Introduction

Goals & Philosophy

Curriculum

Community Description

Family Practice Center

Mercy Medical Center

Faculty

Compensation and Benefits

Residents

Additional Program Information

Interview Information

Redding Web Links

Application

Mercy Redding Family Practice Program
Program Strengths

1. Background.  Established in 1975 in far northern California, our unopposed, fully accredited residency program enjoys an affiliation with the University of Davis School of Medicine in a community setting.

2. Hospital support.  The residency is sponsored by Mercy Medical Center, with 273 total beds, Level II Trauma Center, Regional Cancer Center, active cardiac bypass service, and over 285 active medical staff members. Mercy provides beautiful facilities with excellent ancillary services. Mercy’s staff provides a friendly environment and offers the same respect to residents as that given to community physicians.

3. Medical staff support.  The program involves seven full-time clinical faculty members, with the assistance of over 177 volunteer clinical faculty physicians, comprising 60% of all hospital medical staff members.

4. Effective teaching with good support, and abundant patient care opportunities.  As an unopposed program, residents have direct hands-on experiences in all aspects of their training, guided by our competency-based curriculum. Residents enjoy the patient diversity and hands-on experience of a charity teaching hospital, with the facilities, amenities and support of a private community hospital. Residents are provided with ample backup from preceptors and senior residents, but can take on significant levels of responsibility when ready.

5. Rural Training.  During the four-week rural rotation, second year residents work with rural community physicians in one of three rural settings. Additionally, all residents spend some time working with one of our full-time faculty physicians seeing patients at Hill Country Community Clinic, a rural clinic serving Round Mountain, east of Redding.

6. Community Outreach.  In addition to rural training, residents provide continuity care for mostly low-income patients at Mercy Family Health Center. Other community experiences include pediatric and specialty rotations at Shasta Community Health Center, and work at a Family Planning clinic, and a homeless clinic. Many of our graduates have chosen to practice in areas of unmet need, mostly in the north state, but also across the nation and some internationally.

7. Outpatient training.  In addition to the three-year continuity component of patient care at our Family Practice Center, well-developed outpatient rotations in the curriculum include cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, community medicine, gynecology, behavioral science, emergency medicine, ENT, ophthalmology, and urology.

8. Reasonable call schedule.  Hybrid night float/traditional call system for medicine service. Traditional call for pediatrics/Ob.

1st year: 52 calls/year

2nd year: 32 calls/year

3rd year: 22 calls/year

9. Excellent Family Practice Center.  At Mercy Family Health Center the residents work in a group practice setting alongside faculty. Resident panels include a broad spectrum of ages, and clinical problems, from prenatal care to geriatrics. Residents are encouraged to recruit patients from the hospital into their clinic practice to enhance their learning experience. A current library with both hard copy and internet access is readily available at the Family Practice Center.

10. Family Practice Clinic Rotation provides well-rounded training.  During the two 1-month long C1 Clinic rotations, residents see a higher volume of work-in and continuity care patients. They also participate in a variety of specialty clinics including colposcopy, minor surgery, HIV consultation, orthopedics, renal, dermatology, gynecology, ENT, and allergy. During these specialty clinics, residents render the appropriate care under the supervision of the preceptor, thus maximizing the learning experience. The opportunity to develop strong outpatient skills, and work one-on-one with such a wide array of specialists, make this rotation particularly attractive, preparing many of our graduates to go on to practice in rural areas where a specialist may not be readily available.

11. Inpatient training.  Our Family Practice residents do not compete with residents of other specialties, thus enhancing their training and the number of procedures they are able to perform. In most cases, residents are able to get as much experience as they wish in any procedure associated with Family Practice. All residents receive certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Neonatal Resuscitation Program, with opportunities for certification in Advanced Trauma Life Support, and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics, if desired. We utilize an on-line database called New Innovations to keep track of resident procedures and other patient care experiences. Other computer systems help residents manage inpatient services, tracking labs, x-rays, medications, and transcribed reports.

