The Family Medicine Residency Curriculum

The curriculum of Stamford Hospital’s Family Medicine Residency focuses on developing family physicians who know how to work as a member of a team to meet the health needs of a community.

The overall goals of the curriculum include:

• Introducing residents to the theoretical foundation of family medicine
• Developing skills to effectively function in an outpatient setting
• Recognizing the attributes and strengths family medicine offers physicians and the community
• Educating residents in the broad clinical scope of family medicine
• Educating residents in using evidence-based resources in a clinical setting
• Fostering a sense of compassion and camaraderie amongst peers

Rotations

Student Rotations

All inpatient rotations are based at Stamford Hospital. Most outpatient rotations are done in local physicians' offices. Others can be arranged as "away" electives. Electives are chosen by the resident with the input of the faculty advisor.

Additional Learning Opportunities

Through lectures, consultation with our excellent specialists, discussion with faculty, and managing their own patients, residents continually expand their knowledge base. There is an emphasis on the importance of continually improving their fund of knowledge through journal club, rounds, lectures, and regular family medicine (FM) conference days.

Didactic conferences occur everyday. They include journal club, lectures, procedural workshops, and board review. In addition to these lectures, the residents attend weekly medical and pediatric grand rounds in which experts from around the country present many interesting topics. Teaching rounds occur every day in the hospital with the Family Medicine faculty and hospitalist attendings.

Behavioral Medicine

Behavioral medicine is integrated and emphasized longitudinally throughout the three years of residency. There are regular behavioral medicine and psychiatry lectures, rounds in the hospital and nursing home, and supervision in the Family Medicine Center. In addition, there is a one-month rotation in the second year that emphasizes community and outpatient experiences. Geriatrics, preventive medicine, complementary medicine, and practice management also have substantial longitudinal experiences.

Medical students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a diverse population and a variety of acute and chronic diseases. During each rotation, students will be assigned to work alongside different residents and faculty members.