University of California Irvine Program

Program Identity & Fit

This is an academic, university-based Pediatrics/Medical Genetics and Genomics combined program housed within UC Irvine's Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, training physicians across two tracks (a categorical two-year genetics residency and a four-year combined pediatrics/genetics pathway) that culminate in dual board eligibility. Clinical training spans UCI Medical Center (Level I trauma, Level III perinatal center), CHOC, and Miller Children's Hospital, offering exposure across pediatric and adult genetics, metabolic genetics, prenatal/reproductive genetics, cancer genetics, neurogenetics, and dedicated laboratory rotations (cytogenetics, biochemical, molecular), plus specialty clinics such as Prader-Willi and lysosomal storage disease. The curriculum is structured around shared didactics with genetic counseling graduate students and requires a quality improvement project plus at least one original genetics paper, reflecting an expectation of scholarly output built into training rather than optional research. The final six months of the combined track are explicitly reserved for research or specialized training aligned with the resident's intended career focus, signaling a program oriented toward producing academically-grounded subspecialists rather than general practitioners.