Living in Utah

A Picture-Perfect Place to Live

Our Residency program takes its name from the beautiful mountain valley it calls home. With a population of more than 400,000 people, Utah County offers all the conveniences of a major metropolitan community. Just 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Utah Valley offers numerous recreational activities. Known for its incredible skiing and central location to 15 national parks and monuments, Utah Valley attracts visitors from around the world.

The Utah Valley metropolitan communities of Provo and Orem are home to a growing high-tech mecca, including the world headquarters for many computer and technology corporations. The Provo/Orem area boasts one of the highest standards of living in the country and has been ranked among the top 20 places to live in the nation (according to Money Magazine) for the past five years. Sperlings Best Places ranks Provo, Utah in the top spot for least stressful mid-size city. In a 2001 FBI report, the Provo/Orem metropolitan area had the second lowest violent crime rate in the nation.

Utah Valley is an excellent education environment with high-quality healthcare and rich cultural and recreational opportunities for its citizens.

In 2004, Provo beat out several larger and more well-known communities to be named to Forbes Magazine's annual survey of the best cities for business and careers. Forbes ranked the Provo/Orem area as number six out of the top 150 locations in the United States for business, as measured by income, job growth, cost of doing business, taxes, office space, crime rates, number of college graduates, advanced degree holders and housing costs.

Utah Valley is home to Brigham Young University (approximate enrollment – 29,000) and Utah Valley State College – soon to be Utah Valley University (approximate enrollment – 24,000). BYU is the largest private university in the nation and both BYU and UVSC offer many cultural events and activities.

Just minutes from the heart of Utah Valley is Sundance Resort and ski area. Sundance offers year round activities that can be enjoyed by everyone, including a ski resort, summer outdoor theater, great dining and shopping. The Sundance Institute located in Provo Canyon offers locals and visitors an opportunity to experience some of the region's artistic culture. Every year, some 20,000 people attend Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. Several films that premiered at the festival have been the recipients of Oscar, Emmy and International Film Festival awards.

Utah Valley is also a recreational dream. During summer afternoons you can leave the office and within minutes be fly fishing on the Provo River, hiking impressive mountain trails, jet-skiing on nearby Utah Lake or splashing through one of the Intermountain West's largest water parks. In the winter, you are just minutes from several world-class ski resorts and wilderness areas where you can ski, snowboard, snowmobile, snowshoe or go ice fishing. Utah's white splendor has been characterized as "The Greatest Snow on Earth". With an average annual snowfall of more that 42 feet, skiing and snowboarding at any of Utah's 14 resorts is truly a winter wonderland.

The Wasatch Mountains provide a backdrop for Utah Valley with high peaks and rugged terrain that give mountain bikers and hikers a taste of wildflower meadows, forests, lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped mountain peaks and a variety of wildlife.

The Provo/Orem area also means convenient access to breathtaking national parks like Zion, Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon. A mountain biker's dream come true, Moab is a paradise for fat-tire bikers. Just a three-hour drive from Provo, Moab, an old mining town, borders Arches National Park, one of the six national parks and seven national monuments within a half-day drive from Provo. It is also close to Salt Lake City's International Airport and the resort town of Park City.

Utah Valley is a great place to live, learn, and practice medicine.