General preventive medicine residency

About the program

Chairperson: Wayne Dysinger, MD, MPH
Program director: T. Allan Darnell, MD, MS, MPH

Address:
Preventive Medicine Residency
Loma Linda University
Nichol Hall #1516
Loma Linda, CA 92350

Phone: (909) 558-4918
Fax: (909) 558-0630
Email: adarnell@llu.edu

The Loma Linda University preventive medicine residency program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for PGY-1, 2, and 3. The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) certifies physicians in three areas: general preventive medicine, occupational medicine, and aerospace medicine. LLU has programs in both preventive and occupational medicine.

Benefits include:

• health/dental/optical insurance for the resident and immediate family
• malpractice insurance
• three weeks of vacation for PGY-1, and four weeks for PGY-2 and PGY-3
• nine holidays per year
• up to 10 days sick leave per year
• PGY-3 residents may take up to one month for an approved elective
• education benefit of up to eight units of tuition per year as well as additional tuition support when available
• travel opportunities to attend conferences (residency-supported when presenting research)
• opportunities for specialized training (e.g., flexible sigmoidoscopy)
• See the stipend and benefits page for all LLUMC residency programs.

Requirements for preventive medicine specialization include:

1. Postgraduate year one (PGY-1): ACGME approved residency training in a clinical specialty

2. Postgraduate year two (PGY-2): an academic year leading to a master of public health (MPH) degree (or equivalent)

3. Postgraduate year three (PGY-3): one-year practicum in preventive medicine and research

LLU preventive medicine offers a PGY-1 position in cooperation with the department of internal medicine (a transitional year with six months of inpatient medicine and six months of ambulatory care). All applications for PGY-1 are through the National Residency Matching Program.

Most LLU residents enter as a PGY-2s completing a combined academic and practicum program in two years. During this period, residents also complete the MPH degree.

Academic year

The master of public health degree is completed at the LLU School of Public Health where residents choose from a variety of programs including:

• General public health
• Global health
• Biostatistics/epidemiology
• Health promotion
• Health administration
• Environmental health
• Nutrition
• Maternal and child health

Those residents who have already completed an MPH (or equivalent) degree may apply for direct entry into the PGY-3 practicum year.

Practicum year

Practicum training is offered though affiliated institutions:

Loma Linda University Center for Health Promotion:

• Preventive medicine clinic
• Student health
• Optifast (weight control)
• Travel clinic
• Smoking cessation

Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veteran's Affairs Medical Center:

• Preventive medicine clinic
• Women's health clinic
• Cardiac intervention clinic
• Employee health
• Addiction treatment unit
• Non-invasive cardiology
• Residents also teach patient education in:
• Smoking cessation class
• Diabetes education
• Obesity class
• Lipid intervention class

San Bernardino County Health Department (San Bernardino is the largest county in the United States.)

• Public health clinics
• Outbreak investigations
• Environmental health

Patton State Hospital

• Infectious disease
• Health education
• Policy and protocol development

Kaiser-Permanente (A large health maintenance organization)

• Smoking cessation
• INH clinic
• Health education class (diabetes, cholesterol, weight, nutrition, biofeedback)

Student Health Services

• Riverside Community College
• San Bernardino Valley College

Social Action Community Health System

A community clinic primarily serving the medical needs of the medically under served population.

A combined four-year program with the LLU family practice residency exists for those interested in a second board certification in primary care.

Two one-year fellowship (PGY-4) positions in addiction medicine are also available. Fellows receive addiction medicine experience and training through their involvement in treatment and education groups, lectures, and teaching of residents and medical students. Rotation sites include the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Recovery Unit, and LLU Behavioral Medicine Center.