Education - Internal Medicine Pediatrics Residency

We seek residents interested in careers in primary care, subspecialty practice or academic medicine by emphasizing continuity of care that spans the ages. Through close mentoring, residents develop the knowledge and clinical skills to be eligible to take the certifying examinations for both medicine and pediatrics at the conclusion of the training program.

Over the four year period, residents spend 24 months in each discipline and receive training in ambulatory, inpatient and intensive care settings. Residents alternate 3 and 6 month blocks in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine to allow experience with seasonal illnesses that is critical in learning to care for children. During each block, residents participate in all aspects of the categorical curriculum of Medicine and Pediatrics, including patient care and educational conferences.

Ambulatory care is an important and emphasized part of the combined curriculum. Residents attend a continuity clinic in internal medicine and pediatrics on alternate weeks throughout the four years. In this way, residents maintain continuity care for their panel of patients whether they are on a medicine a pediatric block. Since the Med-Peds residents attend clinic on one of two afternoons, they function in a group practice within the larger clinic setting. A second half-day of clinic in a community Med-Peds practice or a specialty practice of their choice during the second, third and fourth years compliments the inner city clinic experience. This model incorporates the two most popular clinic settings utilized by active Med-Peds programs and allows our residents the opportunity to train in inner-city, suburban and rural clinics.

Combined Med-Peds electives and a weekly Med-Peds conference solidify the combined clinical and didactic experiences. The dedicated Med-Peds weekly conferences include a lecture series, board review, and journal club. The Med-Peds Chief Resident coordinates educational programming, in conjunction with the faculty team. In addition, the Med-Peds residents and all program directors meet quarterly to discuss programmatic issues.

A summary of the curriculum follows. All of the rotations are described in the Internal Medicine and Pediatric web sites in the context of the categorical programs. Conference schedules, training sites, clinical responsibilities, salaries and benefits are the same as for categorical residents.

The Medicine curriculum (2 years as 26 4-week blocks/year)

• 16 blocks on inpatient units, including:
  
  • 9 on the inpatient services, including general medicine, infectious disease, or oncology
  • 4 in the intensive care units (2 MICU, 2 CCS/PCS)
  • 3 as Night/Day Float
• 5.5 blocks in the outpatient area, including:
  
  • 4 Ambulatory Block Rotations, including Geriatrics
  • 1.5 Emergency Room
• 4 total blocks of elective, divided into two-week increments (mainly outpatient electives)
• 2 weeks Vacation
• 1/2 day every other week in a continuity medical clinic
• 1/2 day per week in a community continuity Med-Peds practice during the third and fourth years

The Pediatric Curriculum (2 years as 26 4-week blocks/year)

• 9 blocks on the inpatient units, including:
  
  • 5 wards
  • 2 NICU
  • 1 PICU
  • 1 Newborn Nursery
• 9 blocks in the outpatient area, including:
  
  • 5-6 Emergency Room
  • 2 Hospitalist Blocks at Mercy Medical Center
  • 1 Adolescent Clinic
• 1 Behavior/Developmental Pediatrics
• 4 Electives and 2 Individualized Units
• 0.5 Academic block - Self-directed learning experience focused on ACGME practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice competencies
• 2 weeks Vacation
• 1/2 day every other week in a continuity pediatric clinic
• 1/2 day per week in a community continuity Med-Peds practice during the third and fourth years

The Four Year Curriculum in Medicine-Pediatrics

Amb - Ambulatory
DF - Day Float 
ER/PER - Emergency Room/Pediatric Emergency Room
ECS - Emergency Care Services (Urgent Care - VA)
GIM - General internal medicine
ID - Infectious Diseases
IP - Inpatient
MICU - Medical intensive care unit
MOD - Medical office of the day
NF - Night Float 
NICU - Neonatal intensive care unit
PCS - Progressive Cardiology Service
PICU - Pediatric intensive care unit
* Refers to GIM, Cardiology, Subspecialty or ID inpatient services