Kern Medical New Hire Guide 2024

Academics As an academic teaching hospital, Kern Medical trains more than 115 residents per year. Since 1934, Kern Medical has been training residents and healthcare professionals in our community. With 222 beds, Kern Medical is an acute care teaching hospital that serves an area of over 750,000 square miles. As an academic teaching hospital, Kern Medical trains more than 115 residents per year specializing in Clinical Pharmacy; Emergency Medicine; General Surgery, Internal Medicine; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Psychiatry; and Fellowships in Addiction Medicine, Addiction Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Infectious Disease. Over 100 full-time faculty physicians participate in graduate, undergraduate, and mid-level professional education at Kern Medical. We care for over 15,500 inpatients annually, while our clinics provide care and services for over 125,000 patients. A resident physician, commonly referred to simply as a resident, is a medical doctor who has completed medical school and obtained a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. After graduating from medical school, these physicians enter a residency program, which is a period of structured and supervised training in a specific medical specialty. Residency programs typically last between three and five years, depending on the specialty. During residency, resident physicians work under the supervision of more experienced physicians, known as attending physicians. They are responsible for a wide range of patient care activities, including:

• Conducting physical exams • Developing treatment plans • Diagnosing and treating illnesses

• Educating and communicating with patients and their families • Engaging in continuing medical education and research • Ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests • Participating in clinical rounds and case discussions • Performing medical procedures

The purpose of residency training is to provide hands-on experience and to develop the clinical skills and knowledge necessary for independent practice in the chosen specialty. Residents progressively take on more responsibility and autonomy as they advance through their training. Residency is a crucial phase in the medical education continuum, bridging the gap between medical school and independent practice or further specialized training (fellowship) in sub

specialties. Residencies

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