Transitional Year
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Transitional Year

Offering a well-balanced, broad-based medical education that allows each resident to satisfy his or her specific needs and interests.

Mission

To train passionate physicians to deliver high quality compassionate care, while developing personal habits to foster curiosity and lifelong learning.

Aims

  • To provide a solid foundation of general medicine training for various specialties.
  • To foster opportunity for scholarly activity & research.
  • To build an environment of personal excellence that promotes personal and professional growth and wellness.

Program Curriculum

Transitional Year is divided into 13 four-week rotations. This provides flexibility to customize your education program to fit your needs. Rotations will be completed at Avera and Sanford as well as a variety of private practices.

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Training Sites

Our program is an integrated program with rotations at Sanford USD Medical Center and Avera Health as well as a variety of private practices in the Sioux Falls, SD area.

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Photo Courtesy of Experience Sioux Falls

Life in Sioux Falls

Get to know the city of Sioux Falls, SD. Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota. It has everything you want out of a big city but with a low cost of living and low crime rates. We hope you'll call it home as you continue your medical education (and who knows, maybe even longer!)

Explore Sioux Falls

Why Choose this Program

  • I chose this program because it allowed me to really maximize and personalize my training experience with rotations that I was most interested in prior to starting my advanced program. The GME here is super supportive and they value resident wellness and feedback. There are also numerous leadership and teaching opportunities to be involved with. Above all, I really enjoyed the cohesiveness.

    Vincent Ho, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2023 Meet Resident
  • I loved my time in the USD TY! The flexibility and variety of elective months allowed me to tailor the year to my interests, and I had the chance to work with fantastic people throughout the program. I also really enjoyed living in Sioux Falls, which has a great trail system and plenty to do outside of the hospital.

    Annika Kalonick, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2026 Meet Resident
  • The USD TY program was my first choice due to its flexibility in schedule and significant amount of elective time. I knew the program was small, close-knit, and prioritized learning in an open, collaborative atmosphere established by the clinical faculty.

    Jazmin Newton, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2024 Meet Resident
  • This is the best TY program in the country. It offers numerous electives tailored to your future specialty, passionate faculty, and a great work-life balance while still providing the required intern year training. You will feel extremely confident and energized to enter your advanced program.

    Colby Felts, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2023 Meet Resident
  • The transitional year at USD was by #1 choice and it can't be beat. I had the opportunity to participate in an expansive array of electives while sharpening my medical skills with a regular balance of medicine rotations. The faculty and staff in each department are happy and excited to teach residents. I would choose this program again every time!

    John Beaudrie, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2026 Meet Resident
  • With the USD TY program, you get the perfect mix of relaxed medical learning and elective time tailored to your advanced specialty. The flexible schedule, supportive faculty, and camaraderie with other residency programs make this a very productive and enjoyable year!

    Mira Yousef, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2024 Meet Resident
  • Easily the best TY in the country. Could not imagine training anywhere else!

    Travis Dowdle, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2024 Meet Resident
  • The elective time allowed by the Transitional Year program at the University of South Dakota helped to provide a robust skill set and fund of knowledge for my advanced training program. As a result, I felt well equipped to meet the expectations of my advanced program from day one.

    Adam Bleeker, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2022
  • This transitional year allowed me to prepare for a career in radiology by completing electives specifically aligned with the knowledge and skills required in the field. The faculty were exceptional, my time was highly respected, and the year struck an ideal balance between being rejuvenating and academically productive.

    Jodi Veach, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2026 Meet Resident
  • USD transitional residency year provided an ideal combination of inpatient experience and diverse elective opportunities. I was interested in such a well-rounded, resident centered program and my time in Sioux Falls certainly did not disappoint. The hospital staff, administration, and resident colleagues were among the best I have worked with. I can truly say the knowledge, training, and experienc

    Graison Sitenga, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2024 Meet Resident
  • I am so happy that I matched at USD for my transitional year! The program places a strong emphasis on work-life balance, and the time spent on rotations is focused on maximizing your education and training to best prepare you for your future specialty.

    Jacob Lam, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2026 Meet Resident
  • I enjoyed my time here and I would recommend it to anyone else needing a good TY training year.

    Alex Holm, MD Transitional Year Resident, Class of 2024 Meet Resident

Virtual Visits

Our residents have guided our efforts to present our philosophy of education to you. We have always been told that the in-person visit “seals the deal” and we are hopeful that the “virtual visit” will accomplish the same goal this year.

Meet The Residents

What's next?

We invite you to continue learning more about our Transitional Year Residency Program!

  1. Discover the residency experience
  2. Get a feel for life in Sioux Falls
  3. Meet your co-residents
  4. View application requirements