Curriculum

Program Philosophy

Our Family Medicine Residency Program seeks to train astute clinicians who understand the impact of psychosocial factors on patients and their diseases. The delivery of personal, continuing, and comprehensive health care to patients of all ages requires that family physicians maintain their compassion for patients and their motivation to pursue their career goals.

Recognizing the challenge of these tasks, the faculty has developed specific goals for each year and makes use of different educational techniques at each level of training. We believe the non-cognitive, humanistic aspects of physician-hood are best learned through the development of close personal and professional relationships with role-model family physician faculty, who are actively involved in practice and in faculty development programs.

Residents experience significant personal growth and restructuring of important relationships during the three years of residency education, as do their families and significant others. Our faculty, residents and staff work to create a culture of wellness and belonging which supports all team members in doing the work that is most meaningful to them, while working towards an environment which does not create barriers or unnecessary hindrances to their work. Our resident/advisor program is designed to provide both anticipatory guidance and support for the many personal and professional tasks that must be accomplished during this exciting and very special time in preparing for a strong and successful career in family medicine.

Our program commits itself to diversity, inclusion, and equity in recruiting faculty and staff that reflect the community we serve. We use a systematic, standardized, holistic review of applications and interview strategies to mitigate bias.

Curriculum Overview

PGY-1
The first post-graduate year is a transition from the largely theoretical knowledge of medical school to the practical decision-making of the bedside. During this year, the emphasis is on hospital medicine and emergency care, with residents spending nine months on inpatient rotations and three months on outpatient care. For continuity of care, residents begin to establish the panel of outpatients they will follow for three years. Lectures, case presentations, bedside rounds, and direct patient care are all part of this year's curriculum.

PGY-2
During the second year, residents build on their decision-making skills related to in-hospital care as they learn the basic skills of ambulatory care. As they spend increased time in the Family Medicine Center and in surgical and medical subspecialty outpatient rotations, they become generalists using an integrated biopsychosocial model. They also develop an appreciation for understanding and treating the patient in the context of the family unit and the community. This critical area of growth comes from close preceptorship with practicing family physicians as well as talented behavioral science faculty. Didactic sessions, rounds, and case presentations focus on the ambulatory care setting. There are also two selective months to pursue individual educational goals.

PGY-3
During the third year, the major emphasis is on defining the scope of family medicine for each individual resident. Residents continue in-hospital and ambulatory care training, but become more focused on psychosocial care, practice management, and the unique issues of family medicine. There are four selective months during this year, offering each resident maximum flexibility in attaining their educational goals. The focus also continues to shift from formal teaching to developing lifelong learning skills; career counseling, practice planning, and advising conferences help in these areas of growth. Senior residents are expected to teach the junior residents - an important aspect of their continuing medical education - through case discussions, chart audits, and supervising first-year residents on inpatient rotations.