University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Curriculum

• Evaluation and Advancement
• Elective Rotations
• Conferences and Meetings
• Family Practice Continuity Clinic Experience
• Community Health Curriculum
• Certificate of Public Health

The first year of the UNM Family Practice Residency Program is very structured and hospital based. The resident follows a set course of clinical rotations in 13 four-week blocks. These rotations include:

Residents who are with the 1+2 residency programs may have slightly different schedules. These schedules are developed with the approval of the 1+2 program directors.

Second and third year rotations allow flexibility in scheduling to meet the program requirements as well as individual resident interests and career needs. Residents consult with their faculty advisor and the program directors when selecting rotations.

There are 13 four-week blocks in each second and third-year schedule. As the program moves toward a fully integrated hybrid block / longitudinal curriculum, these 4-week blocks may be scheduled as traditional block rotations or 12-week longitudinal experiences.

Evaluation and Advancement

The evaluation process includes review of off-service evaluations, continuity clinic assessments, monitoring of OB and other procedures, the longitudinal Nursing Home experience, individual community projects and the annual American Board of Family Practice In-Service exam. All evaluation materials will be kept in the resident's personnel file which is available to the resident at any time.

All residents are reviewed on a regular basis by the Residency Promotions Committee. Any concerns raised during this process will be brought to the attention of the resident and their advisor to develop a plan for intervention and follow-up. All residents will be reviewed at FCM faculty meetings on an annual basis.

Elective Rotations

Electives are individually planned, tailoring rotations to meet individual needs and career plans. Electives can include any area offered by the university system, or as arranged with other programs. A list of currently available electives is available from the Residency Office. Residents may design an elective to suit their particular needs. The faculty is available to help facilitate the development of any particular project.

Curriculum goals have been developed for some of these elective rotations. They are available from Dolores L. Garcia, Senior Residency Coordinator, and the resident should review these goals before beginning the rotation.

Conferences and Meetings

Each Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. has been designated as "sacred time" for all residents to attend teaching sessions and information meetings. Attendance during these hours is mandatory for residents.

FP Grand Rounds meetings have priority over OTHER services' conferences, rounds and ward rounds.

We have the tradition of Intern Change Parties, held at the home of a resident or faculty member on the last evening of each rotation. It is a time for interns to gather and share information about upcoming
rotations and to reconnect with their class. If needed, second and third year residents will volunteer to cover an intern's call duties for a few hours on the evening of the change party.

Family Practice Continuity Clinic (FPCC) Experience

The resident's continuity clinic experience is the backbone of the training experience. Residents provide continuous care to a broad range of patients and families.

Interns spend one half-day per week in their FPCC, working with clinic staff and attending faculty, caring for the needs of an assigned
panel of patients.

Second year residents spend three (3) half-days per week and third year residents five (5) half-days per week in their continuity clinics.

Certain rotations have decreased numbers of half-day continuity clinic sessions due to rotation responsibilities. With approval, residents may spend time away from their continuity clinic to meet the educational needs of their training. Due to accreditation requirements, rotations at remote sites must not interrupt continuity of care for longer than one month in the first year and two months in each of the second and third years. The two months in the second and third years may not be contiguous. The resident must then provide continuity of care for his/her patients for at least two months before leaving for any additional away rotations.

Community Health Curriculum

The Department’s community health curriculum helps residents develop practical skills as socially responsive family physicians. Residents learn to promote both individual and community health, and assess the resources available in a community.

Residents partner with department faculty, community-based health professionals, the New Mexico Department of Health (NM DOH) and others to learn these skills. Experiences include ambulatory experience in the immunization/well-child clinic, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) public health clinic, and the mobile outreach van. Department faculty and public health professionals mentor residents during rotations.

Community Projects - Residents develop individually designed projects. Residents choose longitudinal rotations (1.5 to 2 years) in either the community health projects and/or the Certificate in Public Health Program.

Current projects can be viewed and are available for residents who wish to participate in an existing project. The longitudinal blocks include dedicated curriculum time for community projects starting in the second year of residency.

Certificate in Public Health, School of Public Health Curriculum

Some of our residents obtain a Certificate in Public Health from the UNM MPH Program. The course work includes on line and lecture style courses covering the principles of public health, statistical and quantitative research, and independent course work tailored to a community health project. Residents do not pay tuition. Feedback from residents has been very positive. Some of our residents go on to pursue a Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree.