Welcome from Program Director, John H. Choe, MD

Providing Tomorrow's Healthcare for Today's Patients Through Education, Scholarship, and Compassionate Care.

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John Choe smiling, sitting in front of a whiteboard.
John Choe, MD, Program Director, UW Internal Medicine 

Welcome to our community! We invite you to learn more about the GHITKU! 

The University of Washington Internal Medicine Residency Program is home to the GHITKU, the Greatest Housestaff in the Known Universe! Our program is dedicated to training the future leaders of medicine regardless of whether they plan to work in academic medicine, community practice, biomedical research, or healthcare policy and administration. We provide a world-class and diverse learning environment where outstanding patient care and education are woven together seamlessly to offer opportunities for rich, individualized learning opportunities for our residents. Our faculty members love to teach, and our department promotes a humanistic approach to education and patient care. We value applicants from diverse backgrounds, as we know this enhances the educational experiences for all residents and faculty, as well as for patients and their families. 

Started in 1957, the residency program has grown significantly since its humble beginnings and now includes more than 174 residents and 13 chief residents.  Our primary training sites include the University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, the VA Puget Sound Medical Center, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Rotating through these sites provides our residents the opportunity to experience varied patient populations, medical and social problems, and healthcare environments. Additional elective opportunities exist in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana & Idaho) region. 

We offer several different training tracks. Our preliminary medicine track is limited to residents who match into the UW ophthalmology and neurology programs. Our Physician-Scientist Track, through the ABIM Research Pathway, offers accelerated fellowship for those committed to a research career in one of five subspecialty areas. Our categorical medicine track offers both breadth and depth of training that provides the basis for success regardless of a trainee’s ultimate career. Our primary care track affords additional continuity and outpatient experiences to train general internists who are exceptional in both academic and community-based settings. Residents in categorical and primary care tracks can also apply to various learning pathways.  

We are committed to providing a comprehensive experience for our residents. With the abundant clinical, research, and educational opportunities that we offer, and in partnership with the resources of a world class medical school and department of medicine, we believe that we offer one of the richest training experiences in the country. Please explore our website and see if you would like to join our GHITKU community! 


John H. Choe, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
University of Washington