Editor’s Note: Welcome to the second installment of “A Summer of Learning” at Sutter Health. This series will examine how Sutter, through its academic partnerships, is working to expand access to healthcare by building a stronger, more robust pathway of community-rooted and patient-centered physicians and allied health professionals.
At Sutter Health, tomorrow’s physicians are getting their start in medicine through academic partnerships with institutions like Charles R. Drew University. This year, an expanded Sutter–CDU program is equipping medical students to lead with compassion, deliver clinical excellence and make meaningful, lasting impacts in the diverse communities we all serve.
Creating Meaningful Moments in Learning
Sutter recently welcomed a cohort of third-year medical students from CDU for hands-on, immersive training in several medical specialties at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento and Sutter Roseville Medical Center. In four-to-eight-week clinical clerkships, the students are mentored by Sutter physicians at the top of their field, giving them real-world care experiences and patient connections that position them to serve their communities after graduation.
Dr. Lindsay Mazotti
“These learners often have a deeply personal journey to medicine and come from communities where physician shortages may be common,” said Dr. Lindsay Mazotti, chief medical officer of medical education and science. “Most are the first in their families to attend medical school. We are honored to be part of and help make possible this pivotal moment in their medical career journey and provide them the opportunity to train in a system that prioritizes compassionate and personalized care.”
Core Clerkships Across Sutter’s Integrated Network
The clerkships are overseen by Dr. Peter Broderick, director, undergraduate medical education department, alongside dedicated site directors for each medical specialty. The rotations immerse students in three core areas —neurology, pediatrics and surgery—helping them apply classroom knowledge and specialized skills to patient care and equipping them with a “toolkit” to serve in rural, urban and suburban communities.
Dr. Peter Broderick
“The goal of these rotations is to not only close care gaps where they exist, but also better prepare future physicians to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” said Dr. Broderick. “In pediatrics, students will gain skills needed to care for children in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In neurology, they will build competencies in patient-centered care, perform neurological exams and document findings in Sutter’s electronic medical record system. In surgery, students will learn how to diagnose and manage surgical diseases to strengthen their clinical foundation.”
Briana Lopez-Patterson
“During my Sutter rotation in pediatrics, I’m excited to learn how the physicians I work to provide exceptional care and how they are utilizing available recourses to optimize a patient’s quality of life inside and outside of the hospital,” said Briana Lopez-Patterson, third-year medical student at CDU participating in the clerkship program. “I’m also looking forward to the ancillary experiences where I meet with other healthcare providers to see how we can work as a team to better serve patients. I’m hoping to apply the skills I learn here—collaboration, compassion, and excellence—after graduation through my own patient care, so that I can serve with integrity and empathy.”
A Summer of Growth, Purpose and Passion
In addition to the clinical clerkships and the Sutter Health Scholars Program, Sutter and CDU have introduced research electives to give more students hands-on learning in high-need areas. These opportunities enable CDU students to build practical medical skills within the Sutter system and its range of clinical settings.
This summer, students will begin research electives through Sutter’s Alliance for Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation. Seven first-year medical students will explore topics like chronic disease prevention and AI for early cancer detection. They will present their findings next month at the Sutter Research Symposium in Sacramento.
“Sutter’s partnership with CDU reflects our mission to close healthcare gaps, broaden access and shape the future of care in Northern California and beyond,” said Dr. Mazotti. “Many of these learners’ bright futures begin with the skills, spirit of curiosity and collaboration they gain in these clinical rotations and take with them to make meaningful impacts in our communities.”
Sutter is also working with academic partners including UCSF, Stanford University, UC Davis, Dartmouth College, Western University and more to grow its training programs.
With 30 residency and fellowship programs comprising family medicine and many specialties, and many more Graduate Medical Education, or GME, programs planned, Sutter is on pace to become Northern California’s largest community-based healthcare training system. By 2030, the system will train 1,000 new resident and fellow physicians each year.
Meet the 2025 Sutter Health Clerkship Participants who will graduate in the Class of 2027
- Nyoko Brown
- Harneel Gill
- Paola Hernandez
- Makeen Yasar
- Aarin Huffman
- Madylinn Reynoso
- Sherin Lajevardi
- Matthias Ojo
- Briana Lopez
- Daphne Okoro
- Kaylah Wade
- Esinam “Esi” Attipoe