12. Obstetrical training:  Obstetrical training remains a strength of the program, with 80-100 delivers available during a resident’s training, including care of complex patients. In addition, the program has benefited from the support of the UC Davis Medical Center perinatolgy group, which comes to Redding every other week. Perinatologists consult on high-risk OB patients, and lecture during the OB noon conference series for the residents. They also attend the monthly Perinatal M&M meetings with cases presented by the residents.

13. Relaxed, collegial interactions between residents and faculty.  Residents, faculty physicians, and staff participate in many social and recreational interactions outside of the hospital, including the Annual Resident Retreat at Whiskeytown Lake. Residents and faculty physicians also share the clinic facilities and patient care responsibilities as needed.

14. Quality noon conferences.  A curriculum features varied topics representing all major specialties on a rotating basis.

15. Moonlighting opportunities.  A variety of moonlighting opportunities with good compensation are available for licensed second and third year residents.

16. Well-developed medical community relative to the size of Redding.  Although only 88,000 people live in Redding, there are approximately 183,000 people living in Shasta County. With Redding having the largest population of any city north of Sacramento, the referral base for Mercy Medical Center is quite extensive, resulting in a well-developed medical community with high levels of care and expertise.

17. High involvement of residents in the decision making process.  This is accomplished through monthly resident-faculty meeting, and administrative meetings, which include the two Chief Residents. Residents have the opportunity to voice concerns to the Chief Residents, to their Faculty Advisors, or directly to the Program Director. As much as possible, residents are involved in creating and implementing new ideas and programs.

18. Resident support services.  This includes Balant groups, intern conferences, retreats and others.

19. Excellent compensation and benefits.  Annual resident salaries range from $40,445 – $48,243 with 40 hours of sick leave per year, and 160 hours of vacation per year. Residents also receive payment for yearly membership in the AAFP, and fee coverage for their California Medical License and DEA Certification. They also receive a Palm Computing device with medical applications. Other benefits include health, dental, and vision plans, meals while on duty, scrubs, lab coats, and a book allowance.

Life in the Redding Area

1. Housing.  Residents often choose to live close to the hospital in one of the many apartments or houses that one can find within a five-mile radius. Other residents choose to live in the country or close to the lakes. Rent in the Redding area is reasonable, ranging from $525- $1000 a month for an apartment and $1000 - $1400 a month for a three-bedroom home. The cost for a medium priced home is approximately $270,000.

2. Safety.  The crime rate in Redding falls 65% less than the rest of California, making this a great part of the state for raising a family.

3. Cultural opportunities.  This includes local groups, such as the North State Symphony Orchestra, the Shasta Symphony, and the Shasta Chorale. The Cascade Theatre has recently been restored to its 1934 art deco splendor and provides a fabulous venue for music, theatre, and cinema. As part of the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, the Sun Dial Bridge, with it’s unique single-span construction, is considered by many to be an architectural wonder. Redding also has other museums, art galleries, and a planetarium. Annual events include the Redding Rodeo, Kool April Nites Car Show, and Shasta Art Faire. Ashland, Oregon, 130 miles north of Redding, hosts a Shakespeare Festival.

4. Academic opportunities.  A wide array of day and night classes are offered through Simpson College- a private four-year institution, National University- a private institution with undergraduate and graduate degrees, and Shasta College- a two-year community college. California State University, Chico, about 70 miles from Redding provides other academic opportunities as well.

5. Beautiful setting and opportunities for recreation.  A national forest surrounds Redding, with spectacular views of Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, each of which is incorporated into National Recreational Areas or National Parks. Shasta and Whiskeytown Lakes are both within 20 minutes of town, offering the entire spectrum of water sports year round. Stream and river sports, hiking, biking and backpacking are within an hours drive in most directions. Alpine and cross-country snow skiing are popular at Mt. Shasta, Tahoe area resorts, and at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon. The Sacramento River Trail with its 6-mile scenic loop is close to the city’s center. The Mount Shasta Mall, large warehouse discount stores, and Factory Outlet Stores are located within 20 minutes of downtown Redding.