The Merced Family Medicine Residency Program trains resident physicians to provide comprehensive, continuous, and compassionate care to patients, particularly in rural and underserved environments. As part of Dignity Health, we are a member of CommonSpirit Health's national network of more than 2,200 care sites across 24 states. That broad perspective supports our local commitment to community-based training, health equity and compassionate care. Mercy Medical Center Merced is a 186-bed, Joint Commission accredited hospital, serving as a regional medical center for an agricultural area of central California, with our core outpatient experience taking place in the licensed Rural Health Clinic, Family Care Clinic. Residents gain a rich variety of experiences in both inpatient and outpatient settings, fostering independent learning and strong faculty support. Upon graduation, residents are prepared to be outstanding, full-spectrum, independent Family Physicians capable of practicing in diverse environments, including rural and underserved areas.
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Name, Title
Our curriculum provides a broad and extensive inpatient and outpatient experience, helping residents achieve holistic, compassionate, and culturally-aware care for diverse patients across society. A didactic conference is held each Tuesday afternoon, and several options are available for both inpatient and outpatient electives.
Foundational training includes twelve weeks on the Inpatient Medicine Service, eight to nine weeks on the busy obstetric and gynecology service, and rotations in surgery subspecialties like ENT and Urology. Residents spend one to three half-days a week in the Family Care Clinic.
Expanded clinical responsibility includes six to eight additional weeks on the medicine rotation supervising first-year residents, two weeks in the NICU, two weeks in an emergency room at Valley Children's Hospital, a four-week geriatrics rotation, and continuous experience in the emergency room. Residents spend three to four half-days a week in the Family Care Clinic.
Independent practice preparation includes four weeks on the medicine service supervising and teaching first-year residents, continuous experience in the emergency room, and the majority of elective time, allowing residents to select clinical areas of concentration to adjust training for future practice settings. Residents spend four to five half-days a week in the Family Care Clinic.
A didactic conference is held each Tuesday afternoon. Residents also participate in a Behavioral Science didactic session every Wednesday afternoon, which is a longitudinal rotation over the course of the residency program.
Residents acquire experience in EKG interpretation and gain expertise in procedures such as lesion removal, joint injections, and placement of IUD and Nexplanon. The Family Care Clinic also offers a skin care clinic, vasectomy, and circumcision procedures.
We encourage residents to become independent learners, developing a habit of learning and inquisitiveness through daily presentations, required senior resident presentations, and promoting the searching of medical literature. Quality improvement is a focus for the Associate Program Director.
Residents have elective time throughout the three years, with the majority in the third year, allowing them to select clinical areas of concentration. Established electives include Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Hospital/ICU Medicine, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, Interventional Radiology, Nephrology, Outpatient Pediatrics, Outpatient Procedures, Public Health, Pulmonology, Rehab Medicine, Woman’s Health, and Wound Care, with a process for creating new electives.
The Behavioral Science experience is a longitudinal rotation over the course of the residency program, where residents participate in didactic sessions, counsel patients referred for crisis intervention or brief therapy sessions, and learn counseling skills, DSM-IV diagnoses, use of psychiatric medications, and assessment of psychological issues.
Residents participate in a variety of clinics including MAT clinic at a local FQHC, Dermatology clinic, Procedure clinic, Eye clinic, and spend time with a local foundation exploring philanthropic work. Rotations also include the University of California, Merced Student Clinic and the Mobile Clinic.
Residents rotate with local orthopedic surgeons, at a community college with trainers for sports injuries, and with a local rheumatologist for rheumatologic conditions. Residents also perform sports physicals at local high schools with faculty.
A POCUS curriculum is incorporated into both didactics and inpatient and outpatient clinic experiences. A Wellness curriculum, led by two third-year residents, is integrated into the didactics. The program is also working on developing a formal Street Medicine curriculum.
Mercy Medical Center Merced serves as the primary inpatient training site. The core outpatient experience for residents occurs at the Family Care Clinic, a licensed Rural Health Clinic in South Merced. Residents also rotate through several other rural locations in Merced County and the University of California, Merced Student Clinic and Mobile Clinic for community medicine experiences.
Mercy Medical Center
Merced, California
Family Care Clinic
Merced, California
Community partner sites
UC Merced Student Clinic and Mobile Clinic provide additional community medicine experiences.
