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Academics And Training

Graduate Medical Education Family Medicine Residency Program

About the Program

The program operates at Sunset Health, a nationally recognized Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), located in a rural setting. It is designed with an emphasis on ambulatory care and is directed by a dedicated, full-time, community-based faculty. During your residency at Sunset Health, you’ll experience a nurturing, collaborative teaching environment and a welcoming sense of community that encourages the creation of lasting professional and personal connections.

Sponsoring Institution: Onvida Health

Mission Statement

The Sunset Health Family Medicine Residency Program, sponsored by Onvida Health System, is dedicated to training a new generation of board-certified, full-spectrum family physicians. These physicians will provide evidence-based and compassionate care to underserved communities in Arizona. Grounded in the principles of the Quadruple Aim, our mission is to equip residents to improve population health, enhance patient experience, reduce healthcare costs, and promote provider well-being, all while advancing health and fostering innovation in rural and border areas.

Vision Statement

We envision a transformative residency program that redefines primary care training through community immersion, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a patient-centered approach. Our graduates will become leaders in rural health, equipped to serve diverse populations with clinical excellence, cultural humility, and a commitment to lifelong learning. By aligning with the core values of Sunset Health and Onvida Health—accessibility, progress, and kindness—we aim to establish a national model for outpatient-focused, mission-driven graduate medical education.

Program Overview: Onvida Health at Sunset

Throughout the three-year program, residents will participate in four hours each week of core Family Medicine didactics, including lectures, conferences, and interactive workshops.

Newly created core rotations have been introduced to provide residents with comprehensive experience in medical informatics, rural health, community health, early development, geriatrics, and public health. These rotations are designed to equip residents with vital skills and knowledge relevant to evolving healthcare needs, ensuring well-rounded preparation for diverse practice settings.

In addition, residents are provided with six months of elective time, allowing flexibility to pursue focused training in areas of individual interest such as sports medicine, substance abuse, addiction medicine, advanced OB, border health or hospice.

Orientation for incoming first-year residents takes place in July. All residents receive twenty (20) days of paid vacation annually. Residents completing Postgraduate Year (PGY) 1 are eligible for two (2) paid Continuing Medical Education (CME) days per year, while residents in PGY2 and PGY3 receive five (5) paid CME days annually.

Program launches on July 2027.

Application Information

To be eligible for the Family Medicine Residency Program at Sunset Health, applicants must meet all of the following basic eligibility criteria:

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Medical Education: Graduation from an accredited medical school (US, Canada, or International).
International Medical Graduates (IMGs): A valid ECFMG certificate is required.
Licensure Exams: Completion and pass of USMLE Steps 1 and 2, or COMLEX Level 1 and 2.
Recent Graduation: Require graduation within the last 1-5 years.
Visa Status: Is being considered for the moment and will have more information when Full ACGME certification is obtained. But might be limited to only J-1 visas.

All applications are submitted, processed, and reviewed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), beginning in September of each academic year. Sunset Health participates fully in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) and adheres strictly to all NRMP policies and guidelines.

Resident interviews are conducted from October through January each year. The Family Medicine Residency Program at Sunset Health offers two (2) PGY1 positions annually.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants graduating before 2022 are not eligible for the program and will not be considered for the PGY-1 class entering July 1, 2027.

Curriculum Structure

Your Family Medicine Residency at Sunset Health is designed to prepare you for today’s evolving healthcare landscape while equipping you to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Our comprehensive three-year curriculum includes six (6) elective months and a strong emphasis on ambulatory care, pediatrics, and medical informatics. The program is grounded in conscientious, evidence-based care and highlights the essential role of the family physician across the full continuum of care for individuals, families, and communities.

At Sunset Health, you will train in a supportive, collaborative learning environment that fosters professional growth and personal well-being. Residents gain experience across diverse rural clinical settings, including outpatient family medicine and pediatric clinics, the partnering hospital, and other specialty community-based sites. This broad exposure provides meaningful, real-world clinical experience complemented by high-quality, personalized instruction to help you develop the skills and confidence needed for a successful career in family medicine. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work with underserved populations, gaining valuable insight into the unique challenges and rewards of providing care in communities with limited resources. This commitment to serving underserved and uninsured communities is woven throughout the training experience, preparing you to address healthcare disparities and advocate for equitable access to care.

Sunset Health makes innovation and technology a key part of resident training. Residents learn to use the Nextgen electronic health record system and other support platforms that help them track milestones, schedules, duty hours, case logs, and conference participation. Telehealth training lets residents care for patients remotely, especially in rural and underserved areas, while building digital communication skills. Residents also work with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools that improve documentation, diagnosis, clinical decisions, and personalized care. These resources support learning and professional growth, preparing residents to keep pace with new healthcare technologies. Training sessions, simulation labs, and exposure to new medical tools create a culture of ongoing innovation, helping graduates succeed and lead in a dynamic healthcare environment.

The three-year Family Medicine Residency curriculum at Sunset Health features diverse clinical rotations, all grounded in ambulatory care, patient-centered practices, and a strong commitment to serving underserved communities:

PGY1

Family Medicine Principles (4 weeks)
Adult Inpatient Medicine (8 weeks)
Ambulatory Pediatrics (4 weeks)
Rheumatology (4 weeks)
Medical Informatics (4 weeks)
Diagnostic Imaging/Gynecology (4 weeks)
Public Health/Health Systems Management (4 weeks)
Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
Early Development (4 weeks)
Rural Health (4 weeks)
Elective (4 weeks)

PGY2

Adult Inpatient Medicine (4 weeks)
Nephrology (4 weeks)
Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
Ambulatory Pediatrics (4 weeks)
Adult Intensive Care Unit (4 weeks)
Endocrinology (4 weeks)
Cardiology (4 weeks)
Obstetrics (4 weeks)
Orthopedics/Podiatry (4 weeks)
General Surgery (4 weeks)
Public Health (4 weeks)
Elective (8 weeks)

PGY3

Adult Inpatient Medicine (8 weeks)
Ambulatory Pediatrics (4 weeks)
Psychiatry (4 weeks)
Obstetrics (4 weeks)
Gynecology/Ophthalmology (4 weeks)
Otolaryngology (4 weeks)
Family Medicine (8 weeks)
Geriatrics (4 weeks)
Elective (12 weeks)

Benefits Structure

The Family Medicine Residency program at Sunset Health provides residents with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits to support their families and career development.

Salary

PGY 1 $63,361.44
PGY 2 $67,473.18
PGY 3 $70,271.50

Benefits

Annual Open Enrollment:
- Health Insurance
- Voluntary Dental Insurance
- Voluntary Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance
- Contribution and Matching 403(b) Plan
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
Wellness Program with access to Sunset Health onsite Behavioral Health Services
On-Call Paid Meals during Hospital Rotations
CME Allowance – up to $500/year for PGY1, $1000/ year for PGY2, and $1800/year for PGY3
CME Paid Leave – two days for approved CME for PGY1 and 5 days for approved CME for PGY2 and PGY3 residents
Paid Leave – 20 days annually
Licensure Fees, Textbooks and Board Preparation Materials
Parental/Medical/Caregiver Leave – Paid up to six (6) weeks, up to twelve (12) weeks total