Built on a tradition of serving under-resourced communities and underrepresented individuals, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science’s Family Medicine Program is a medical teaching program in the heart of South Los Angeles and extending into the cities ‘ under-reached neighborhoods. It is within these neighborhoods that our resident trainees learn to become world-class physician leaders devoted to justice and equity, a promise that CDU has kept since its inception following the Watts uprisings in the 1960’s.
The Family Medicine Program’s founding pillars are built on the ideals of healthcare disparity reform and human equity within a complex socio-medical environment, and in turn, our medical residents become the backbone of these healthcare endeavors. Beginning with a month-long rotation in social medicine understanding the unique needs of our community, CDU residents discover how to advocate for healthcare change, learn about the driving forces behind local health issues, empower communal wellness, and come to see first-hand a mission based on compassion, scientific inquiry, advocacy, and service.
At CDU, character is the universal model. Being a Drew resident means you have not only been chosen for excellence in the classroom and in the field, but you have demonstrated ethical integrity and a tendency towards human empathy. Selection into the Family Medicine Program is based on the notion that a population’s health is as dependent on a physician’s intrinsic character as it is on the ability to clinically diagnose, and Drew graduates are held to the highest standards of both. At Drew, we believe the vitality of community springs from providers who can expertly clinically diagnose a spectrum of conditions within any patient population. We also believe communities thrive when practitioners see justness in healthcare equality and advocate for the dismantling of medicine’s disparities.
Each academic year, we accept eight new residents to train at our partner facilities, drawing on the experiences and expertise of local clinical and medical professionals. Our primary site, Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center, is a state-of-the-art multi-specialty ambulatory care center serving the Watts-Willowbrook neighborhood and is directly across the street from the CDU campus.
Some of the robust experiences we offer include: inpatient ICU and Neurology at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, labor and delivery rotations at California Hospital Medical Center, emergency and cardiology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and geriatrics at Long Beach Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Each rotation allows for opportunities for residents to engage with community leaders and be mentored in these unique surroundings.
CDU provides an excellent Health Library and simulation training center, as well as interdisciplinary training programs with nursing, physician assistant, public health, and health equity research. From day one, CDU’s residents and fellows become valued colleagues, which is why we offer emotional and lifestyle wellness support and 24-hour access to confidential, culturally sensitive counseling services.
As you can see, we strive to give our residents the best educational opportunity so they can become leaders in family medicine. We are looking for bright, enthusiastic, and motivated residents to join us.
USLME Step 1 and Step 2 Transcript (or COMLEX Level I & II)
ECFMG Certification (if applicable)
For the three letters of recommendation: At least one letter needs to be from a faculty licensed in the specialty you are applying for who can comment directly on your clinical performance in that field. Letters from individual faculty members are preferred.
Application Deadline: October 30th
Applications are accepted only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Interviews are conducted October through February. If you have further questions regarding our program, please reach out to us.
Salary & Benefits
To view the current salary levels please review the CIR (Committee of Interns and Residents) SEIU Healthcare Collective Bargaining Agreement. Click Here
To learn more about CIR benefits for County-paid House staff, please visit the CDU CIR SEIU website
Medical Student Education
The Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) is a group of medical students committed to learning more about the breadth and depth of Family Medicine. Opportunities in FMIG include interactions with Family Medicine faculty and residents at local, regional, and national levels.
FMIG cultivates interest in non-traditional clinical spaces where Family Medicine doctors can serve, while also developing leadership potential. Additionally, FMIG fosters community service, including mentoring opportunities, and introduces how principles of social justice can impact the care of vulnerable populations.
