Bridge to Residency Program

Greatly increase your chance of matching to residency training programs

​Program Overview & Goal:

The UC San Diego Bridge to Residency Clinical Research Fellowship Program is a certificate-based program that provides a highly-customized opportunity for international medical graduates to gain valuable skills and knowledge in preparation for participation in graduate medical education. All Bridge Scholars participate in didactic coursework and carefully designed activities aimed at acculturating them to healthcare systems in North America, enhancing their clinical skills, and preparing them for applying for and participating in Graduate Medical Education (GME).

The goal of the Bridge to Residency Program is to provide scholars with the skills and knowledge required to maximize their ability to pursue graduate medical education in North America. This is accomplished by delivering skills and knowledge in specific areas including: USMLE Preparation; Acculturation; GME Application Preparation; Clinical Skills Enhancement; Research Skills; and Faculty Mentorship depending on each scholar’s needs. 

Duration:

The Bridge to Residency Program is a 6 to 12 month long program. Scholars who are in the program for 12 months have the option to work within two separate clinical specialties. 

Who:

The Program is geared towards recent medical graduates interested in pursuing a medical residency in North America.

What:

The Program offers various components to help prepare each scholar for residency. We tailor the Program to best suit each student’s needs. There are a variety of opportunities to enhance clinical skills including coursework, standardized patient experiences, and direct clinical exposure working with UC San Diego faculty members. Scholars who are in the program for 12 months have the option to work within two separate clinical specialties. We also offer coursework and workshops related to acculturation to the healthcare system and preparation for the Match. Some scholars also participate in research as part of the program.

Program Benefits:

The BRIDGE Program is unique in that it provides participants with:

• Clinical skills enhancement including working with standardized patients and coursework
• Clinical experience and faculty mentorship – scholars spend more than 20 hours a week in the clinical setting as visiting research scholars
• Acculturation to the US health system
• GME Preparation (application, interview skills, faculty advisement, etc.)
• Research Course and Experience – Class in basic research skills and practical hands-on experience completing research projects
• Opportunity to gain clinical experience in more than one specialty (12 month scholars)

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