Program Overview
Welcome to the UCLA-Olive View Internal Medicine Residency Program.
We, the UCLA-Olive View Internal Medicine Residency Program, train compassionate, clinically outstanding physicians while providing high quality care to the underserved.
The Residency Program provides training for 78 residents and interns in Internal Medicine, including:
- 64 housestaff across the 3-year categorical track
- 14 housestaff in the 1-year preliminary medicine track
The Program achieves its mission by building a strong foundation in Internal Medicine through clinical care at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and the UCLA Health System. This provides ample clinical training in both a safety net county hospital and university health system. Medical education is enriched through clinical didactics, case conferences, and professional development, all of which can be accessed through this website. UCLA-appointed faculty guide and supervise the curriculum.
Program Curriculum
In order to train outstanding physicians, the program sets forth the following general goals and objectives for housestaff during their clinical rotations. They encompass the six domains of competency and complement additional knowledge- and skill-based objectives for each rotation.
Residency Program Curriculum: General Goals & Objectives
We believe in nurturing an environment that supports learning and patient care while allowing residents to grow. In order to maintain a safe and supportive environment, the program follows the following policies and procedures.
- Residency Program Policies & Procedures
- Olive View Graduate Medical Education
(log-in to the Olive View Intranet to view institutional policies)
Program Committees
The following committees meet regularly to guide the residency program and trainees in the program.
- Program Evaluation Committee (PEC)
- Clinical Competency Committee (CCC): more information
- Curriculum Committee
- Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Antiracism Committee
Residents are represented in PEC by elected peers from each level of training. For more information about resident participation, contact the program directors.
Program Leadership
Laxmi Suthar, M.D.
Program Director
Vinhfield Ta, M.D.
Associate Program Director
Paul Salama, M.D.
Associate Program Director
Gezman Abdullahi, M.D.
Associate Program Director
Oscar E. Gallardo-Huizar, M.D.
Chief Resident 2023-2024
Anisha Gaitonde, M.D.
Chief Resident 2023-2024
Helen Tran, M.D.
Chief Resident 2023-2024
Nisha Sunku, M.D.
Chief Resident 2023-2024
Gustavo Chavez
Residency Program Coordinator
Norman Belisle
Assistant Program Coordinator
Esther Rivera-Cisneros
Assistant Program Coordinator
Core Faculty
Vincent Chan, M.D.
Pulmonary & Critical Care
Siamak Basiratmand, M.D.
Mid-Valley Primary Care
Daniel Georgie, M.D.
Olive View Primary Care
Sherwin Hsu, M.D.
Hospital Medicine
Matthew McCullough, M.D.
Hospital Medicine
Arash Nafisi, M.D.
Olive View Primary Care
Michael Rotblatt, M.D.
Olive View Primary Care
Richard Tennant, M.D.
Hospital Medicine
Katherine Yu, M.D.
Palliative Care Medicine
Education Coordinators
Gezman Abdullahi, M.D.
Outpatient General Medicine Education Coordinator
Matthew McCullough, M.D.
Inpatient General Medicine Education Coordinator
Oleg Melamed, M.D.
Urgent Care Education Coordinator
Joseph Hanna, M.D.
Cardiology Education Coordinator
Nasser Mikhail, M.D.
Endocrinology Education Coordinator
Thomas Kovacs, M.D.
Gastroenterology Education Coordinator
Casey Yamashita, M.D.
Geriatrics Education Coordinator
David Bolos, M.D.
Hematology-Oncology Education Coordinator
Arthur Jeng, M.D.
Infectious Disease Education Coordinator
Golriz Jafari, M.D.
Nephrology Education Coordinator
Vincent Chan, M.D.
Pulmonary/Critical Care Education Coordinator
Suncica Volkov, M.D.
Rheumatology Education Coordinator
Medical Student Clerkship Directors
Sherwin Hsu, M.D.
MS3 Inpatient Medicine Clerkship Co-director
Matthew McCullough, M.D.
MS3 Inpatient Medicine Clerkship Co-director
Junya Kayano, M.D.
MS4 Medicine Subinternship Director