University of California (San Francisco)/Fresno Program

The Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at UCSF Fresno is designed to provide comprehensive clinical training and research opportunities within one of Central California's largest medical centers. Each year, the program offers two fellowship positions for highly qualified candidates. The training occurs primarily at Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC) and the Veterans Affairs Central California Health Care System, which provides fellows with experiences in a diverse patient population and a variety of pathologies.

UCSF Fresno emphasizes clinical training in various settings, including inpatient clinical rotations and outpatient experiences. The program incorporates protected time for research, quality-improvement projects, and continuity-care experiences, specifically for HIV services, thereby allowing fellows to work closely with nearly 1,500 patients. Additional training components focus on hospital epidemiology, clinical microbiology, and antimicrobial stewardship, establishing fellows as skilled experts in infectious diseases.

Curriculum

The fellowship spans two years, during which six months is dedicated to research and antimicrobial stewardship, while the remaining time focuses on clinical training. Clinical responsibilities cover the management and diagnosis of infections in hospitalized patients and outpatient settings. Beyond direct patient care, fellows are also encouraged to engage in teaching responsibilities for house staff and medical students. The curriculum integrates case discussions, core lectures, and board review series to strengthen fellows' clinical knowledge and skills in infectious diseases.

Training Sites

Fellows primarily rotate at Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC), a facility noted for its robust emergency services, including being California's only Level 1 trauma center between Sacramento and Los Angeles. Additionally, significant rotations occur at the Veterans Affairs Central California Health Care System. Notably, Central California has a higher prevalence of infections such as Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis), which provides fellows with invaluable experience in managing endemic diseases. The clinic where fellows offer care is part of a comprehensive health initiative funded by Ryan White, aimed at supporting individuals living with HIV.

Conferences and Educational Opportunities

The fellowship program includes extensive educational activities. Weekly case conferences allow for the presentation and discussion of complex cases. Core didactics focus on various infectious disease topics and involve presentations by fellows. The program also holds a morbidity and mortality conference to critically review adverse clinical events and foster a culture of improvement. Lastly, the quality improvement conference enables fellows to develop and promote clinical research initiatives.

Research Opportunities

Fellows have opportunities to engage in various research and quality improvement projects, establishing a foundation for academic careers. Research emphasizes topics relevant to the infectious disease landscape, including recent studies targeting COVID-19-associated infections and coccidioidomycosis. Collaboration with faculty members enhances fellows' capabilities, enabling them to contribute to a wide array of scholarly articles and presentations at national meetings. Fellows are encouraged to participate actively in research disseminating findings that advance the field of immunology and invasive diseases.

Application Requirements

The UCSF Fresno Infectious Diseases Fellowship program expects applicants to have completed an accredited internal medicine residency in the USA. Candidates must be board certified or board eligible and possess a valid California State Medical License by the start of their fellowship. UCSF Fresno does not typically sponsor H-1B visas but does support individuals on ECFMG-sponsored J-1 visas. The program's competitive nature underscores the need for a solid academic foundation as it selects only two fellows annually from a broad applicant pool.

Competitiveness

The fellowship program at UCSF Fresno is recognized for its rigorous training and comprehensive education in infectious diseases, contributing to its competitive edge. While the program is open to various applicants, including DOs and international medical graduates (IMGs), candidates are encouraged to showcase strong clinical skills and research interests in their applications.