Goals
Our overall educational goal is to graduate board certified family physicians able to practice the full scope of family medicine in a variety of settings. Graduates will be prepared to choose their own unique path after residency, including urban, suburban, rural, or underserved practice including prenatal care and deliveries, fellowship training or hospital medicine.
Mission
Our mission is to improve lives through training excellent family physicians and connecting with patients in a caring, collaborative, and inclusive environment.
Vision
Our vision is to align excellence in education and patient care.
Program director welcome
The Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency has a long history of training excellent family physicians to practice in any setting. Our residents and graduates share in the UCHealth mission to improve lives, in big ways, through learning, healing, and discovery and in small personal ways through human connection. We live the values of Patients First, Integrity and Excellence in everything we do.
Our program strives to meet the needs of the Fort Collins community by providing multi-disciplinary team-based care in our safety net clinic. We offer a robust menu of services to our patients including high-risk obstetrics care, geriatric care and nursing home care, chronic pain and medically assisted addiction treatment, osteopathic manipulation therapy, wellness and lifestyle medicine visits, sports medicine and psychiatric care. In addition, our resident and faculty physicians provide a wide variety of in-office procedures including POCUS, vasectomy, colposcopy, LEEP, other gynecology and dermatology procedures.
Well-trained family physicians can meet the healthcare needs of our country. We provide our trainees the opportunity to learn and practice full-spectrum family medicine in our clinic and on our busy inpatient medicine and OB/Peds services at Poudre Valley Hospital. Our dedicated faculty team is committed to teaching and leading our program into the future; they are flexible and supportive of each individual residents’ unique learning needs. I invite you to learn more about our program and how we prepare family physicians to improve lives.
Residency application process
Fourth-year medical students can apply for one of our 8 resident intern positions through ERAS. We do not accept inquiries or application materials outside of the ERAS system. We will begin accepting applications when the ERAS post office opens in September. Please submit your application materials as soon as possible as our interview slots fill up quickly.
We offer virtual interviews November through January. Our interviews are held several half-days per week to provide some flexibility in scheduling. Once invited, we will contact you to schedule your interview.
PVH/Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency eligibility and selection process
Applicants with one of the following qualifications are eligible for appointment to a residency position at the PVH/Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program:
- Graduates of medical schools in the United States accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
- Graduates of colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
- Graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada who meet all of the following qualifications:
- Satisfactory completion of the examination of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
- Satisfactory completion of the USMLE examination.
- Submission of evidence by the applicant, satisfactory to the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners, that the medical school from which the applicant graduated is approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or conforms to the minimal educational standards established by the LCME or AOA as determined by the Board.
- Completion of three years of post-graduate training in an ACGME-approved program in the United States or Canada.*
- Medical students applying to the Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program must take Step 2 of the USMLE (clinical skills and clinical knowledge) or equivalent COMLEX exam, prior to graduation from medical school.
- Students are highly encouraged to take the exam by December of their fourth year so the results are available prior to the NRMP in March.
- At the present time, only graduates of COCA accredited programs who meet all other application and interview criteria will be eligible for a designated osteopathic position at the residency program. These candidates will have graduated from an accredited osteopathic medical school and have submitted an application that demonstrates evidence of structured basic Osteopathic Principles and Practice training, completion of osteopathic rotations and coursework, and successful performance on Level 1 and Level 2 COMLEX.
To assure that a systematic and fair process is used for selecting eligible applicants, the Fort Collins Program:
- Participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
- Does not discriminate with regard to sex, gender identity, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or any other applicable legally protected status.
- Applies the following selection criteria to all applicants:
- Full-scope Family Medicine commitment
- Commitment to working with underserved populations
- Personal qualities and Communication skills
- Academic credentials
- Rural interest
- Community involvement/volunteerism
- Propensity to practice in the service area of University of Colorado Health
Application criteria
We look forward to receiving your application. In order for your file to be reviewed, it must include:
- USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX Level 1 score report.
- Medical school transcripts.
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
- Personal Statement outlining your commitment and passion for Family Medicine.
- Three Letters of Recommendation (one must be from a family physician).
- Completed ERAS application.
Program signals. Our program plans to use both program and geographic signals during the file review phase to ensure we are not overlooking candidates highly interested in training in Colorado or at our program. However even candidates who signal our program must meet other application criteria in order to be eligible for an interview invitation. We will not consider program or geographic signals during our ranking process.
Clerkship rotation
The Poudre Valley Hospital/Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program offers 4-week clerkships to medical students from LCME-accredited or AOA-approved medical schools. Clerkships are available for fourth-year students.
Our program requires that all fourth-year clerks are interested in family medicine as a discipline and plan to interview with our program.
Clerkship focus
Our focus is to provide students with an excellent experience in family medicine and extensive opportunity to become acquainted with our residency program and its faculty, residents, staff, and patients.
Students will work with as many different faculty and residents as possible, in several different environments, including:
- Inpatient adult medicine service.
- Outpatient family medicine clinic.
- Poudre Valley Prenatal (PVP) clinic.
- Lifestyle medicine, counseling and wellness clinics.
- Nursing home visits.
- Procedure clinics.
- Sports Medicine clinic.
- Pain Management or Medication Addiction Therapy clinic.
Our typical clerkship schedule includes one week of inpatient medicine, one week of night float and two weeks of outpatient medicine. This schedule can be altered to meet a medical student’s educational needs.
We want our visiting students to have both a quality family medicine experience and the opportunity to enjoy activities in northern Colorado. We hope the clerkship experience will be both rewarding and fun.
