AltaMed Family Medicine Residency Program Welcomes Newest Cohort on Match Day 2026

Meeting the Need for Community-Based Care

Since 2020, AltaMed has produced 18 new family medicine physicians through our Family Medicine Residency Program. These doctors – many who come from the same communities that AltaMed serves – have decided to dedicate their careers to those patients who need them the most. 

Established in 2019, the FMRP was created in direct response to a growing physician shortage in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the United States is facing a projected shortage of 141,160 physicians by 2038(1). Family medicine is among the specialties experiencing the greatest gaps, particularly in underserved communities.

AltaMed recognized early on that expanding access to care requires more than recruitment. It requires investment in training physicians who are prepared and committed to serving in community-based settings. “There has never been a greater need for primary care physicians who have been trained to work with diverse patient populations,” says Cástulo de la Rocha, President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services. By building its own residency program, AltaMed is helping to close this gap while strengthening the long-term health care workforce in the communities it serves.

Training Rooted in Community Health Centers

The FMRP is unique in that it is truly embedded in a community health center. Residents train within AltaMed Health Services, one of the nation’s largest Federally Qualified Health Centers, where care is closely connected to the lived experiences of patients. “From the start, the goal has been to build a residency rooted in community health and one that training physicians who understand the social, cultural, and economic factors that shape health in the communities we serve.” says Dr. Melgar.

From their first day, residents are active members of the care team. They manage their own panel of patients while learning the full scope of family medicine. This includes providing primary care, managing chronic conditions, participating in specialty rotations, and collaborating with behavioral health providers and social workers. Residents also see patients in the Hospital; the program runs a hospital team that sees AltaMed patients who require care in the ER, ICU, and medical wards.

Just as importantly, residents see firsthand how factors such as housing, food access, and mental health influence outcomes. This experience shapes physicians who are not only clinically skilled, but also equipped to deliver compassionate, culturally responsive care.

A Growing Impact

In just a few years, the FMRP has produced results that reflect both its quality and its long-term potential. All graduating classes have achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the American Board of Family Medicine exam, a clear indicator of the program’s academic rigor and strong mentorship model.

Interest in the program continues to grow. In the most recent application cycle, AltaMed received 627 applications and interviewed 87 candidates for just six residency positions, underscoring both the competitiveness of the program and the increasing demand for community-based training opportunities.

Beyond training, the program is helping to build a sustainable health care workforce. Of the 18 physicians who have graduated to date, seven have remained at AltaMed as full-time providers, including one who now serves as a Site Medical Director. An additional graduate is an AltaMed hospitalist, meaning they manage the care of AltaMed patients while they are in hospital. They help train residents in the program on hospital medicine, including ordering tests, admitting from the ER, and coordinating specialty referrals. Many other graduates have continued their work in similar settings, with eight graduates practicing at Federally Qualified Health Centers.

The program also reflects a strong commitment to representation in medicine. Sixty-seven percent of residents come from groups underrepresented in the field, helping to ensure that the physician workforce more closely reflects the diverse communities AltaMed serves. “When physicians train in places like AltaMed, they gain the skills, cultural humility, and community relationships that make them more likely to practice in underserved areas after graduation,” said Dr. Melgar. “That means more access to primary care, stronger continuity for patients, and healthier communities over time. In many ways, residency programs like ours are not only training doctors — they are building the future of community-based health care.”