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)-accredited college of osteopathic medicine (COM) who holds a DO degree
  • No additional requirements beyond graduation
• Graduate of a medical school in the United States or Canada, accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
  • Completion of Thirty-Two (32) hours of didactic education in osteopathic principles in diagnosis and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for somatic dysfunction. This Didactic education shall be completed using the National Center for Osteopathic Principles and Practice Education (NCOPPE) 32-hour training course offered by A.T. Still College of Osteopathic Medicine.
  • A letter of recommendation by a doctor of osteopathy (DO) who is board certified in any specialty and can describe your ability to integrate OPP/OMM into patient care.
• Graduate from a medical school outside of the United States or Canada
  • Completion of Thirty-Two (32) hours of didactic education in osteopathic principles in diagnosis and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for somatic dysfunction. This Didactic education shall be completed using the National Center for Osteopathic Principles and Practice Education (NCOPPE) 32-hour training course offered by A.T. Still College of Osteopathic Medicine.
  • A letter of recommendation by a doctor of osteopathy (DO) who is board certified in any specialty and can describe your ability to integrate OPP/OMM into patient care.

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) is an award winning Quaternary Acute Care Hospital with everything a Family Medicine resident needs for a good education: a dedicated pediatric emergency room, a large inpatient pediatric care unit, 6,000+ obstetrical deliveries per year, and advanced care for cardiac, orthopedic, neurologic, and oncologic conditions. Throughout the Sutter Health organization, our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of people in the communities we serve through compassion and excellence.

In our program, residents in all four tracks complete their first year of training at SMCS. Physicians in the Sacramento track continue to train in Sacramento for PGY-2&3.
Physicians in the Sutter Davis track continue their training in the small-town setting of Davis. There, residents are part of a newly renovated outpatient/inpatient primary care facility within the vibrant community of a large public university and the smaller agricultural communities that surround it.

Physicians in the Sutter Amador rural track continue their training in beautiful Amador County. There, residents work in the state-of-the-art, 52-bed Sutter Amador Hospital (just 75 minutes from Sacramento) and the newly remodeled Family Medicine Continuity Clinic.

Physicians in the Sutter Coast rural track continue their training on the north coast in Del Norte County. There, residents transition to a rural and remote work environment at our 49-bed Sutter Coast Hospital Crescent City, California. 

All residents have the opportunity to spend their elective time doing rotations at any of our four tracks. Though we have four separate tracks, residents feel the overarching unity of one program as they bond during shared didactics, team building, PGY level retreats, and special annual program retreat.

Residents in all tracks remain closely integrated for all three years through shared outpatient rotation sites, weekly didactic sessions, and frequent social events. Residents become proficient in inpatient and outpatient procedures including obstetrical and gynecologic procedures, vasectomies, circumcisions, dermatologic procedures, as well as orthopedic injections and splinting. Our curriculum includes numerous unique training opportunities.

Our residents have the opportunity to participate in several moonlighting experiences, which provides a nice supplement to the already competitive salaries of Sutter residents. Furthermore, residents are involved with schools in the community where they perform sports physicals, and with community clinics where they volunteer time to care for the local uninsured population. Through these various experiences, residents are able to serve as mentors and attendings for medical students.

Sacramento is California's capital city. The Sacramento metropolitan area is home to over 1.5 million people in environments that range from rural to suburban to decidedly urban, in a climate that many describe as "ideal." Sacramento offers a dynamic downtown center with opportunities to enjoy the arts, music, theater, dance and sports. Sacramento is home to the NBA Kings, and the River Cats minor league baseball team. Just a stone’s throw away from Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, history buffs can enjoy Sutter's Fort — home to the 1849 Gold Rush. Old Sacramento is a favorite hotspot for dining, riverboat cruises, and seasonal festivals.

Sacramento encourages its residents to enjoy the outdoors. The climate boasts ample sunshine most of the year. Greenbelts, jogging paths and bike trails run throughout the city. The 23-mile American River Parkway is one of the largest urban recreational parks in the country, and provides opportunities for biking, rafting, wildlife viewing, fishing, golf, and picnicking. Day trips to the Sierra Nevada mountains satisfies the occasional ski or snowboard itch during the winter, or the craving for hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing during the warm summers.

