Fostering a Med-Peds Professional Identity

The combined field of Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) has existed as a specialty since 1967. This field combines the strengths of both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, producing physicians who are knowledgeable and skilled in the diagnosis and management of illnesses across the full life span. Med-Peds physicians are as comfortable in the newborn nursery as they are in the nursing home, inpatient wards, intensive care units, emergency departments and ambulatory clinic.

One unique aspect of Med-Peds training is the ability to care for multiple generations of patients within the same family. Med-Peds physicians are uniquely positioned to understand the complexities of family dynamics and its impact on illness, the epidemiology and public health aspect of disease, and the impact of disease and illness at all ages. Through this lens, a portion of Med-Peds physicians seek specialized post-residency training in public health, health services research, health care administration, medical education and other sub-specialty fields (e.g. adult congenital heart fellowship). Finally, Med-Peds physicians maintain the interdisciplinary integration within medical centers, facilitating communication between departments.

At UCLA, we are very committed to fostering your identity as a Med-Peds physician.  We are intentional in our educational offerings as well as provide opportunities for coaching and mentoring from Med-Peds physicians.  As a residency program, we are unique since we sit in a robust Med-Peds division with support from several faculty both on the inpatient and outpatient side who are practicing Med-Peds physicians.  We have the commitment of both the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics departments to make this program the best it can be. We have all the resources that UCLA has to offer – excellent training facilities in multiple settings, some of the best sub-specialty divisions in both pediatrics and medicine, research in medicine and public health, and a campus with strong schools of public health, education, public policy, business and law for residents interested in pursuing interdisciplinary training. 

UCLA Med-Peds: Becoming a Lifespan Physician

Community-Centered Care

Our program is committed to training well-rounded, fulfilled, and versatile physicians who are passionate about caring for children and adults across the lifespan and who lead in advocacy, health equity, and service to the diverse communities of Los Angeles. We are proud to attract talented, mission-driven applicants from across the country who share these values.

A hallmark of our program is the breadth of clinical and community experiences available to residents throughout Los Angeles County. Through our partnerships with organizations such as Venice Family Clinic, Homeboy Industries, Early Head Start, and community-based programs across the region, residents engage with patients and families from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. These opportunities complement training at UCLA Health sites and provide rich exposure to community-centered care across diverse settings.

To further support our mission, we developed the Med-Peds Community-Centered Care Longitudinal Curricular Thread. Residents maintain continuity experiences at both UCLA and Venice Family Clinic and participate in immersive community-based learning opportunities, including street medicine, addiction medicine, home visits with Early Head Start, tattoo removal services through Homeboy Industries, and specialized care for foster youth. These experiences help residents develop the skills, perspective, and confidence needed to provide compassionate, equitable care across the lifespan.

The overarching goal of the Community-Centered Care curricular thread is to prepare UCLA Med-Peds residents to become skilled clinicians, effective advocates, and thoughtful leaders who advance health and well-being in the communities they serve.

Specifically, the curriculum aims to:

1. Build expertise in caring for diverse patient populations across the lifespan by providing residents with meaningful clinical experiences in a variety of community and healthcare settings and fostering collaboration with multidisciplinary and community-based partners.
2. Develop a deep understanding of health equity and the factors that influence health by exploring social determinants of health, community strengths, and the systems that shape health outcomes throughout Los Angeles County.
3. Cultivate a lifelong commitment to advocacy, service, and community partnership by engaging residents with organizations and initiatives that promote patient-centered care and community well-being.

Community Centered Care Across the Lifespan

Med-Peds Professional Identity Formation

(What Makes a Med-Peds Physician? What Makes us uniquely UCLA Med-Peds?)

Transition Care

• 1 session per AY for PGY-1, PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents in transition clinic. Transition clinic prioritized for PGY-1 residents in their first 6 months
• PGY-4 residents have 2w Transition Care Program(TCP) rotation and are involved in clinical care of transition patients as well as teaching IM categorical residents about caring for adults with complex pediatric medical history
• Exposure to Med-Peds wards service

Med-Peds Crossover Curriculum

• PGY-2 residents present Med-Peds crossover cases to categorical peds residents
• PGY-3 residents presents Med-Peds crossover cases to categorical IM residents

LEND Experience

• 2w LEND clinical experience in place of traditional 2w Peds MH Rotation

Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)

• 1 clinic per AY for PGY-3 residents
• 2 clinics per AY for PGY-4 residents

Med-Peds Procedure/Sports Medicine Clinic

• 1 per AY for PGY-2 to PGY-4 residents

Med-Peds Track in Primary Care Medicine(PCM) Block Weeks

• Crafting your journey through MP – resident-led narrative identity project
• Holistic Professional development
• Wellness focus groups
• Career development and coaching – UME-GME transition, becoming a MP senior

Med-Peds Residency Capstone

• culminating educational and professional development experience for graduating residents as they transition from residency training to independent practice

Additional Clinical Experiences

Longitudinal Clinical Experiences (LCE) – focused time in clinical area of interest for residents in PGY 2 to 4 years. Residents get 1-2 sessions per plus 2 in a clinical area of interest. Residents opt in for this opportunity. LCEs include LEND, Sickle Cell Clinic, Peds medical home, OV Hub Clinic, IBD clinic, Women’s Health, CARE clinic, THE clinic, Street Medicine

RR Procedure experience – one week out of plus 2 in PGY-2 year and one week out of +2 in PGY-3 year

DBP rotation – one week out of plus 2 in PGY-2 year and one week out of plus 2 in PGY-3 year

Neurology Experience – clinical experience for MP residents

Addiction Medicine Experience – clinical experience for MP residents

Community Engagement and Career Pathways

Residents deepen their connections with community through mEDI-pEDI community engagement opportunities and may pursue pathways in Health Equity, Medical Education, Global Health, and Health Systems Leadership.

UCLA Med-Peds Graduates

UCLA Med-Peds graduates are:

• Expert clinicians across the lifespan
• Navigators of pediatric and adult healthcare systems
• Advocates for patients, families and communities
• Leaders in health equity and community engagement
• Educators, scholars and innovators

Partner Programs