FAQs

How many residents do you currently have?

We currently have 8 residents per class, for a total of 24 residents in our Internal Medicine Program.

When do you notify applicants if they will be invited for an interview?

We review applications and send invitations on a rolling basis throughout the interview season. We utilize Thalamus comprehensive scheduling platform to schedule our interviews.

What EMR system is used in your hospital and clinics?

Our Academic Medicine Health Centers use Allscripts, and our hospital system uses Patient Keeper. Epic is coming soon.

What is continuity clinic like?

Once a week residents have a full day of clinic – half of the day will be continuity clinic where you get to build your panel of patients and the other half of the day is spent in a subspecialty clinic.

What do the didactic sessions cover?

Internal medicine didactics include morning report, monthly board review, specialty-specific and general internal medicine lectures, EKG sessions, tumor board, journal club, and M&Ms.

We also have shared didactics across all specialties, where we offer a breadth of learning experiences in such topics as cultural humility, ethics and professionalism, social determinants of health, ongoing opioid education, career planning, motivational interviewing, and public speaking.

Which types of fellowships do your residents go on to complete?

Our residents have successfully matched into fellowships, including Addiction, Allergy & Immunology, Cardiology, Endocrinology, HIV, Hypertension/Nephrology, Palliative Care, and Quality Improvement & Patient Safety.

How does the department assist with obtaining fellowships?

If a resident is interested in fellowship, we connect them with a mentor of that specialty for their research. We also encourage offsite electives as auditions at their chosen program.

Community Memorial offers a one-year non-ACGME accredited Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Fellowship for internal candidates designed to provide clinical, academic, and administrative training in quality improvement, patient safety, and leadership development. To learn more about our QIPS Fellowship, click here.

What is the research program like?

Residents are required to actively participate in scholarly work in both research and quality/performance improvement projects. Internal Medicine residents complete case reports, retrospective studies, or prospective research in areas that align with future career endeavors. By the end of residency, each resident should have disseminated their research via medical conferences and/or publications.

Each resident participates in a longitudinal quality improvement project in an area of interest. The projects are designed to provide education and cultivate leadership skills for the practicing physician.

What is your patient population like?

The Ventura County population is diverse and ranges in socioeconomic status, language, and age. We have many geriatric patients who are very healthy and active as well as younger patients with complex medical conditions. We also have a large Spanish-speaking patient population.

Do you have any simulation experiences?

We have a POCUS curriculum. We also have mock code simulations and a point of care ultrasound curriculum. Our interns spend a day at the UCLA simulation lab as well.

Where do residents typically live, and how much is housing?

All residents live within 15-20 minutes of the hospital in the cities of Ventura or Oxnard. Most residents who chose to live in Oxnard live near The Collection as it is within walking distance to shops and restaurants. Housing prices vary by location, square footage, and amenities. It is more affordable if you have roommates to share the cost of rent and find housing through independent owners rather than large apartment complexes. A rough estimate would be anywhere from $1600-$2500+ for a single room and $3500-$4000 for a three bedroom house, not including additional costs such as utilities. This amount depends on where you are willing to compromise when you are house hunting.

Is it easy to approach the Program Director and Associate Program Directors?

Our Program Director and Associate Program Directors are all practicing physicians whom the residents work with directly in patient care, making it easy to develop strong relationships. They are always available to support residents in any way. In order to continue to improve the program, they also encourage feedback, which makes residents feel appreciated and heard.

How easy is it to find a mentor?

Each resident has a formally assigned faculty mentor, but all attendings are approachable and excited to offer guidance on both a professional and personal level. Because Community Memorial is a community hospital, that is precisely the atmosphere you encounter – a community that feels like a great big family. Residents can voice their interest, and someone will point them in the right direction.

What can I expect while living in Ventura?

Ventura County sits between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. The city offers a coastal feel with a neighborhood vibe, and many of our residents run into their patients out in the community. Ventura offers plenty of hiking, water activities, and a great surf culture. New microbreweries pop up all the time, along with independently owned coffee shops and restaurants. The weather year-round is enjoyable year-round, with the exception of a few unbearably hot days in the summer. Ventura is aquiet beach town that catches you by surprise. Once you’re here, you may find it hard to leave!