Resident Life
Life in the Hospital
Our program was at the forefront of national changes to the night float system. All interns are on a nigh float system. All juniors and seniors are also on a night float system with the exception of LPCH NICU, SCVMC NICU and wards.
At LPCH, residents on call or on night float can gather in the Housestaff Lounge for meals, activities, and an evening educational curriculum, consisting of a case-based lecture every evening directed by the attending Hospitalist. The lounge was remodeled in 2007, creating a pleasant environment for relaxing and teaching.
We have morning report 4 days per week at LPCH, with case based presentations of in-house patients. This is directed by the Chief Residents and Teaching Seniors. On Friday mornings, residents attend hospital wide Grand Rounds in the LPCH Auditorium. Noon conference is an hour long, and takes place daily. At noon conference, lectures are given by faculty. Breakfast and lunch are provided during Morning Report and Noon Conference. On weekends, food is ordered from local eateries. Residents (at LPCH, SCVMC and Kaiser) also receive cafeteria money credited to their ID badge for each night spent on call. These funds can also be used at the Starbucks Coffee Cart and Mrs. Fields Cookies at Stanford Hospital.
Resident Duty Hours
We follow all of the 2011 duty hour guidelines strictly. There is no post-call afternoon continuity clinic. On average, residents have one weekend day each week entirely free. All residents have at least one “Golden Weekend” with both Saturday and Sunday call free.
Our Jeopardy call system consists of junior and senior residents on call for illnesses and emergencies. In addition, we recently implemented a Resident Reserve rotation to assume daytime cross-cover responsibilities when not working on a quality improvement project.
Resident Support and Retreats
In acknowledgement of the difficulties inherent in medical training and residency, in particular, a variety of forums have been established for resident expression, exploration and general support. These include Housestaff Open Forums, Happy Hours, Holiday Parties, Resident Wellness Program, Social Committee, Humanism Groups, and Resident Retreats. The Resident Wellness Program consists of activities throughout the work day and on weekends focused on wellness. The goal is to offer opportunities in multiple modalities so as to appeal to a wide-range of residents. Some examples of this program include massage therapy during a wellness noon conference, hikes on the weekends, and dinners at faculty homes. In addition, the residents have formed a social committee which works to improve resident satisfaction with food choices at conference to coordinating events outside of the hospital. The faculty members are regularly involved in our activities, including poker parties at attendings’ homes and annual bowling and softball matches.
Every year, each class of residents is covered for a 1 day (and 1 night) retreat at staggered times through the year. Primarily planned by the class members, past retreats have included Monterey-area beach house, a night at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, and a nice dinner and rented house in San Francisco. Residents are excused from duties and funding is provided for the activities.
The Bay Area Lifestyle
With its central location, our program offers the opportunity to explore theStanford University campus, Palo Alto, the San Francisco Bay Area, and all of California. The campus itself offers unparalleled beauty and serenity surrounded by a myriad of extracurricular activities. Complimenting Stanford's world-renowned educational resources is a nationally competitive inter-collegiate sports program, providing a wide range of exciting matches. The near-perfect year-round weather will enable you to maintain your individual fitness pursuits, whether they be golf, tennis, cycling, running, hiking, or swimming. As a resident you will have access to Stanford University's recreation and sports facilities.
Off campus, the Palo Alto and San Francisco Bay areas offer some of the most exciting and desirable places to explore. Within four hours drive, you can visit Lake Tahoe, wineries in Napa Valley, the rugged coastline of Half Moon Bay, or the serene woods of Portola Valley. For living accommodations, residents typically live in the communities surrounding campus, including Palo Alto, Mountain View or Menlo Park. However, some individuals choose to commute from San Jose or San Francisco. There are also convenient campus apartments available through the lottery system. City sponsored events, restaurants, theaters, clubs, museums, and recreation areas are abundant. The hills, valleys, and coastline of California are explored by automobile with remarkable ease, and three nearby airports make travel options limitless.
Driving Times to Nearby Destinations
| City | Driving Time |
| San Francisco | 40 minutes |
| Santa Cruz | 60 minutes |
| Napa Valley | 90 minutes |
| Carmel/Monterey | 90 minutes |
| Yosemite | 4 hours |
| Lake Tahoe / Reno | 4 hours |
| Los Angeles | 6 hours |