About Utah

• Utah became the 45th state on January 4, 1896. The state was named after the Native American tribe, the Utes, who lived here before the Mormon pioneers settled the area.
• Population (Utah): 2.5 million
• Population (Salt Lake City): 190,000+
• Population (Salt Lake Valley): one million+
• Elevation in Salt Lake City: 4,280 feet
• Mountain ranges bordering the Salt Lake Valley: The Wasatch to the east and the Oquirrh's to the west.

How many residents train at the University of Utah?

Annually, more than 600 residents and fellows acquire knowledge in a variety of medical and surgical programs at the University of Utah Medical Center. The University’s unique geographical location and its six-state service area allow for a diverse case mix and high patient volume, giving residents and fellows the extensive hands-on training they need to become superb clinicians.

Where do residents live?

Most residents live within areas near the University, including Sugarhouse, the Avenues, downtown Salt Lake City and the Ninth and Ninth area. Some residents rent during residency while others purchase homes or condominiums.
Useful resources for researching housing markets are: Salt Lake Tribune , Deseret News – classified sections, and local realtors (e.g. Coldwell Banker, Plumb and Co., ReMax, Ramsey Group, Century 21, Ensign Realty).

What do residents do outside of the hospital?

Outdoor Opportunities

Utah, the home of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, boasts world class skiing all along the Wasatch Front. Seven major ski resorts are within a 45 minute drive from the hospital. For the past several years the Graduate Medical Education office has arranged for our residents “student” status season passes at Alta and Snowbird. Little Cottonwood Canyon boasts famous skiing at Alta and Snowbird, and Big Cottonwood Canyon harbors Brighton and Solitude. Visit these websites for more specific information: www.alta.com, www.snowbird.com, www.brightonresort.com, www.skisolitude.com. For those who want to explore Park City, there are three resorts: Deer Valley; Park City Mountain; and The Canyons. Visit www.deervalley.com, www.parkcityresort.com, www.thecanyons.com. In just an hour and a half you can also experience the Ogden-area resorts: Snow Basin and Powder Mountain; the former was the home of the men’s and women’s downhill, slalom and combined ski events at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Visit: www.snowbasin.com and www.powdermountain.net for details. Sundance Resort (www.sundanceresort.com) is 45 minutes south of Salt Lake City.

In spring, summer, and autumn the Wasatch mountains, east of Salt Lake City, are a grand place for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing and camping. City Creek Canyon, Mill Creek Canyon, Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, and Emigration Canyon are within a few minutes of University Hospital and are wonderful places to explore. Residents can visit the Hogle Zoo, near the mouth of Emigration Canyon, or Tracy Aviary, located in Liberty Park.

From Salt Lake City, residents are in easy driving distance to eleven national parks or monuments including Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, Capitol Reef National Parks and Dinosaur and Grand Staircase National Monuments. The Grand Canyon is 550 miles from Salt Lake City. The Grand Tetons, north of Jackson, Wyoming, are only a five hour drive and just beyond is historic Yellowstone National Park.

Entertainment

In the summers Salt Lake City and Park City come alive with concerts at the Gallivan Center, Usana Amphitheater, Red Butte Garden, Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort. Private clubs in Salt Lake and Park City host a variety of bands performing year round. The Energy Solutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake City hosts the NBA team, the Utah Jazz; the Graduate Medical Education Office provides residents with discount tickets for many activities. For baseball and hockey fans, Salt Lake City is home to the Salt Lake Bees and Salt Lake Grizzlies.
Every February Park City hosts the acclaimed Sundance Film Festival; several showings are held in Salt Lake City. Year-round performances, including ballet, symphony, opera, plays, musicals and world-class musicians, can be seen at Kingsbury Hall and Pioneer Memorial Theater on the University of Utah Campus, Abravanel Hall, the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, and the Capitol Theater in downtown Salt Lake City.

Restaurants

There are more than three hundred superb restaurants in the Salt Lake Valley and adjacent ski resorts. Dining opportunities vary from traditional American cuisine to Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Thai, Mexican and many other ethnic varieties.

Shopping

Indoor and outdoor walking malls, as well as small businesses, make shopping in Salt Lake City easy. Downtown hosts the Gateway Center, constructed prior to the 2002 Winter Games, as well as the quaint shopping areas of 15th and 15th, 9th and 9th, Trolley Square Mall, Foothill Village and the Sugarhouse district. Park City, just 45 minutes away, is home to a large outlet mall, as well as to unique shops lining its Main Street. During the summer and fall months Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake is home to the Farmers’ Market each Saturday. The Farmers' Market features fresh fruit and vegetables from local/regional farms, arts and crafts from local artists, and food from local restaurants.