Scripps Encinitas Podiatric Residency

Accredited podiatric residency program in San Diego

A resident from the Scripps Encinitas Podiatric Residency Program examines a patient.

The Podiatric Residency Program at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas provides outstanding medical and surgical training in foot and ankle disorders, including forefoot and rearfoot pathologies. 


Accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, the three-year program combines rigorous didactic training and hands-on clinical experience. Our diverse patient population in San Diego’s North County exposes podiatric residents to a wide variety of patients, including people with complex foot and ankle deformities, traumatic injuries and diabetes.

Program highlights

Program highlights

  • Resident positions: One per academic year
  • Training with orthopedic and podiatric trauma surgeons as well as many other medical and surgical subspecialties
  • Preparation for Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency with the added credential in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery (PMSR/RRA)

Training sites, rotations and curriculum

Residents receive high-quality training at three locations in Encinitas. Our residents primarily work on the Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas campus (which includes both inpatient and outpatient surgical services). They also rotate through Scripps Encinitas Surgery Center (a Scripps majority-owned surgery center) and The Center for Surgery of Encinitas, a physician-owned, multi-disciplinary ambulatory surgery center.


The program provides residents an opportunity to live, work and play in San Diego’s North County — an expansive region known for its pristine beaches, natural preserves and miles of open spaces.

Rotations

Throughout the three-year program, our residents rotate through a variety of medical and surgical sub-specialties, providing comprehensive learning opportunities from leading clinicians in their fields.


Surgical sub-specialties

  • General surgery 
  • Orthopedic surgery 
  • Plastic surgery 
  • Podiatric surgery
  • Vascular surgery 

 

Medical sub-specialties

  • Anesthesiology 
  • Dermatology 
  • Emergency medicine 
  • Imaging/radiology
  • Infectious disease 
  • Internal medicine 
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation 
  • Psychiatry/behavioral medicine 
  • Podiatric medicine
  • Sports medicine 
  • Wound care

Educational curriculum

The Podiatric Medicine Residency Program at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, while small, offers an intimate and diverse learning experience with ample opportunities for one-on-one interaction with attending physicians. Expanding on medical school training with a practical focus, we use a broad-based approach to treat patients with a variety of medical and surgical needs. 


Highlights include:


  • Excellent training in forefoot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot and ankle procedures
  • A focus on biomechanics for the purpose of understanding the causation of foot and ankle pathologies
  • Didactic and hands-on exposure to management and surgical intervention of sports injuries; trauma; congenital and acquired pathologies; diabetic foot and wound care; inpatient and outpatient care; and practice management development
  • Cadaver lab (in partnership with participating medical manufacturing companies), journal club, monthly lecture series and available X-ray labs

Training sites

About Scripps Encinitas

  • 187-bed hospital serving San Diego’s North Coastal communities
  • State-of-the-art ED open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
  • 36-bed medical-surgical inpatient unit and an ambulatory surgery center


Learn more about Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas.


Podiatric residency training sites

Residents receive high-quality training at three locations in Encinitas. Our residents primarily work on the Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas campus (which includes both inpatient and outpatient surgical services). They also rotate through Scripps Encinitas Surgery Center (a Scripps majority-owned surgery center), The Carlsbad Surgery Center and The Center for Surgery of Encinitas.

Salary and benefits

Salary and benefits

The terms and conditions of the resident training and employment at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas are specified in the employment agreement (resident contract), including training obligations, stipend and benefits. Copies of the employment agreement, yearly rotation schedule, call schedules and other information are provided at the interview.

Annual salary

Annual stipends for academic year 2024-2025

  • PGY-1: $80,080.00
  • PGY-2: $81,723.20
  • PGY-3: $85,051.20

Insurance, leave and other benefits

Insurance

Health, dental, vision and life insurance plans for residents and families are reviewed at orientation. Costs to residents and families are minimal. Residents may participate in the Scripps Wellness Program.


Malpractice insurance

Scripps Encinitas provides professional liability coverage for podiatric residents.


CME allowance

Stipends are available for books, educational software, NBPME application, conferences, medical licensure and DEA.


Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, free, short-term professional counseling for employees and family members.


Vacation

Residents receive twenty (20) days of paid vacation. Family and medical leave (FMLA) and maternity leave is allotted per the Scripps Encinitas house staff manual and Scripps Health policies.


Sick leave

All residents have a 10-day bank that is used for sick leave, as well as holidays recognized by Scripps when residents may not be scheduled to work (e.g. Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, etc.) depending on their call schedule.


Uniforms

White lab coat laundry service is provided with weekly pick-up and delivery.


Medical library

All residents have 24/7 access to the online and off campus medical library(s) resources (Mercy, La Jolla, Green). The medical library is staffed with personnel who can assist with research and journal article retrieval. In addition, there are online journals and links to UpToDate, MD Consult, Ovid, Cochrane Library, PubMed and portals.

Current residents

PGY-3

Nicklaus Nishijima, DPM

Nicklaus Nishijima, DPM

PGY-3

PGY-2

Alina Tran, DPM

Alina Tran, DPM

PGY-2

PGY-1

Jashpreet Sanghera, DPM

Jashpreet Sanghera, DPM 

PGY-1

How to apply

How to apply

Applications for the podiatric residency program must be submitted through the Centralized Application Service for Podiatric Residencies (CASPR). 

Apply to the Encinitas podiatric residency fellowship

Applications for the Scripps Encinitas Podiatric Residency Program are accepted through the Centralized Application Service for Podiatric Residencies (CASPR) only.


This service, sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM), submits:


  • Residency applications
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official medical school transcripts
  • Personal statements to residency program directors
  • Proof of current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) certification


Please refer to the CASPR website for information and instructions.


Deadline

View the 2025 CASPR Schedule of Dates (PDF, 8.8 KB).


Application FAQs

• Review the CASPR application process guide.

Who can apply

The Scripps Encinitas Podiatric Residency Program does not offer any form of Visa support.

Contact us

To learn more about the Scripps Encinitas Podiatric Residency Program, contact ScrippsEncPodResProg@scrippshealth.org.