​​General Preventive Medicine/Public Health Residency Program

Public Health Priorities Track for Preventive Medicine Residency Program

Please note that the Public Health Priorities Track is not available for the 2023-24 training year as funding will end April 30, 2023.

General Preventive Medicine / Public Health Residency Program (PMRP) 

PMRP is a one or two-year program for physicians, in which participants obtain a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree within an affiliated California university followed by a training year within a local health department or a state department program mentored by a County Health Officer or public health physician. Residents will obtain knowledge and gain expertise in reducing the incidence and prevalence of disease, addressing health inequities and creating healthier communities in the state of California.

PMRP was established in 1980 in response to the California Conference of Local Health Officers' recognition of the need for physicians trained in public health practice. PMRP is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to provide a one or two-year program. The PMRP is affiliated with the University of California at Davis, Berkeley and Los Angeles MPH programs. 

The post-graduate (PG) Y2 training year is spent obtaining an MPH for those residents who do not already have one. Residents in their PGY3 training year work with experienced public health physician mentors to gain practical public health experience.

Funding is available for one resident to start the program in July 2023 and a potential for three additional positions if new Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) or state funding is awarded. Residents have been placed in varied local health departments for the PGY3 year. Geographic placements are dependent on many factors, including the preference of the resident. There are currently four residents in the PGY3 year who are gaining public health experience at the California Department of Health Care Services, City of Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Yolo County. One resident in the PGY2 year will receive training in Marin County.

Applicants who apply to the residency program should also apply to an MPH program at one of the Universities with which CDPH has an affiliation: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, or UC Los Angeles. 

Upon completion of the training, physicians are eligible for board certification in the specialty of Public Health and General Preventive Medicine.  

This program and website are supported by the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Preventive Medicine Residency grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration.