About the residency
A community-based Family Medicine program designed to train physicians where they are needed most.
A letter from the Program Director
Dear Prospective Applicants,
Thank you for your interest in the Innercare Family Medicine Residency Program. Choosing a new residency asks you to see a vision before there is a track record—to recognize not only what a program is today, but what it can become through the people who build it. I hope you will see our vision, ask thoughtful questions, and consider trusting us enough to help bring it to life.
Our mission is simple and urgent: to train excellent family physicians where they are needed most. For too long, communities across the Coachella and Imperial Valleys have faced a shortage of physicians. We want to help change that by bringing doctors to the desert, preparing them in the communities they will serve, and supporting them as they build lasting careers here.
We are looking for applicants drawn to community-based training; rural and underserved care; cultural humility; Spanish-speaking patient care; and collaborative, team-based work with Community Health Workers and Promotoras. At Innercare, these partners help patients understand and manage their health, set achievable goals, and overcome barriers to care. Their work reflects the kind of relationship-centered, community-responsive medicine we want our residents to learn and practice.
As a member of our inaugural class, you will not simply inherit an established culture—you will help create it. Founding residents will shape traditions, strengthen systems, contribute their ideas, and set the standard for those who follow. That responsibility calls for curiosity, humility, resilience, and a willingness to work closely with patients, colleagues, and community partners.
If you are mission-aligned, energized by the opportunity to build, and committed to becoming the kind of physician a community can rely on, I invite you to learn more about us. Together, we can create a residency rooted in service, belonging, clinical excellence, and the conviction that where you train can shape where—and whom—you choose to serve.
Warmly,
Hannah Laimer, DO
Founding Program Director
Innercare Family Medicine Residency Program
Purpose
Mission
To develop excellent, community-responsive physicians grounded in evidence-based practice and prepared to lead in rural and underserved communities across Riverside and Imperial Counties through a supportive learning environment and focused rural training experiences.
Vision
The Innercare Family Medicine Residency Program aspires to be a leading model of community-based graduate medical education that transforms healthcare in underserved regions. We envision a sustainable, locally rooted physician workforce that delivers equitable, high-quality, patient-centered care across the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.
Through innovation in ambulatory training, interprofessional collaboration, and the Patient-Centered Medical Home model, we strive to develop physicians who are not only excellent clinicians but also educators, advocates, and leaders in rural and resource-limited settings.
Our program seeks to advance health equity, strengthen community partnerships, and improve population health by preparing graduates who are committed to serving vulnerable populations and shaping the future of community-focused healthcare.
How we train
Values
We foster a supportive, inclusive, and growth-oriented training culture that prioritizes resident well-being, psychological safety, and professional development.
We uphold the highest standards in patient care, professionalism, scholarship, and continuous quality improvement.
We promote rigorous, evidence-informed clinical practice and innovative approaches to medical education that support lifelong learning.
We are committed to advancing equitable care through community partnership, advocacy, and addressing health disparities among the populations we serve.
Sponsoring institution
About Innercare
Innercare is a private, nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center and a deemed Federal Public Health Service employee. Founded as a federally funded migrant health center in 1970, Innercare provides comprehensive primary care to residents throughout Imperial and Riverside Counties.
Today Innercare operates multiple health clinics, dental clinics, pharmacies, WIC sites, and a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Clinics have bilingual and bicultural staff. Innercare accepts most insurance, Medi-Cal, and Medicare, and offers a discounted sliding fee for patients who qualify.
Innercare’s organizational mission is to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve through providing access to excellent care and advancing medical education.
