The Residency Elective in Health Policy (REHP) is a unique opportunity to have a detailed introduction into social mission.  The goals of the REHP are to orient residents and fellows to the fast changing world of health policy, increase their knowledge of key issues facing their community and the nation, and prepare them to be effective physician-leaders in systems-based practice.

There are two components of the course. The first is a series of web-based learning modules during the one-month preceding the in-person elective (about 20-hours total time) that can be viewed at the convenience of the participant. The second is an intensive, in-person course to take place in various sites around Los Angeles, CA. Residents will be expected to engage in a full-time schedule (e.g., in-person activities 8am-5pm with some occasional evening lectures and events). Participants will be expected to have clear schedules for this two-week period.

The REHP will be offered once every academic year. 

Participants of the Residency Elective in Health Policy will

  • Learn key aspects of U.S. health policy.
  • Participate in intensive seminars with policy experts in health disparities, health economics, public health protection, quality improvement, value-based care, and other fields.
  • Witness policymaking first-hand, through trips to state and local health policy sites.
  • Understand their roles within the local, state, and national health policy landscape.
  • Apply policy analysis to real-world challenges by completing a capstone project in health policy.
  • Translate their knowledge into practice.

The Health Policy & Social Mission Collaboration is co-directed by Dr. Moises I. Cruz, Program Director for the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Community Medicine Fellowship, and Dr. Neil Chawla, Co-Director, Health Policy & Social Collaboration.

Questions can be directed to Vanessa Hernandez at Vanessa.X.Hernandez@kp.org