Teaching Conferences

Core Curriculum Conference

Topics in the Biomedical and Psychosocial family practice are addressed in these Thursday afternoon teaching conferences at the Family Medicine Center. Because of resident pairing, each session is presented twice, two Thursdays in a row. These sessions are led by faculty, visiting speakers, and third-year residents. Formats range from the straight didactic or case-oriented presentations to open discussion or hands-on skill workshops. There is a separate psychosocial medicine curriculum for PGY-1s; PGY-2s and PGY-3s meet together.

The Biomedical Core Curriculum Conference

This is presented to all residents on a three-year cycle. Topics focus on aspects of care specific to ambulatory practice—from adolescent health care and joint injections to breast disease and refugee health assessment.

The Psychosocial Medicine Core Curriculum Conference

This is a three-year program of seminars and meetings every other week. The focus is on the basics of interviewing, the family in family medicine, the biopsychosocial/systems approach to patient care, and a series of specific topics in primary care. Faculty includes family physicians and four family therapists/mental health providers.

The Obstetrics Core Conference

This is presented weekly by an obstetrician, with the assistance of OB fellows. Addressed are both OB and GYN topics regarding inpatient and ambulatory care needs.

The Procedures Core Conference

This core satisfies a growing interest in outpatient procedures. This period is dedicated to hands-on experience. Topics include suturing, endometrial biopsies, skin and nail procedures, ultrasound, casting, and more.

FRIC (Faculty Resident Interface Committee)

On alternating weeks, residents, faculty, and chiefs meet to discuss residency issues.

The Balint Group

This personal awareness group, led by family medicine faculty and a family therapist, explores doctor/patient relationships and the development of a resident's identity as a family physician.

Faculty-Led Conference

Two or three mornings a week, before office hours, a faculty-led conference touches on a variety of topics, including reviews of patients evaluated while on-call, videotape reviews, and a journal club.

"I have a reputation in this medical community as delivering good OB care and there are very few family docs who do OB here." ~A '94 graduate

Outpatient Report

This initiative of chief residents involves presenting case-based topics twice a week, just before afternoon patient care sessions begin.

Pediatric Topics

This series, another resident initiative, complements regularly scheduled pediatric topics in the outpatient report. Cases are seasonally relevant and focus on outpatient assessment of pediatric problems.

PGY-3 Teaching Mornings

On alternate Friday mornings, PGY-3s gather to participate in focused, interactive conferences. The curriculum includes practice management, quality assurance, and critical appraisal. These mornings are also an opportunity for senior residents to work on projects.

Special Conferences

Residents may use their CME stipend and up to one week per year for conferences.

Spring Retreat

This daylong retreat allows faculty and residents to take a constructive look at the residency. They discuss areas that may need improvement and develop work plans.

Fall Retreat

This is half-day retreat for residents provides a forum for input to the chief residents on specific rotations and the program in general.

Weekly Schedule at the Family Medicine Center

Core curriculum sessions are every Thursday afternoon, and are repeated for two weeks. Each resident (half of a pair) attends core curriculum every other week. These sessions are structured (see below), but also allow presentations of integrated material in longer sessions, afternoon skill workshops or other new teaching approaches. The usual format is as follows:

Teaching Afternoon (Thursdays)
1:00 - 1:55 OB Core
1:55 - 2:45 Procedure Core/Alt Core/FRIC
2:50 - 3:45 Biomedical Core
3:55 - 4:50 Psychosocial Core
4:50 - 5:30 Balint

I really miss the stimulation and academic diversity/open mindedness that is so much a part of Rochester." ~A '97 graduate

Explanations

On most patient services, partners alternate afternoon office hours. One resident in a team goes to the office Mondays through Wednesdays and on alternate Thursdays. The other goes Tuesdays through Fridays and on alternate Thursdays.

Additional Information

Teaching sessions (1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) focus on common ambulatory care problems.
Team meetings are Tuesday or Wednesday from 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., during the first and fourth week of each block.
Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturday morning office hours are staffed by residents during elective and other ambulatory blocks.
An abbreviated patient care session on Thursday afternoons is staffed by nurse practitioners and faculty.