We have developed a comprehensive, milestone based curriculum that ensures that residents are trained in the broad array of care encompassed under Internal Medicine, and allows residents to specialize in all of the ABIM subspecialties.
The curriculum we follow is written in the language of the 6 Core Competencies and has been redefined to include the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Milestones. The curriculum identifies graduated competencies as well as therapeutic skills, procedures, and tests which the resident must master in each rotation. The Internal Medicine training program also uses an ambulatory curriculum, which includes outpatient and ambulatory topics. Teaching skills, end-of-life care, and other "non-medical" curricular issues are addressed through interdisciplinary noon conferences and resident retreats.
Rotational experiences provide the clinical learning opportunities that allow residents to acquire the competencies described in the written curriculum. Residents divide their time between inpatient and outpatient care. The latter accounts for approximately one-third of a resident's experience.
The resident assumes progressively greater responsibility for the primary decisions of patient care over their 3 years of training.
- During the PGY-1, interns begin development of their clinical skills in both inpatient and outpatient medicine
- During the PGY-2, juniors supervise interns and are given increased levels of autonomy.
- During the PGY-3, seniors develop leadership skills, focusing on teaching, supervising junior residents and interns, and prepare for independent practice.