Resident life

A City of Diversity.

Worcester's patient population is genuinely diverse, with established Latino, Vietnamese, Ghanaian, and Brazilian communities and decades of refugee resettlement from Southeast Asia and East Africa, alongside a large student population across eight colleges. That mix shows up directly in the training. Off shift, it's sized right for a resident's schedule and budget, with an excellent food and bar scene and the coast and mountains close enough to spend your days off.

Worcester Common at dusk

The city itself

Second-largest city in New England, but small enough that most residents live a short walk or drive from University Campus. The Canal District, Worcester Public Market, and Polar Park, home to the Woo Sox, are all just minutes from the hospital.

Boston, just an hour away

By car or by commuter rail, boston day trips are a residency-wide favority.

Mountains, weekend distance

Wachusett Mountain is 30 minutes away for a quick ski day, and the White Mountains are close enough for a full day trip. Skiing in the winter, hiking the rest of the year. Massachusetts beaches are an easy weekend drive too.

Residents socializing at a housing complex patio

Housing

Affordable city & suburb living.

Hartford, CT
$1,309
Manchester, NH
$1,716
Worcester, MA
$1,770
Portland, ME
$1,867
Providence, RI
$2,062
Cambridge, MA
$3,340
Boston, MA
$3,513

Average one-bedroom rent across New England cities. Source: Apartments.com / CoStar Group Market Trends, Apr–Aug 2025.

Most residents live within a short commute of University Campus, in walkable, affordable neighborhoods close to each other. Half the class ends up a few blocks apart.

Where residents live

Most residents are within a short drive of University Campus.

Downtown Worcester is the most common choice, with others spread across Holden, Shrewsbury, Northborough, Westborough, Millbury, and Framingham. A handful commute from Downtown Boston or as far as Nashua, New Hampshire.

Eating out

We like going out together.

Coming off a night shift, grabbing brunch before a day off, or getting the class together for dinner and drinks. Worcester has great places to eat, especially around the Canal District and Shrewsbury Street.

Breakfast & brunch

  • Altea's Eatery
  • Root & Press
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 185 Bistro
  • BirchTree Bread Company
  • Miss Worcester Diner

Dinner

  • Deadhorse Hill
  • Armsby Abbey
  • Baba Sushi
  • Worcester Public Market
  • Tavern in the Square

Breweries

  • Wormtown Brewery
  • Redemption Rock Brewing
  • Wachusett Brew Yard
  • Greater Good Imperial Brewing
  • Bay State Brewing

Bars

  • Armsby Abbey
  • Valentino's
  • Steel & Wire Cocktail Lounge
  • Vincent's
  • The Mercantile

Resident retreats

Time off.

Every September, the whole residency gets 24 hours off for a retreat, usually a lake house rental where everyone socializes as a group. PGY1s get their own 48 hours off in June to plan a class event, anywhere from a lake day to a retreat on the Cape. PGY2s and PGY3s get a week off to attend conference at SAEM or ACEP.

In residents' words

What residents say.

“There is great exposure to sick patients, plenty of opportunity for procedures, and the faculty here value resident autonomy and learning. Plus the people are awesome, which is a huge win!”Kayla Loycano, MD, PGY2
“UMass provides an excellent environment to learn in with high acuity cases, high patient volumes, and terrific teaching faculty, plus numerous outreach programs that benefit the Worcester community.”Braeden Alward, DO, PGY1
“I was deeply impressed by the camaraderie among residents, faculty, and staff. Whether on shift or outside the hospital, it was evident that the program fosters genuine connections and a supportive culture.”Courtney McMahon, MD, PGY2