Davis, located 20 miles from Sacramento, is the setting for those who choose a less urban environment for their training. Davis is home to the University of California, and is located in a rich agricultural area. Davis offers a stimulating intellectual environment with the feel of a small community. Probably most known as the city with more bicycles per capita than any other in the nation, it is — like Sacramento — a gateway to all outdoor activities. Environmental and social activism are important values in this college town.

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Jackson is the county seat of Amador County, California. It is conveniently located an hour from Sacramento and two hours from Lake Tahoe. Amador County is rich in Miwok and Old West history and boasts world-class recreation, award-winning wineries and picturesque small towns.

Del Norte County offers the perfect blend of work and play. Nestled along America’s Wild Rivers Coast, it’s a place where you can escape the ordinary and explore extraordinary natural beauty. Wander through ancient old-growth redwoods, paddle or fish in some of the cleanest rivers in the country, surf along rugged beaches, or stargaze under crystal-clear skies—far from city lights.  Outdoor adventures abound, from hiking, biking, and camping to horseback riding and world-class fishing. Our local economy is supported by a diverse mix of agriculture, government services, education, tourism, and a vibrant network of small businesses that form the heart of our community.

In the Family Medicine Centers, residents participate in innovative practice models and work alongside physicians who are helping to shape modern day medicine. Each resident works with assigned medical assistants, nurses and office staff dedicated to make clinics run smoothly. Residents care for a panel of patients assigned to them throughout their residency. It is not uncommon for a resident to take care of three generations within a single family. Residents spend 1-2 half-days per week in the Family Medicine Center in their first year, 2-3 half-days in their second year, and 3-4 half-days in their third year.

All sites operate with state-of-the-art electronic health records (EPIC), resulting in near paperless offices. Each resident has their own dedicated workspace complete with computer and telephone. Our behavioral scientist is available to consult with residents about challenging patient-physician interactions and helps residents explore the biopsychosocial aspects of patient care.

All residents take turns participating in weekly gynecology clinics treating uninsured patients, biweekly dermatology clinics, and geriatric assessment clinics. Vasectomies, circumcisions, colposcopy, skin procedures, nasopharyngoscopies, joint injections, casting and numerous other procedures are performed regularly in the on-site procedure rooms.

The Sacramento clinic is located near downtown Sacramento, and serves an urban population diverse in ethnicity, education, income, culture, language, and age. The clinic has 15 residents, several core faculty members, an incredible support staff, and several associate faculty members who enjoy precepting and teaching. Specialists from many disciplines are readily available for advice.

The Sutter Davis clinic is located in the college/agricultural town of Davis, about 20 minutes west of Sacramento. Here, residents and faculty work closely together to care for a diverse patient population, from farmers to university professors. Our clinic has 6 residents, several core faculty members, adjunct faculty preceptors and community FM physicians whose doors are always open for consults. We have the unique opportunity to learn in-patient medicine at a small community hospital (while keeping the support of the tertiary care consultants a phone call away). Plus, our community is full of parks and greenbelts and hosts a phenomenal Farmer's market.

The Amador Clinic is located in the small town of Jackson, a little over an hour from Sacramento. Residents and faculty will care for a diverse population and will work cooperatively on the many issues unique to rural areas. Our clinic will have 4 residents and a full complement of core faculty and community faculty preceptors. The nearby Sutter Amador Hospital facilities will also support the clinic.

The Sutter Coast Community Clinic, located in Crescent City—the only incorporated city in Del Norte County—is approximately 350 miles from our urban site in Sacramento. This rural coastal community offers residents and faculty the opportunity to serve a medically underserved population, addressing the unique challenges of rural healthcare delivery firsthand. The clinic will host four residents, supported by a full team of core faculty and dedicated community preceptors. In addition, the nearby Sutter Coast Hospital will provide essential clinical support and facilities, enhancing the training experience and continuity of care for patients in our rural setting.