Residency Program

Curriculum

The residency program has been designed to fulfill the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)/ Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements during the three years of training. Please see a sample typical schedule for a categorical resident which lists the rotations which are needed to graduate.

PGY-I
During the first year, the resident should develop skills including obtaining a complete, pertinent and accurate history; performing a complete, pertinent and accurate physical examination; developing a problem list; planning a diagnostic workup and instituting a therapeutic plan. Each first year resident will be observed by a faculty member while completing at least one such workup. The resident will learn to write appropriate orders and prescriptions. The resident must be able to maintain appropriate medical records and dictate discharge summaries. Each will develop the ability to communicate concerning their patients whether that be at sign-in and sign-out rounds, attending rounds or special conferences. The ability to use resource material in libraries and via computers will be developed. Residents must also start getting credentialed in procedures, and supervise other residents and medical students in the same.
The acquisition of these skills will be monitored by the senior residents, the chief medical resident, attending physicians and a preceptor to whom each house officer is assigned. At the end of each 4-week module the resident is evaluated by the attending physician electronically recommended by the ABIM, which rates the 6 core competencies. In addition, attendings should sit down and talk with the residents rotating with them at the end of the module to discuss each resident's strengths and weaknesses.

PGY-II
To enter at the PGY-II year a resident must have successfully completed a PGY-I year of training in an approved Internal Medicine Residency Training Program.
During this year, in addition to adding to the skills developed during the PGY-I year, the resident will develop the ability to supervise and guide PGY-I residents and medical students. Each will increasingly assume a teaching role. Organization and communication skills with both patients and other health care professionals need further refinement. Concise presentations at Morning Report will be expected and the resident will be responsible for delivering a number of noon conferences on topics vital to the practice of medicine. The resident's knowledge base will be further expanded through in-patient rotations, outpatient activities and electives.
By the end of the second year the resident should be able to competently and efficiently manage an inpatient team of medical students and PGY-I residents. The ability to care for patients will increase, as will the ability to develop and implement a discharge plan for a hospitalized patient or a future course of care for an ambulatory patient. Skills at office management of patient problems will increase. A further cultivation of the ability to use resource material is expected. In addition, residents should increase their procedural efficiency and ability.

PGY-III
The PGY-III resident must have completed the PGY-I and PGY-II years in an approved Internal Medicine Program.
Qualitatively, this year is similar to the second year of training but quantitatively more is expected. Each PGY-III resident is expected to take on a leadership role in the program, and will be assigned to a supervisory position in either the critical care units, night float, or the ward service. At the end of this year the resident will be prepared to sit for the ABIM's Certification Examination, enter a variety of practice situations in general internal medicine, or go on for fellowship training.