Curriculum and Clinical Experiences

Curriculum

First Postgraduate Year	Second Postgraduate Year	Third Postgraduate Year
Adult Medicine 16 weeks	Adult Medicine 8 weeks	Adult Medicine 8 weeks
Pediatrics Inpatient 4 weeks	Pediatrics Outpatient and Inpatient 2 weeks each	Pediatrics Outpatient 4 weeks
Nursery/Pediatrics Outpatient 4 weeks	Pediatrics Emergency Room 4 weeks	Cardiology 4 weeks
Obstetrics/Gynecology 7 weeks	Obstetrics/Gynecology 7 weeks	Neurology 4 weeks
CCU/ICU 4 weeks	Emergency Room 4 weeks	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Sports Medicine 4 weeks
Surgery Inpatient 4 weeks	Surgery Outpatient 4 weeks	Orthopedics Community Medicine 2 weeks each
Orthopedics 4 weeks	Comm. Medical/Acute Care 2 weeks each	Ophthalmology Urology 2 weeks each
ENT 2 weeks	Dermatology 4 weeks	Chemical Dependency 2 weeks
Special Workshop/Electives 4 weeks	Special Workshop/Electives 4 weeks	Family Physician Preceptorship 4 weeks
	Geriatrics/Allergy 2 weeks each
Electives 12+ weeks
Ongoing Clinics Family
Medicine Center 2 half-days/week	Family Medicine Center 3 half-days/week	Family Medicine Center 4 half-days/week
Vacation
4 weeks	4 weeks	4 weeks

 

Clinical Experiences & Rotations

Our Family Medicine service is staffed by Family Medicine residents and attending physicians. The team consists of two interns, a second- or third-year resident, and an attending physician from Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. The team man-ages an average of 10 to 12 patients, including those in the Intensive Care Units (ICU) and Coronary Care Units (CCU). Each resident has on-call responsibility every fourth night.

Family Medicine

Throughout your residency, you will spend a significant amount of time in our off-site, culturally diverse, outpatient Family Medicine Center, under the supervision of a teaching staff of more than 15 full-time, board-certified family physicians, all of whom hold University teaching appointments.

Our residents are assigned a group of patients whom they follow throughout training, in both outpatient and inpatient settings, with the outpatient experience providing a spectrum of acute and chronic diagnoses. Preventive health care, prenatal obstetrical care, and minor surgical and dermatologic procedures are also emphasized. Laboratory and radiology services, patient education programs, and consultations with various specialties are readily available.

Pediatrics

Your first year includes a four-week rotation on inpatient pediatrics at Childrens Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). In addition, two weeks in the nursery will emphasize normal newborns; however, part of your time will focus on stabilizing and resuscitating distressed newborns. Two weeks focus on ambulatory Pediatrics. First-year residents also spend two half-days each month seeing outpatient infants and children for whom they will be directly responsible throughout the three-year residency. While you are on inpatient Pediatric services, over-night call is every fourth night.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

A four-week Obstetric and three-week Gynecology rotation is required in both the first and second year of your residency. Residents work closely with innovative obstetricians who are actively involved in research. At the end of your rotations, you can expect to have delivered between 50 and 70 babies (with more available if desired); in addition, you will have followed approximately 10 prenatal patients through delivery.

The Gynecology experience emphasizes ambulatory gynecological problems. Colposcopy and endometrial biopsies are also taught. High-risk Obstetrics and Gynecology electives are available in your third year.

Surgery

Four weeks in your first year are devoted to inpatient surgery, working with senior-level surgical residents and staff faculty. We emphasize pre- and post-operative care, surgical diagnosis, and assisting in the operating room.

Minor surgery procedural skills are taught and reinforced in the Family Medicine Center’s Minor Surgery Clinic and many other rotations throughout your residency.

ENT, Urology, Ophthalmology

These three rotations are each taught in two-week time blocks and may be taken in any year of your residency. They focus primarily on outpatient care; however, operating room time is available for residents seeking inpatient exposure. Residents work closely with attending sub specialists, seeing a wide variety of problems commonly encountered by family physicians.

Human Behavior and Psychiatry

A two-year longitudinal rotation in Behavioral Medicine on site at the Family Medicine Center allows you to develop essential skills in this area taught by our psychiatrists, psychologists, family physicians, and psychiatric social workers.

Orthopedics

Residents have a four-week rotation in Orthopedics during their first year and another two-week rotation during their second or third year. Residents work one-on-one with an orthopedic surgeon, with emphasis on ambulatory care. You also devote time to seeing patients in our Sports Medicine Clinic as well as other locations. Opportunities are available to work with a high school team physician.

Physical Medicine / Sports Medicine

As a third-year resident, you spend four weeks working with Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Sports Medicine specialists. You gain exposure to a large variety of sports and musculoskeletal problems, testing procedures, and treatments, and spend time on inpatient rehabilitation.

Electives

There are numerous opportunities for personalized electives within our health care system. During your second and third years, a total of over four months of electives can be used to complement your education.

Conferences

Third-year residents assist our faculty in planning conferences covering the core curriculum in Family Medicine. Senior residents also exercise a leadership role in conference presentation. All residents are expected to provide input regarding the educational content of the conference series and are encouraged to submit topic ideas, speakers, or case-based information.