How to Apply to Our Program

Mission and Values

The mission of our residency mirrors the mission of Sutter Health: “We enhance the well-being of people in the communities we serve through a not-for-profit commitment to compassion and excellence in healthcare services.”

It is important to the residency that conduct by residents mirror the mission and values of Sutter Health when working as well as outside of work. We are looking for applicants that are outstanding clinically but represent the core values of the residency and the institution at all times as it serves its community.

Application Process

Applications for Sutter Health/Memorial Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

M.D. and D.O. graduates from U.S. schools may register for ERAS through their Deans' offices. The ECFMG serves as the Dean's office for all international medical graduates. A Request for an ERAS Application Kit is available on the ECFMG homepage.

Qualified candidates meet the following criteria:

1. Completed ERAS application
2. 3 Letters of recommendation
3. USMLE – Pass
4. Dean’s letter
5. Medical school transcript
6. Personal Statement

Interviews

Interviews are by invitation only and will be offered as soon as possible after ERAS applications have been reviewed.

The Memorial Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program is committed to recruiting, selecting, and retaining trainees from diverse backgrounds. All Internal Medicine faculty will complete online education on implicit bias as part of the yearly compliance requirements and as per California law.

Applicants will be assessed on a holistic basis for best fit with the mission, vision, and values of the program. Commitment to primary care and the people of Central and Northern California will factor heavily in the assessment. Well-rounded applicants will demonstrate a growth mindset and commitment to continuous process improvement. The program is heavily committed to continuous quality improvement as all physicians (not just faculty) in our group work on annual projects to improve the practice of medicine each and every year. As part of our training, applicants who choose to match with us will learn concepts of lean six sigma and practice in settings where huddles are the normal place to gather to discuss safety, methods, metrics, outcomes and more.

Applicants should be empathic and balanced with a passion for excellence and committed to learning evidence-based practice of care. Understanding and learning team communication skills will be an essential element of the curriculum as well. Applicants with experience and training in team communications and leading projects will thrive in our internal medicine rotations in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Our system of care is robust and offers all the specialties of internal medicine to support the highly motivated applicant who is committed to achieving a high level of knowledge in their specialty. Those who bring an innate curiosity for the application of knowledge at the bedside will thrive in our practices. A commitment to self-directed reading and self-study is essential and will be supported with our library services and research infrastructure. Those who have a desire to innovate will see that training at Sutter affords some unique opportunities to learn informatics and digital health solution creation.

For those highly motivated toward the business side of medicine, our faculty and practices work towards top level metrics in areas like value-based care, patient satisfaction, and wholistic care. Applicants with a strong command of those concepts will be a great fit for our program.

Signaling and geographic preferences will factor into the ERAS review of files. Interviews will be conducted through ThalamusTM. Personal statements that clearly explain the applicants goals for their career and residency training will be viewed favorably when deciding whom to invite.

An onsite visit option to tour the facilities is being considered for January after interviews are completed but will not factor in the decision of ranking.

International Applicants

At this time, Sutter Health does not sponsor J-1, H-1B, or other types of visas. Employment Authorization Document (EAD) will be considered. Applicants must have approved EAD upon start date of the program and maintain EAD active status throughout training duration. International Medical Graduates are welcome to apply to our residency and fellowship programs provided they meet the following requirements:

1. Authorization to Work in the United States Applicants must have appropriate work authorization at the time of application and for the duration of training.
2. Medical School Recognition
   Applicants must have received all medical education from, and graduated from:
   1. A U.S. or Canadian medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA); or
   2. A foreign medical school evaluated by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or an ECFMG-authorized foreign medical school accreditation agency, and determined to meet the minimum requirements substantially equivalent to LCME, CACMS, or COCA standards; and
      1. The school must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (maintained by the World Federation for Medical Education [WFME] and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research [FAIMER]), or approved by the Medical Board of California.
3. Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL) 
   As of January 1, 2020, the Medical Board of California no longer issues a PTAL to International Medical Graduates. A PTAL is not required to apply to Sutter Health programs.

Applicants should also review the specific eligibility criteria for the program(s) to which they are applying, as individual programs may have additional requirements.

Have Questions?

For further information regarding our program, please contact our Program Coordinator, Tracie Hannink, at SMMC.IM.Residency@sutterhealth.org.