Curriculum

Longitudinal Experiences

The Longitudinal Behavioral Science Curriculum

The Behavioral Science Curriculum, spanning all three years of the residency, has been built on a collaborative model of care that places psychologists in primary care settings working closely with family physicians. The curriculum is comprehensive and employs many teaching strategies, including the active learning of dual interviews, direct observation, videotape review, workshops on communication and counseling skills, didactics, consultation and Balint group presentations.

Community and Practice-based Projects

Community and practice-based projects are encouraged, and are valuable learning experiences. Residents are partnered with faculty mentors to work on community-based projects that they choose in a variety of outreach settings within local service agencies, schools, and with community groups. Practice-based projects focus on implementing changes in the way we practice to optimize care. They provide residents with valuable experience in critical appraisal, problem solving and leadership skills.

Conferences

Conferences are an important part of the daily routine on rotations and in the health centers. Chart rounds, which are case-based, learner-centered conferences focusing on the science and art of medicine, happen daily in the health centers. Didactics are common to all health centers and rotations, and video-conferencing links between our health centers and inpatient service help to ensure that residents have every opportunity to learn.

Curriculum Committee

The residency curriculum committee is an active working body with resident and faculty representation. It is continually evaluating, improving and updating the curriculum.

The Tuesday Experience

Tuesdays are set aside and protected to provide special educational activites for our residents.  Family Medicine and Community Health Grand Rounds are held weekly on Tuesdays at noon at the Memorial Campus on a wide array of Family Medicine topics.  Second and third year resident Balint groups and workshops follow Grand Rounds.  The workshops are on procedural skills like colposcopy, endometrial biopsy, IUD insertion, neonatal circumcision, joint injection, suturing and casting, on counseling skills, practice management, or current important medical and ethical topics like palliative care, abortion and options counseling, and chronic pain and addiction.  First year residents also have a monthly Tuesday workshop curriculum focused on communication skills, and core family medicine outpatient knowledge and skill development.