University of California (San Diego) Medical Center Program
La Jolla, CALast Updated: 2/19/2026
About This Program
Program Length
2 Years
First Year Positions
1 Position
Application Deadline
Feb 28, 2026
Avg Work Hours
45 Hours/Week
Program Setting
University
Application Service
ERAS
Program Statistics
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Contact Information
Program Director
Patricia A Thistlethwaite, MD, PhD
UCSD Med Ctr
Primary Program Contact
Veronica Felix
UCSD Med Ctr
Survey Received: 6/11/2025
Program ID: 4600521109
Locations
UCSD Med Ctr
Div of Cardiothoracic Surgery #7892
9300 Campus Point Dr
La Jolla, CA 92037
200 W Arbor Dr
San Diego, CA 92103-2180
Rady Children's Hospital
3020 Children'S Way
San Diego, CA 92123-4282
VA San Diego Healthcare System
3350 La Jolla Village Dr
San Diego, CA 92161-4223
Application Information
Applicant Interview Format
Hybrid
Interviews Conducted Last Year
31 Interviews
Interviews/First Year Positions
31:1
Participates In
Advanced or Fellowship Match of NRMP
Code: 1049460F0
ERAS®
Yes
Doesn't Participate In
- Main Match of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)
- San Francisco Match
- Military Match
- Urology Match
U.S. MD Applicants
Must Have Passed Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed Step 2
Yes
IMG Applicants
Must Have Passed Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed Step 2
Yes
DO Applicants
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 1
Yes
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 2
Yes
Must Have Passed Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed Step 2
Yes
Total required letters of recommendation (excludes MSPE and Dean's letter)
Minimum
3 Letters
Maximum
4 Letters
Required specialty-specific letters of evaluation within total letters of recommendation
- Letter from a department chair
- Letter(s) from someone within the specialty (e.g., faculty, attending)
Requires Previous GME
Yes
Number of previous GME years required
5 year(s)
Offers Preliminary Positions
No
Required Specialty-Specific Away Rotations
No
Required Supplemental Information
No
Osteopathic Recognition
No
Medical School Graduation Timeline
Data not provided by program
Gap Experience Requirement
Data not provided by program
Resident / Fellow Characteristics
Three year averages. Medical school type does not include graduates of Canadian schools.
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Program Faculty
Faculty/Resident Ratio
6.5:1
Program Faculty
13
Female Faculty
23.1%
Faculty Distribution
Physicians (13)
Non-Physicians (--)
Work Environment
Program Start Dates
July 1
Avg Hours/Week on Duty (During First Year)
45 Hours
Maximum Consecutive Hours on Duty (During First Year)
24 Hours
Avg Number of 24 Hour Off Duty Periods Per Week (During First Year)
1.00
Program Allows Moonlighting (Beyond PGY-1)
No
Night Float System
No
Most Taxing Schedule & Frequency Per Year
Beeper or Home Call (Weeks / Year)
Year 1 - N/A
22
Year 2 - N/A
22
NA = Not Applicable
NGO = Negotiable
OTH = Other
Visa Status
This program will consider an appropriately qualified applicant with the following visa or visa status. Contact the program for additional information.
J-1 visa sponsorship through ECFMG
Yes
H-1B visa
Yes
F-1 visa (OPT 1st year)
No
Program Size
2
Current Residents
PGY-1s1
PGY-2s1
Key Dates & Timelines
2026 - 2027
FEB28
Application Due
Feb 28, 2026
FEB1
Interview Period Starts
Feb 1, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026
Average PGY-1 Educational Environment
Structured Didactic Activities
5
Hospital Outpatient
15%
Non-Hospital Ambulatory Care
0%
Employment Policies & Benefits
Housing stipend
On-call meal allowance
iPads, tablets, etc., or technology allowance
Placement assistance upon completion of program into practice, fellowship or academia
Educational Benefits
Curriculum to develop health systems leadership skills (e.g., QI project leadership, community/organizational advocacy)
Yes
Debt management/financial counseling
Yes
Off-campus electives
Yes
Research rotation
Optional
Integrative medicine curriculum
No
Formal program to foster interprofessional teamwork
No
Instruction in medical Spanish or other non-English language
No
Alternative/complementary medicine curriculum
No
Economics of health care systems curriculum
No
Academic support for USMLE Step 3 and/or COMLEX-USA Level 3 preparation
No
International experience/global health
No
Resident/fellow retreats
No
Hospice/home care experience
No
MPH, MBA, PhD or other advanced degree training
No
Tracks & Educational Features
Offers additional training or educational experience beyond accredited length
Yes
Primary care track
No
Hospitalist track
No
Research track/non-accredited fellowship track
No
Rural track
No
Women's health track
No
Academic or clinician educator track
No
Evaluations
Aggregate resident Milestone achievements
Yes
Graduates’ board certification pass rates
Yes
Performance-based assessment scores (e.g. OSCE, patient or computer simulations)
Yes
Patient surveys
No
Portfolio system
Yes
Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE)
No
Medical Insurance Coverage
- Major medical for dependents
- Disability insurance
- Disability insurance for HIV
- Major medical for residents
- Outpatient mental health
- Inpatient mental health
- Group life insurance
- Dental insurance
Salary Compensation
$102k-$105k
PGY-6 through PGY-7
PGY-6
$102,230
PGY-7
$105,242
Salary paid by a non-profit institution.
Vacation & Sick Days
Residents receive 20 Vacation Days and 20 Sick Days annually to support work-life balance and personal well-being.
Vacation Days20
Sick Days20
Maximum # of paid days
60 days
Maximum # of unpaid days
30 days
Quality of Life Information*
La Jolla, CA
Purchasing Power Index --
Safety Index --
Health Care Index --
Climate Index --
Cost of Living Index --
Property Price to Income Ratio --
Traffic Commute Time Index --
Pollution Index --
Estimated Monthly Costs
Estimated cost does not include rent.Family of 4
--
Single Person
--
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