PROGRAMS
General Information
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) has been training physicians for more than 50 years. During this time, it's established a reputation for its superior clinical training programs, which prepare physicians for careers in medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, and pharmacy. SCVMC is part of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, the healthcare delivery system that includes three hospitals and 13 primary, specialty and urgent care clinics.
As a public hospital for one of the most diverse counties in the United States, SCVMC serves a patient population of incredible variety in culture, language, economic background, and medical problems. Besides giving our residents an opportunity to learn about and care for both common and rare medical problems, the patients teach the residents much about the diversity of human experience. SCVMC residents constantly experience the deep satisfaction involved in caring for patients who are truly needy and extremely grateful for medical care. The residency teaching program is primarily case-based and this patient population provides an unlimited opportunity to learn more.
Strong institutional support for the training program, modern facilities, and an experienced and committed faculty of clinician/ educators in subspecialty medicine and general internal medicine combine to provide a unique environment for residency training.
SCVMC also operates large and diverse ambulatory care services that are integrated into the larger Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System. The large, state-of-the-art, high tech, new main hospital opened for patient care in February 1999. This significantly augmented the quality of the hospital facility and the residency training programs.
In addition, Stanford residency programs have major rotations at SCVMC in Medicine, Anesthesiology, General Surgery, Neurology, Otolaryngology, Orthopedic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, PM&R, Plastic Surgery, and Urology.
Program
Our VMC residency programs are busy clinical programs that offer a challenging diversity of patient care, bedside teaching, general and subspecialty conferences. The clinical teaching is excellent with motivated and enthusiastic attendings, a great patient base, and opportunities for self-study and personal growth. Our graduates go into many subspecialties as well as primary care medicine. The fellowships and primary care positions obtained by our graduates reflect the quality of our programs.
There are free-standing approved residency programs in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Internal Medicine, and Radiology at SCVMC. In addition, Stanford residency programs have major rotations at SCVMC in Medicine, Anesthesiology, General Surgery, Neurology, Otolaryngology, Orthopedic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, PM&R, Plastic Surgery, and Urology. We welcome your interest in our Valley Medical Center and affiliated residency programs.
Application Process
To apply to our four programs, you must submit your application via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Applications, which are not submitted through ERAS, will not be accepted for processing.
International Medical School graduates who are not licensed in California must apply for a California license and take Part I of the Federal Licensing Exam (FLEX) or USMLE Step I and Step II and submit a letter of eligibility from the Medical Board of California before being eligible for appointment. In addition, the applicant must have a valid ECFMG certificate.
For more information on submitting your application via ERAS, please visit the ERAS website. Interviews are granted at the discretion of the Departments. You will be notified whether an interview is granted or denied.
Hospital Support
There are many support services at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Questions frequently asked by applicants have to do with other services that have a role in the care of medical patients.
Social Services
Social services is an active department with a social worker on each ward and in the emergency room. Assistance is provided to patients with financial problems and for out of hospital nursing home and board and care placement. Assistance in finding rehab programs for alcohol and other drug problems as well as continued home follow up with visiting nurses, home health aides and meals on wheels are provided by the Social Services department.
Translator Services
Translator services are available 24 hours in more than 50 languages.
Physical / Occupational / Speech Therapy / Psychology / Therapeutic Recreation
These departments provide active consultation services for inpatients and outpatients medical patients and work in conjunction with the physical medicine and rehabilitation department.
Cardiac Rehab
Cardiac Rehab is an active service run by cardiology, and works with hospitalized patients and outpatients with cardiac disabilities.
Phlebotomy and IV Services
The lab has an excellent computer system with results available at terminals on every floor. Blood is drawn by a phlebotomy team every two hours from 6am to 9pm. The nurses place the majority of peripheral IVs and call house staff only when they are unsuccessful.
Psychiatry
A liaison psychiatry consultation service is available for all patients at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Outpatient psychiatry services and emergency evaluations and admissions are available 24 hours a day at the Barbara Arons Pavilion next to the hospital.
Radiology
Routine roentgenographic studies such as chest x-rays, abdominal films and bone films are easily obtained with an excellent computerized file system. CT and MRI scans are available 24 hours a day as are ultrasound, angiography, and myelography.
About Northern California
Northern California in general and San Jose in particular have a very desirable quality of life. The area offers a wide variety of exciting cultural, recreational, educational, and entertainment opportunities. In addition, the city of San Jose has the nation's best public safety record of any metropolitan area, a marvelous ethnic diversity, and a beautiful climate.
With a population of 918,800, San Jose is the 3rd largest city in California, after Los Angeles and San Diego. It is the 11th largest city in the U.S. (2001 State Department of Finance).
The county of Santa Clara, also referred to as "Silicon Valley", is the largest county in the San Francisco Bay Area, located 50 miles south of San Francisco with 1,312 square miles populated by approximately 1.7 million residents in fifteen cities. The Valley is surrounded by mountains and is 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean which offers major recreational activities.
The Mediterranean climate of the region remains temperate year round due to the area's geography and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The nights are cool and the days are dry. Temperatures vary from an average of 50 degrees in January to an average of 70 degrees in July. San Jose boasts an average of more than 300 sunny days per year, and has a mean annual rainfall of 14.4 inches.
San Jose is a city proud of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the population and workforce, and the rich cultural identity of its many neighborhoods.
- San Jose is one of the largest cities in the USA, and it is one of the safest and sunniest
- ~ 25 minutes to Stanford main campus and med center
- ~ 50 minutes to downtown San Francisco and Oakland
- Headquarters to many corporations including Apple, Google, eBay, Intel, Cisco, Netflix, HP and Yahoo