ARMC/Kaiser General Surgery
Message from the Program Director:
Welcome and thank you for visiting the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center/Kaiser Fontana General Surgery Program webpage. We are a 5 year, ACGME-accredited program in General Surgery located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. The program enjoys the benefit of spanning two contrasting institutions, providing our residents exposure to the full range of General Surgery care for patients across a wide socioeconomic and cultural spectrum.
ARMC is a San Bernardino County operated, 456-bed university-affiliated teaching facility. ARMC is both a Level I Trauma Center and Regional Burn center and has one of the busiest emergency departments in the state of California. Kaiser Fontana is part of Kaiser Permanente, the largest managed care organization in the United States.
The Inland Empire is an underrated living destination, well situated in an area close to mountains, desert, and the ocean. Outdoor activities are plentiful and sporting events, dining and entertainment is abundant. Also nearby are major urban centers in Los Angeles (55 miles), Orange County (50 miles), San Diego (110 miles), and Las Vegas (230 miles).
I take pride in ensuring that our residents have robust training in all aspects of general surgery, and that they feel practice-ready at the end of five years and/or well prepared to enter competitive fellowship training programs of their choosing. I’m also proud to lead one of the few programs with a 100% 1st attempt pass rate on the American Board of Surgery Certifying and Qualifying exams over the past five years – a testament to the strength of our faculty and residents alike.
Finally, our program places great importance on fostering an environment of curiosity and camaraderie between residents and faculty, as there is no better way to learn, educate, deliver patient care and serve our community than to do it as a cohesive team. We look forward to meeting you!
Sincerely,
Judi Ramiscal, MD
Program Director, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center/Kaiser Fontana General Surgery Residency Program
Recruitment
We practice holistic review and look beyond scores to the whole applicant with emphasis on
characteristics such as clinical excellence, professionalism, teamwork, communication, leadership,
service, and a growth mindset.
Selection criteria include:
Clerkship/MSPE narratives and clinical performance (surgery, ICU, medicine)
A minimum of 3 Letters of recommendation
USMLE/COMLEX considered in context (no single factor is determinative)
Evidence of reliability, communication, leadership, and collaboration
Scholarship/quality improvement and curiosity to learn
Service to diverse communities and mission fit
Application logistics:
We participate in ERAS and the NRMP.
We do not offer visa sponsorship (J-1, H-1B, or other).
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship at the time of application and employment.
We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and are committed to an inclusive, supportive learning environment.
Mission Statement
To create an environment of learning and innovation for the training of highly skilled, competent, and compassionate General Surgeons. Surgeons who are ready to serve a diverse community of varied cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, or pursue further sub-specialty training.