Physician, Urgent Care (Santa Cruz, CA)
Compensation
Pay not listed
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.
Job Description
Opportunity Information
Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group is seeking a per diem, board-certified, or board-eligible Urgent Care physician
- Supported by multi-specialty physicians
- Onsite digital imaging, full laboratory, mammography, ultrasound and CT scan
- Flexible scheduling and variety of shifts Day and swing shifts, no overnight shifts
- Assigned to three (3) clinics all in proximity in the Santa Cruz area
Qualifications
Board-certified or board-eligible in related specialty
Organization Details
We are one of the largest multi-specialty medical groups in the country, made up of over 2,100 clinicians in 40+ specialties, in practices throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our organization is nationally recognized for our excellence with multiple awards for quality of care, innovation, and leadership.
Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group is affiliated with Palo Alto Medical Foundation, a not-for-profit health care organization, providing operational and administrative support, including the latest technology, allowing physicians to focus on delivering exceptional patient care.
Community Information
Situated on the northern edge of the Monterey Bay about 70 miles south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz offers a moderate climate and the best of many worlds. For outdoor enthusiasts, Santa Cruz is a wonderful combination of beach, ocean and mountains.
Well known as a Mecca for surfers, Santa Cruz also offers magnificent redwoods for hiking and mountain-biking and the San Lorenzo River for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Long stretches of tree-lined and coastal roads offer the perfect venues for road cyclists.
Fisherman and sailors will appreciate convenient access to the ocean from the Santa Cruz Harbor and the Municipal Wharf, which also features a variety of shops and restaurants.
Santa Cruz's downtown center, the Pacific Garden Mall, is home to the Museum of Art and History and features outstanding restaurants, unique shops, wine tasting rooms, sidewalk cafes, and an abundance of coffee shops.
Santa Cruz is also a cultural hub, featuring several live performance venues, the annual Open Studios tour, boutique art stores and the Tannery Arts Center.
Adding to the character of the community, the University of California is nestled in foothills above Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk was named Best Boardwalk in the country by USA Today.
Equal Opportunity Statement
It is the policy of Sutter Health and its partners to provide equal employment for all qualified individuals; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of basis of race, color, creed, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, registered domestic partner status, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin (including possession of a driver's license issued to individuals who did not present proof of authorized presence in the U.S.), age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military or protected veteran status, political affiliation, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition, genetic information or any other characteristic made unlawful by local, state or federal law, ordinance or regulation.
We promote the full realization of equal employment opportunities through a positive continuing program within each medical group, company, hospital, department, and service area. Equal employment opportunities apply to every aspect of Sutter's employment policies and practices.
Key Responsibilities
The physician will provide urgent care services across three designated clinics in the Santa Cruz area. They will collaborate with multi-specialty teams and utilize onsite diagnostic tools to deliver high-quality patient care.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 5+ years of experience
Certifications
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Physician, Urgent Care (Santa Cruz, CA) at Sutter Health - Bay Area a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Physician roles — ranked against 19,617 active Physician roles listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.
Urgent Care — Physician Career Context
Of the 50 active Urgent Care listings this role was benchmarked against, 6% are remote, 84% have no call, 42% require no weekends.
Urgent Care pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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