Application requirements
Application materials may be submitted via email to Kimberly Bell.
Requirements to be considered for a clerkship are:
- A personal statement outlining your interest in Family Medicine, and particularly coming to train in Fort Collins.
- A copy of your official medical school transcript.
- A comprehensive copy of your COMLEX or USMLE score report for Step 1/Level 1.
- A CV/resume.
- A letter of recommendation from a family physician.
- Proof of Workers’ Compensation insurance provided by your medical school.
Learn more
For more information, please contact:
Kimberly Bell
1025 Pennock Place
Fort Collins, CO 80524
[email protected]
Phone: 970.495.8803
Physician faculty
Interprofessional faculty
Kimberly Bell. M.S. – Residency Program Manager
Kim joined our program in 2011 as the Education Coordinator. As the Program Manager, she is the point person for the residency program. Kim enjoys working collaboratively with students, residents, faculty, and community physicians to create great learning opportunities. She is
passionate about residency education. Kim received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Colorado State University. Feel free to contact her with any questions at 970.495.8803 or [email protected].
Kristen L. Bené, Ph.D. – Associate Director for Education
Originally from northeastern Pennsylvania, Dr. Kristen Bené joined our program in 2002 and serves as the associate director for education. She designs resident curriculum, evaluations, and educational activities. She oversees residency recruiting and faculty development, and teaches in the areas of QI, research, and diversity/cultural humility. Kristen received her
master’s degree in educational psychology from the Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. in educational leadership from Colorado State University. She serves as an associate editor for Peer-Reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research (PRiMER), an open access scholarly
journal of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Dr. Bene lives here in Fort Collins with her husband and two sons, where they enjoy boating, running, and walking their dog, Buoy.
Marcia D. Snook, R.N., B.S.N.- Director of Operations
Marcia has been with the Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program since 2002 and is currently the Director of Operations. Marcia graduated from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing and obtained her BSN from Grandview College. Her role within the residency includes managing day to day operations of the Family Medicine Clinic and Poudre Valley Prenatal Clinic. She is also responsible for maintaining our clinic’s compliance with Patient Safety standards. Marcia is involved with managing the department budget, practice improvement, staff competencies and patient concerns. Professional organization affiliations include FMRNA, MGMA, CMGMA, and STFM. An Iowa girl at heart, she fills her free time with family and friends and playing golf, fishing and trap shooting.
Tasha Marchant, Ph.D., R.N.
Tasha’s training includes a BS/MS in health and exercise from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. in nutrition. Tasha coordinates the clinical and curricular Lifestyle Medicine program and co-coordinates the Community Medicine curricula. Her professional interests include health behavior change, motivational interviewing and using lifestyle modification and exercise in medicine.
Aaron Brown, PharmD
Aaron W. Brown is originally from Bloomfield, IN. He graduated from Butler University in 2019 with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, then went on to complete a Postgraduate-Year-One (PGY1) residency at the Indianapolis VA in 2023 and a PGY2 residency to specialize in Ambulatory Care and Academia in 2024, also at the Indianapolis VA. Coming out of high school, Aaron was split between pursuing degrees either in secondary education or pharmacy. He chose the career in healthcare for the academic challenge that it presented and for the breadth of opportunities that a degree, specifically in pharmacy, could provide. Academia is and has always been Dr. Brown’s true professional passion. He loves continually asking and answering the question of how to inspire those around him to think, explore and learn. Within pharmacy, he practices predominantly within the field of primary care. He loves the tremendous positive impact that pharmacists can have on patients with diabetes, hypertension, and like diseases. He also has interest in anticoagulation, transitions of care and pharmacy practice advancement. When he’s not in the clinical or academic space, Aaron loves bikes! He has spent many hours cycling on the road and on the mountains of Indiana. He also has a motorcycle that he likes to explore on. Music is one of his biggest personal passions, playing guitar, piano and vocals. He has also progressed in his ability to cook and finds that enjoyable from time to time.
Ashlee Garcia, BSN, RN
Ashlee has been with the Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program since 2021 and is the Nursing Manager. Ashlee graduated from Aims Community College School of Nursing and obtained her BSN from Colorado State University Pueblo. Her role within the residency includes managing daily clinic operations and staff relations including performance management, staff satisfaction and conflict management. She is also responsible for executing departmental goals, standards and objectives which directly support the strategic plan and vision of UCHealth. In addition, adhering to departmental budgets, regulatory compliance, departmental contracts and vendor relations are also a part of her role. Ashlee leads and is accountable for adherence and improvement to quality of patient care delivered and coordinates patient care services with patients, staff, physician leadership and other departments. She is passionate about the patient experience and strives to put our patients first. Ashlee is a Colorado native and enjoys spending her free time with her family, friends and her yellow Labrador, Oaklee, boating, camping and traveling.
Residents
During your next three years, we can offer you:
- A personalized full-scope family medicine curriculum in an attractive college town with urban amenities and wilderness nearby.
- Resident-run inpatient medicine, obstetrics, and pediatric services at Poudre Valley Hospital to guarantee patient continuity.
- An exceptionally staffed safety net clinic with lifestyle, pharmacy, and behavioral resources, as well as community sports medicine, OB, and psychiatry attendings, and an onsite food pantry.
- Innovative care with lifestyle, pharmacy, and behavioral resources, as well as community sports medicine, OB, and psychiatry attendings.
- Preparation for serving rural and underserved communities.
- A busy clinical practice in a thriving health system.
If you have questions about our residency program, please contact our program manager, Kimberly Bell, at [email protected] or 970.495.8803.
