Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the size of the program?  

A: You will forge strong, family-like relationships with 48 other co-residents and a 4th year chief resident. Each class is comprised of 12 categorical residents. The intern class also includes 6 prelims, 3 neurology categoricals, 2 derm categoricals, and 2 radiology categoricals.  

 

Q: What is this “Ohana” Culture I keep hearing about? 

A: “Ohana” means family. Our residency program embodies a culture in which we treat each other and our patients like family. 

 

Q: What is the hospital like? 

A: KP LAMC is a 528-bed Medical Center that serves as the major tertiary referral site for KP Southern California region’s all other Medical Centers and its 4.7 million members. Our Medical Center offers 23 tertiary care services, is a Comprehensive Stroke Center and is one of the busiest in the nation in terms of volume for cardiac surgeries, cardiac catheterizations, and GI procedures. Our Medical Center was also granted Magnet Status this year, reflecting the highest standards of nursing excellence. Our Medical Center is consistently ranked highly for patient safety and outcomes. Located in East Hollywood, KP LAMC serves a patient population that reflects the diverse Southern California demographic. 

  

Q: Which medical schools are affiliated with your program? 

A: We are a major teaching site for UCLA, USC, and now Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. You will have ample opportunities to pay it forward by teaching and mentoring medical students during your rotations. 

  

Q: What in-house fellowships does KP LAMC offer? 

A: KP LAMC offers Cardiology (including Electrophysiology and Interventional Cardiology), Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Pulmonary-Critical Care (with Cedars-Sinai), Hematology-Oncology (with Olive-View), Allergy/Immunology, Nephrology, Palliative Care, Geriatrics, Community Medicine, and Sports Medicine. 

  

Q: How successful are your residents in obtaining fellowships? 

A: Our residents consistently match at their top choices for fellowship, including for fellowships that are not in-house, such as Infectious Disease, Endocrinology, and Rheumatology. 

  

Q: How successful are your residents in obtaining primary care or hospitalist jobs? 

A: Traditionally, a quarter of our residents go into primary care and a quarter go onto a career in hospital medicine. Our residents have an advantage when seeking coveted and competitive hospitalist and primary care positions at Kaiser Permanente.  

  

Q: I want to be involved in research. How accessible are research projects at KP LAMC? 

A: Our program considers research one of its main pillars. We have a dedicated combined Research/IM track and have appointed an Assistant Program Director to lead our Research and QI/PI initiatives. You will have access to unique research opportunities utilizing the world’s largest integrated EMR. Many faculty are happy to have residents join their many projects. If you are seeking to start your own project, we will guide you through the process step by step with the help of dedicated research coordinators. 

You will also have the opportunity to participate in many quality improvement initiatives, which are a staple of Kaiser Permanente’s culture. You will be able to join a variety of committees, which allow you to see the behind-the-scenes work that really bolster hospital operations and patient care. 


Q: What other amenities are available at KP LAMC? 

A: Some of the many amenities include a 24/7 physician gym, a late-night coffee bar, private overnight call rooms, and a resident lounge always stocked with food and drinks and Keurig cups. Located in East Hollywood, we are centrally located, such that restaurants all over Los Angeles are accessible via delivery apps.  

  

Q: Which Electronic Medical Record system do you use? 

EPIC (HealthConnect) is used for both inpatient and outpatient care. This same system is used by Kaiser Permanente nationally. Residents have easy computer access in all areas. Through EPIC, residents have access to detailed patient records and test results from across all specialties and prior visits to provide unparalleled context for medical decision making. 

 

Q: I heard that at Kaiser, you are taught to practice medicine the “Kaiser way”. Is this true? 

A: Medicine at Kaiser Permanente is truly interdisciplinary – we work as a team with ancillary staff, case managers, social workers, and hospital leadership to efficiently transition patients through various phases of care. We also place emphasis on preventive medicine and achieving practical clinical strategic goals via our robust electronic medical record system, our renowned primary care clinics, and innovative support systems, including internal clinical support tools.  

What is unique at Kaiser Permanente is that physicians have the final authority on all medical decisions – we are not bogged down with seeking authorization from third parties. With this authority, however, comes great responsibility. Our residents are taught to practice evidence-based medicine while maximizing value for our patients.  

And the result?  

Spread the Word: We’re Highest Ranked in Consumer Experience | Kaiser Permanente 

We’re transforming health and health care – find out how | Kaiser Permanente 

 

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

During this COVID-19 pandemic, our program has taken extraordinary efforts to ensure resident health and safety while taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity: 

  • We secured an adequate supply of personal protective equipment for all residents, including a back-up supply of NIOSH-approved N-95s and face shields, and enacted strong safety protocols from the very beginning. 
  • Initially, we limited direct care of COVID-19 patients to only the senior residents. However, as we gained experience in treating COVID-19, we allowed interns to also directly care for COVID-19 patients, to take advantage of this learning opportunity.  
  • Residents do not solely bear responsibility for COVID-19 patients. During the surge, hospitalists, outpatient physicians, and subspecialists all contributed to the care of COVID-19 patients. In fact, we limited the number of COVID-19 patients for resident teams, to ensure that residents are still exposed to a variety of pathology during inpatient rotations. 
  • We upkeep a central repository of the latest COVID-19 evidence-based guidelines and management. 
  • Our institution is also at the forefront of investigating treatments for this disease, having been part of the clinical trials for remdesivir, convalescent plasma, and vaccines. Our research now has evolved to consider post-discharge outcomes and long-term sequelae. 
  • We are continually validating internal risk scores and have initiated large research studies comparing outcomes. 
  • We have quickly adapted to virtual medicine, including home monitoring programs for COVID-19 patients. 
  • Our in-person lectures adhere to social distancing guidelines, and we are capable of transitioning to virtual conferences quickly 

Most of all, the pandemic has strengthened what makes us unique: our residents have shown amazing resilience and spirit, maintaining the “Ohana” vibe by just taking care of each other so that we can continue to give our patients our very best every day. 

Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

The new Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine opened in July 2020 and is located in Pasadena, California. From the outset during the first year, the 50 students will interact with patients and work alongside with clinicians to complement their classroom learnings with practical, real-world doctoring experience. The Los Angeles Medical Center is a core teaching hospital for the school. Internal Medicine residents and faculty will play a major role in the education of medical students.