Residents are eligible for benefits beginning on their first day of hire.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, annual resident salaries are:
PGY-1: $74,880.00
PGY-2: $77,142.00
PGY-3: $83,506.00
Medical plan premiums paid in full for residents; low cost for all enrolled dependents
Dental & Vision insurance premiums paid in full for residents and all enrolled dependents
Life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance at 1x annual salary; premium paid by CommonSpirit; additional coverage available at resident's cost
Long-term disability insurance covering 60% of base pay
Professional liability insurance for duties within the course and scope of appointment
Spousal and dependent life insurance available at resident's cost
Four weeks of paid vacation and holiday leave per year
Paid leave (medical, parental, caregiver) available for qualifying reasons consistent with applicable laws; available at least once and at any time during an ACGME-accredited program
403(b) retirement plan with pre-tax contributions through Fidelity; $0.50 employer match per $1.00 contributed; eligible after one year of service and 1,000 hours worked; 100% vested in matching contributions after five years of service
Additional benefits vary by sponsoring institution and program
Merced is in the San Joaquin Valley near the foothills of the Sierras, known as "The Gateway to Yosemite," located only one hour and 45 minutes from Yosemite National Park and approximately two hours from San Francisco and the coast. It is a semi-rural area with rich cultural diversity, including large populations of Hmong/Mienh/Thai/Laotian immigrants, Portuguese, Sikhs/Punjabis, and Latino peoples, offering the advantages of a small-town atmosphere. Numerous recreational opportunities include bike paths, multiple neighborhood parks, gyms, an 18-hole golf course, and Lake Yosemite for water sports. Downtown Merced features local restaurants, movie theaters, beer pubs, an art center, and the landmark Merced Theatre for live performances. UC Merced, the 10th University of California campus, has brought new growth and many new cultural activities to the city.
Application Process
Mercy Merced Family Medicine Residency Program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and will only accept applications through Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). The ERAS application process for the academic year 2026–2027 starts on September 25, 2025.
Required application materials:
Role: Program Director
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency Fellowship: Faculty Development at UCSF
Board certification: Family Medicine
Clinical/academic interests: Geriatric medicine, hospice, care of patients with HIV/AIDS, nurturing learning environment, preparing future family physicians, strengthening ties of the residency to the community and UC Merced
Role: Associate Program Director
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Universidad Mayor de San Simon
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency (Class of 2018)
Role: Associate Program Director
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Fellowship: Faculty Development at UC San Francisco
Board certification: Hospice and Palliative
Medicine Clinical/academic interests: Improving clinic processes, quality improvement
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: UC San Diego
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Clinical/academic interests: Obstetrics, pediatrics, women’s health
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: University of Southern California
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Program
Board certification: Sports Medicine
Clinical/academic interests: Sports Medicine, teaching assessment and procedures in skin care, establishing rural clinics for dermatologic conditions
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: UC Davis
Residency: Mercy Medical Center (1996)
Clinical/academic interests: ER, critical care, obstetrics
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Mexico; Wake Forest University Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Board certification: Geriatric Medicine
Clinical/academic interests: Geriatrics, inpatient medicine services, preceptor in the Family Medicine Center, didactics on the Geriatric Rotation
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Government College, Daska, Pakistan
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Board certification: Family Medicine
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Ross University School of Medicine
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency (Class of 2015)
Board certification: Family Medicine
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Ross University
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Board certification: Family Medicine
Clinical/academic interests: Geriatrics, obstetrics, pediatrics, adolescent care
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Dignity Health Foundation Medical Group in Merced
Medical school: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Residency: Valley Consortium for Medical Education Family Medicine Residency
Clinical/academic interests: Inpatient medicine services, outpatient Family Medicine Center, promoting educational opportunities in the local Hmong community
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine; Danbury Hospital
Board certification: Obstetrics/Gynecology Clinical/academic interests: Obstetrics/Gynecology
Role: Director of Behavioral Sciences
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: California Southern University (Doctorate in Psychology)
Clinical/academic interests: Behavioral medicine, mental health care, hospice
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Medical school: UC Davis School of Medicine
Residency: Merced Family Medicine Residency
Clinical/academic interests: Providing a medical learning environment that graduates outstanding, full spectrum, independent Family Physicians
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Clinical/academic interests: Pediatrics
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: Family Medicine Residency Program, Mercy Medical Center Merced
Clinical/academic interests: Family Medicine
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John Paik-Tesch, MD
Program Director
Family Medicine Residency Program
Phone: (209) 564-3500
Email: mmcm-fmrp@dignityhealth.org
Ka Thor
Program Coordinator
Family Medicine Residency Program
Phone: (209) 564-3500
Email: mmcm-fmrp@dignityhealth.org
Mailing Address:
Mercy Medical Center Merced
Family Medicine Residency Program
315 Mercy Ave., Ste. 301
Merced, CA 95340
Secondary contact for clerkships:
Ka Thor
Clerkship Coordinator
Phone: (209) 564-3500
Email: ka.thor@dignityhealth.org
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