Graduate Medical Education

Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP) offers an outstanding environment for Family Medicine training. We deliver a world-class, full-scope learning experience that promotes clinical excellence. We are the only residency program in the facility, providing robust exposure to primary care, inpatient care, maternity and newborn care, sports medicine, and procedural training. Our residents perform nearly every procedure a Family Physician can do including minor skin procedures, joint injections, acupuncture, point-of-care ultrasound, vasectomy, colposcopy, exercise treadmill testing, obstetrical ultrasound, and vaginal delivery.

We graduate leaders. Residents achieve increasing independence and responsibility during their time here. They become teachers for their junior residents and clinical team. They become recognized leaders in the hospital as active participants in process improvement and key members on the hospital committees that influence patient care policy.

We have 13 full-time Family Medicine faculty, all board-certified and passionate about resident education. Backgrounds are diverse, including a wealth of operational military experience and a strong corps of civilian physicians from across the country. Numerous faculty have fellowship training and Certificates of Additional Qualification (CAQ) in Faculty Development, Geriatrics, and Sports Medicine. We are also the host program for the Navy's only Sports Medicine Primary Care Fellowship.

We are a proud member of the medical community in San Diego County, enjoying long-standing partnerships with regional facilities that enhance the diversity and quality of the resident experience. Our residents rotate with experts at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NICU, ICU, Endocrinology), Rady Children's Hospital (Inpatient Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine), University of California San Diego Jacobs Medical Center (Inpatient Adult Medicine), and Palomar Hospital (Trauma Emergency Medicine). We also enjoy close ties with BOTH blue-side Navy (San Diego) and green-side USMC (Camp Pendleton) operational units and medical teams.
 
Southern California, of course, boasts great weather, great attractions, and great activities. Surfing, running, cycling, sailing, camping, and hiking are common diversions. Disneyland, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo are here. We are close to Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Catalina Island. There probably is not a better place in the world to watch baseball. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Anaheim Angels are all nearby, as are several other Los Angeles sports teams.

We are excited to host medical students, who quickly become important members of our team. We hope to give all medical students a broad experience in Family Medicine and a clear understanding of who we are. Students spend most of their time in the clinic caring for patients with faculty and residents. They also spend time on the inpatient service and have opportunities to work on Labor & Delivery and with our Sports Medicine team. There may also be opportunities for experience with local operational units.

Are we the right residency program for you? For students, call us or e-mail to set up a rotation. If you are GMO, Fight Surgeon or Dive Officer looking for a residency starting in the PGY-2 year, we can arrange a tour and interview. We'd love to hear from you and get to know you.

Noa C. Hammer, MD MPH
CAPT MC USN
Program Director