Primary Care Track Questions and Answers
 

 

1.  How does the Primary Care schedule differ from the Categorical Residency?

 

	Primary Care	Categorical
Intern Ambulatory Months	4	3-4
Continuity Clinic Site	Downtown Health Plaza (DHP) (community-based health center)	OPD (hospital clinic) or DHP
8-wk Ambulatory Block	Yes	No
Community Based Outpatient General Medicine	Yes	No
Subspecialty Selective Months	3	5
Ambulatory Hematology/Oncology	Yes	Optional*
Cardiology Skills Block	Yes	Optional*
Primary Care Seminar Series	Yes	No

*if space is available     

2. What’s unique about the Primary Care Track?

• The Primary Care schedule allows greater flexibility and opportunities for self-styled rotations including community experiences

• Every Primary Care resident develops expertise in managing the problems commonly encountered in ambulatory practice

• Monthly Primary Care Seminar addresses medical topics (e.g. The Shoulder Examination and Injection Techniques); practice management (e.g. How to Evaluate a Practice) and other topics of interest (e.g. Personal Finances)

• Special intern orientation emphasizing team work and personal awareness

• Unique outpatient blocks in subspecialty medicine and community general internal medicine

• Biweekly intern lunch seminar with program director

• Emphasis on psychosocial medicine and physician-patient communication

• Individual mentoring

3. Does the Primary Care Program provide adequate training in subspecialty and inpatient medicine?

• The Primary Care Program nurtures the traditional strengths of internal medicine training in both subspecialty and inpatient medicine.  Our graduates are prepared for the practice of General Internal Medicine or for subspecialty fellowship training.

4. What’s new in the Primary Care Program?

• Disease state management and practice management curriculum

• Instruction in ambulatory procedures

• Preferential placement in community general internal medicine sites

• Systems-based practice improvement projects

5. Who should consider including the Primary Care Program on their Match list?

• A strong interest in General Internal Medicine – both ambulatory and inpatient

• High likelihood of entering primary care practice while keeping options open for possible subspecialty fellowship

6. How should I list the Primary Care Program for the Match?

• If you are enthusiastic about the Primary Care Program, we recommend listing both the Primary Care and Categorical Programs (that increases the number of available slots from 4 to 28) ranking Primary Care above Categorical

• If you are considering but not committed to Primary Care, we recommend ranking the Categorical Program above Primary Care, but still rank both

• If you want to be ranked in both Primary Care and Categorical tracks, just call or email Betsy Burkleo (336-716-4490 or bburkleo@wfubmc.edu)