Madison Curriculum
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First Year
Partnership System
Upon entering the program, each resident is partnered with another first-year resident. Partners are scheduled together on most first-year rotations, which allows them to establish a comfortable working relationship in the hospital and at their continuity clinic.
Inpatient Responsibilities
First-year residents rotate through curriculum blocks in:
- Community Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Inpatient Family Medicine
- Medical Intensive Care
- Obstetrics
- Pediatrics
- Surgery
Residents also attend a weekly Family Medicine Seminar.
Outpatient Responsibilities
First-year residents begin building a continuity practice at one of four family medicine centers (FMCs). Residents are scheduled at the FMC for two half-days per week.
The center's team structure facilitates continuity of care and awareness of complex patients. Residents collaborate closely with faculty physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and behavioral scientists.
Call Schedule
In-hospital call is usually every fourth night, although frequency varies depending on the number of residents on the service or vacations. Call may be taken from home during the surgery rotation. The Emergency Medicine, Community Surgery, and Community Medicine blocks do not have overnight call.
Second and Third Year
Inpatient Responsibilities
Second- and third-year residents spend fewer blocks on hospital rotations and have more opportunities to teach and supervise inpatient care.
Outpatient Responsibilities
Second- and third-year residents practice at the FMC an average of three to five half-days per week. Third-year residents may precept, using observation and videotaping as integral components of the teaching process.
There are a range of options available for fulfilling requirements during the second and third year including:
- Dermatology
- ENT
- Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedic-Related (Podiatry, Casting, Manipulation, Physical Therapy)
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
- Preventive Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Urology
In addition, the required 6-week rural rotation provides a realistic, supervised opportunity to experience family medicine in a rural group practice setting. Residents have said this rotation is an excellent opportunity to gain clinical maturity and confidence.
Residents also complete longitudinal rotations in community medicine and practice management.
Call Schedule
Senior residents are on call every fourth night for some of the hospital rotations, totaling four second-year blocks and one third-year block.
Second- and third-year residents also share FMC night call. Most of this overnight call has been condensed into two "mole" weeks each year, during which the resident is on call from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday through Thursday with no other responsibilities.
Electives
Elective opportunities include:
- Allergy
- Clinical Nutrition
- Community Free Clinics
- Counseling
- Diabetes Management
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
- HIV/AIDS
- Integrative Medicine
- Medical Informatics
- Neurology
- Palliative Care and Hospice
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
- Substance Abuse
Many electives can be tailored to meet residents' interests. Residents may also develop their own elective experiences, such as research projects, practice styles, and procedures.
Elective blocks may include one optional out-of-town or international experience.
Additional Educational Opportunities
Additional educational opportunities include regularly scheduled conferences, clustered didactics (workshops and case-based learning), seminars, and continuing medical education programs at participating hospitals and in the community.
The third-year resident on the SMHMC family medicine service leads weekly inpatient rounds for residents and faculty. Journal club, grand rounds and family medicine seminar are held Wednesday mornings.
Behavioral Science Curriculum
Behavioral science education is integral to the residency, and occurs in seminars, at the FMCs, and at the hospital. The curriculum is organized and implemented by a full-time psychologist, three part-time clinical social workers, nurse practitioners, and faculty.
The curriculum emphasizes modeling and teaching the biopsychosocial patient care approach. Videotaping residents is an important training tool.
Resident Support
We care about the health and well-being of our residents. As such, we have many activities that are supported by the residency program:
- Spiritual Health Program: a $30,000 grant-supported program designed to help residents discover what they believe and how that fits into their professional lives. Facilitated by our integrative medicine faculty, residents will develop Integrative Medicine-style self-care plans, and take part in mindfulness training, mindfulness-based stress reduction, mentoring, and other learning opportunities. Each resident will have $400 of support to use on mindfulness training;
- Community-Medicine Parties: Residents on the community medicine rotation organize fun-filled parties for their colleagues that have included sleigh rides, cookouts, curling, and bowling;
- Third Monday Lunchtime Check-In Group: Facilitated by a psychiatrist not affiliated with the department, the Third Monday group provides first-year residents the opportunity to support one another in a safe environment;
- Fizzle Dinner: First-year residents and their spouses/significant others mark the half-way point in the year with food and drink at a local Madison restaurant;
- Resident Retreat: A yearly resident retreat that includes families takes place over a weekend at a rural site outside Madison;
- Chief Resident Rounds: Residents gather every other week over lunch after the Wednesday Family Medicine Seminar to socialize and discuss administrative and clinical issues pertinent to the residents; and
- Wildlife Sanctuary: A twice monthly lunchtime forum for topics of interest to residents such as career planning, global health, financial planning, and spirituality in medicine.
