Our aim is to train culturally humble and socially responsible internists who are skilled in contemporary methods of primary care. By spending more time in the outpatient setting, our residents build the specific knowledge and skills that will equip them to be outstanding generalists while still receiving robust inpatient training from our hospitalists.
 
We seek applicants committed to leading change and improving care for medically underserved patients through internal medicine. Our 4+1 curriculum structure provides residents with one-week blocks of continuity ambulatory clinics every fifth week throughout their three-year residency.
 
These one-week experiences are supplemented by additional weeks of required ambulatory clinical and subspecialty rotations. Residents spend time learning and practicing in diverse outpatient settings, from hospital-owned practices to population-based clinics. A full list of our community-based primary care sites can be found here.
 
Some benefits of our primary care-focused residency include:

An emphasis on promoting health equity.

Evidence demonstrates that primary care is associated with better patient care outcomes and a more equitable distribution of health in populations. Apple Valley faces many unique healthcare disparities, and we are confident that a primary care-focused residency will not only offer our residents outstanding clinical training but also a bird’s eye view of the many factors that underpin health inequity.

Opportunities to cultivate meaningful relationships.

A defining aspect of primary care is the longitudinal relationships that physicians form with their patients. Knowing patients on a deep and personal level, and through many phases of their lives, is a source of joy and allows physicians to provide care centered around their patients’ values and goals.
 

A close-knit family of like-minded peers.

Our dedicated faculty is enthusiastic about each resident’s growth and development. They believe in the primary care model and want to train future leaders in internal medicine to focus on mitigating health disparities. This community of colleagues and mentors serves as a network for residents far beyond residency and provides guidance through each stage of their careers.
 
We strive to provide an ambulatory care experience that prepares our residents for the practice of integrated, whole-person primary care. The diversity of the clinical care settings and patients in Apple Valley gives our graduates the confidence that they can practice in any primary care setting they choose. Training competent, versatile internists is incredibly important to us in order to bring about meaningful change in our dramatically evolving healthcare system.