Primary Care Track

The Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Primary Care Track was developed by LLU, Riverside University Health System (RUHS) and the University of California, Riverside (UCR). 

We recognize the need to balance tertiary care and primary care clinicians.

The track’s goal is to train highly competent residents who are passionate about pediatric primary care, health management and making an impact on our underserved populations. 

About the Track

In the Primary Care Track, you’ll spend most of your time at RUHS. The RUHS outpatient clinic alone has more than 8,000 visits annually, serving a population that depends exclusively on state-assisted insurance.

RUHS is a state-of-the-art tertiary care and level II pediatric facility. The facility offers: 

  • A main acute-care hospital
  • A birthing center
  • 20 inpatient pediatric beds with more than 1300 admissions per year
  • Pediatric and neonatal intensive care units
  • 8 PICU beds with more than 300 admissions per year
  • 32 NICU beds with more than 500 admissions per year

Residents complete their specialty clinic “consult” months at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. However, the RUHS general clinic also houses multiple Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital pediatric subspecialty clinics. The subspecialty attendings at RUHS are a great resource and are readily available.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Chad Vercio, MD
Chad Vercio, MD
Our Primary Care Track is invested in continual improvement in patient care and education. We’re committed to nurturing residents as they develop both a professional identity and the adaptability necessary for a fulfilling career in pediatric medicine. Skills and adaptability are enhanced through training in both community and tertiary care settings

Schedule Comparison 

Rotation Intern Year PL-2/3
  Categorical Primary Care Track Categorical Primary Care Track
Inpatient 4 months 3 months 5 months 4 months
Outpatient 3 months* 3 months 2 months 4 months
ER 1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month
Nursery 1 month*** 1 month   1 month
OK Kids/Advocacy 1 month*** 1 month***   Advocacy/Research
Behavior 1 month 1 month    
Elective/Selective 1 month*** Forensics 3 months 2 months
NICU   1 month 2 months 1 month
PICU     2 months 2 months
Flex months     2 months** 1 month**
Subspecialty consults     6 months*** 6 months***
Adolescent     1 month 1 month
Vacation 3 weeks 3 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks

* Two months of outpatient clinic will consist of two weeks of ward night float each month (averages to approximately one month of ward night float during intern year

** The “Flex” months can be used for additional outpatient or inpatient exposure, or split 50/50

*** An average of 5 nights of NICU night float within the months indicated (three months during intern year and three months during PL-2 and PL-3 years