How to Apply to the Internal Medicine Residency Program

UC San Diego selects its residents through ERAS and the National Resident Matching Program.

We will not extend interview invitations until Monday, October 8, 2018. The interview dates for the 2018-2019 recruitment year are as follows.

Thursday, October 18
Monday, October 22
Tuesday, October 23
Thursday, October 25
Monday, October 29 - Diversity date
Tuesday, October 30 - Diversity and Primary Care track date
Thursday, November 1 - Diversity date
Monday, November 5
Tuesday, November 6
Thursday, November 8 – Friday, November 9 (PSTP)
Tuesday, November 13
Thursday, November 15
Monday, November 26 - Diversity date
Tuesday, November 27 - Diversity and Primary Care track date
Thursday, November 29 - Diversity date
Monday, December 3
Tuesday, December 4
Thursday, December 6
Monday, December 10
Tuesday, December 11
Thursday, December 13
Monday, December 17
Tuesday, December 18 - Primary Care track date
Thursday, December 20

For samples of our contract, terms and conditions, intern appointment letter and intern acceptance letter, please view the Terms and Conditions 2017-18.pdf document.

Candidates interested in the Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP), the research residency pathway, should indicate their interest on the ERAS application form. Please provide a short essay outlining prior research experience, publications and areas of research interest. Also, indicate subspecialty, research and faculty laboratories which suit your interests.

Candidates applying for the PSTP are encouraged to plan a two-day interview at UC San Diego. The first day will consist of visiting the residency training program and the second day visiting the research program, faculty and laboratories. PSTP Interviews will be scheduled in conjunction with the traditional interviewing sessions for all tracks. Individuals enter the PSTP upon application to the residency training program with concurrent acceptance into the research fellowship program.

For specific questions regarding a PSTP application or PSTP research opportunities, please contact Renate Pilz, MD or Anne Bamrick-Rosenblatt. 

Physicians interested in advanced-level positions should contact imtrain@ucsd.edu by the first week in December. Availability of these positions varies from year to year.

Our application deadline is October 1 of each recruitment year. We will not accept ERAS applications past this deadline.

We generally receive approximately 3,500 completed applications per year and interview approximately 600 applicants. Our residency recruitment committee reviews all applications, evaluating multiple factors including:

• General academic performance.
• Clinical performance (particularly in internal medicine and related rotations).
• Letters of recommendation.
• Personal qualities and achievements.

In order to complete your file, we require:

1. Your Dean's letter.
2. Your medical school transcript.
3. Your USMLE/ National Board scores, Step I and II (Step II if available, however not mandatory for application review).
4. Three separate letters of recommendation from the following individuals:
   1. The Department Chairman in Medicine (or his/her designee).
   2. An internal medicine faculty member.
   3. A faculty member of your choice.

We will accept additional letters via ERAS if you have them available. If applying for the Combined Medicine/Pediatrics program, please provide four letters of recommendation, two from medicine and two from pediatrics, one each being from the Chair, Program Director or Clerkship Director representing each specialty. If you receive interview invitations from both Medicine and the Combined Medicine/Pediatrics program, please contact us; you only need to complete one interview to be considered for both programs.

Recommendation letters should be addressed according to ERAS instructions.

Requirements for international medical graduates who wish to pursue postgraduate training in medicine are:

1. Possess a current ECFMG certificate. Your questions regarding certification and examination should be addressed with ECFMG:
   
   

   ECFMG
   3624 Market Street
   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
   215-386-5900
   
   

2. Pass USMLE Steps 1 and 2. Applicants with failures on USMLE will not be considered for training in our program. You must have a medical school graduation date within 5 years of start of internship.
   
   
3. File an application for licensure with the California State Board of Medical Quality Assurance, Division of Licensing, and obtain a Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL) which authorizes eligibility to begin postgraduate training in California. This letter must be received by the December 1 deadline in order for your file to be processed. For application material contact the Medical Board of California:
   

   Medical Board of California
   Division of Licensing
   1426 Howe Avenue
   Sacramento, California 95825-3236
   916-263-2499
   
   

4. Secure a J-1 Visa through ECFMG with issuance of IAP-66. The Department of Medicine does not support the H1B Visa for residency training.
   
   
5. As discussed above in Application Procedure, our program participates in ERAS and does not send information via U.S. Mail, nor will we accept a paper application. The ECFMG office will serve as the designated Dean's office and can provide detailed information.

Note to International Medical Graduates:  Because of the strict guidelines of the California Medical Board, we are unable to interview any applicant who does not have their PTAL (California letter).

We do not offer observerships in the Department of Medicine.

Information about UC San Diego policies and procedures, housestaff benefits, licensure and registration is available on the Office of Graduate Medical Education website. 

View the  Terms and Conditions 2017-18.pdffor samples of our contract, terms and conditions, intern appointment letter and intern acceptance letter.