A Predictable Scheduling Model
The Reading Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program has participated in the Transforming Teaching Practices study administered by the UCSF. Care delivered at our Family Healthcare Center is consistent with the 10+3 Building Blocks of High Performing Academic Primary Care and the “Clinic First” initiative, representing the most current and innovative models of practice redesign. The clinic schedule represents a 3:1/2:2 X+Y, predictable model.
PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents benefit from three weeks of uninterrupted rotation experience followed by one week of dedicated, focused ambulatory family medicine. Ambulatory training becomes the priority in the PGY-3 year when residents alternate two weeks of rotation experience with an equal two weeks of time in the outpatient family medicine office.
As compared to a traditional approach where office hours and outside rotations are a daily mixture, this predictable scheduling model creates benefits including enhanced productivity, improved continuity of care, and reduced fragmentation of outside rotations. Sequential half days of office practice simulate “real life” after residency and allow mastery of both the medical management and the practice efficiencies required to survive in future practice. Our Team-Based Care structure including physicians, nurses, and administrative support staff is strengthened.
| First-Year Curriculum Content and Organization | Duration |
|---|---|
| Family Medicine Outpatient | 12 weeks |
| Family Medicine Inpatient | 6 weeks |
| Pediatrics Inpatient | 4 weeks |
| Pediatrics Newborn Nursery | 2 weeks |
| Night Float | 6 weeks |
| Obstetrics | 3 weeks |
| Cardiology | 1 week |
| Emergency Medicine | 2 weeks |
| Orthopedics / Musculoskeletal | 2 weeks |
| Surgery | 1 week |
| Pediatrics Outpatient | 2 weeks |
| Behavioral Medicine | 1 week |
| Psychiatry | 1 week |
| Health Systems Management | 1 week |
| Electives | 2 weeks |
| Vacation | 2 weeks |
| Total | 48 weeks |
| Second-Year Curriculum Content and Organization | Duration |
|---|---|
| Family Medicine Outpatient | 12 weeks |
| Family Medicine Inpatient | 6 weeks |
| Pediatrics Inpatient | 2 weeks |
| Night Float | 4 weeks |
| Maternal Health / Obstetrics | 4 weeks |
| ICU | 2 weeks |
| Sports Medicine | 2 weeks |
| Pediatrics Outpatient | 1 week |
| Behavioral Medicine | 1weeks |
| Obesity Medicine | 1 week |
| Geriatrics | 1 week |
| Radiology | 1 week |
| Community Medicine | 3 weeks |
| Electives | 5 weeks |
| Conference | 1 week |
| Vacation | 3 weeks |
| Total | 48 weeks |
| Third-Year Curriculum Content and Organization | Duration |
|---|---|
| Family Medicine Outpatient | 24 weeks |
| Family Medicine Inpatient | 6 weeks |
| Night Float | 2 weeks |
| Health Systems Management | 1 week |
| Gynecology | 2 weeks |
| Emergency Medicine | 2 weeks |
| Pediatrics Outpatient | 1 week |
| Behavioral Medicine | 1 week |
| Electives | 5 weeks |
| Conference | 1 week |
| Vacation | 3 weeks |
| Total | 48 weeks |
Longitudinal experiences include nursing home geriatric care, dermatology, gastroenterology, community medicine/Western Berks Free Clinic, and home visits.
Osteopathic experiences occurring longitudinally include Osteopathic OMT clinic, Osteopathic didactics, and OMT hands-on labs, practice sessions, and practicals.
Residents are supported and encouraged to use elective time to flexibly craft self-directed learning plans focused on attaining customized career goals. For example, residents may elect to utilize elective time to support broad-spectrum training or to enhance an area of special interest such as population health, sports medicine, women's health, addiction medicine, or community medicine.