Board Review
All residency graduates are expected to appear for and successfully complete the ABIM Internal Medicine Certifying Exam in their first attempt, immediately following training. The program facilitates preparation for the exam. The program is proud to report 100% board pass rates for consecutive years.
- A highly interactive Board Review session is conducted throughout the academic year, attended by residents during their clinic week. The program leadership facilitate interactive sessions using materials from the American College of Physicians Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) and other resources.
- An annual In-Training Examination is scheduled for all residents enrolled in the program and results are used to drive curricular changes and self-directed study plans.
Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) Course
The program recognizes the importance of a solid theoretical understanding of the principles of evidence based medicine and its practical applications in the clinical setting. Accordingly, an interactive weekly journal club and a longitudinal EBM course for all residents remains an integral part of our program.
Residents present current and landmark journal articles during our weekly journal club moderated by faculty with expertise. Discussions involve study design, research methodologies, statistical principles and clinical applicability of study outcomes.
The small group discussion-style EBM sessions during our clinic week curriculum provide a foundation in formulating clinical questions, developing effective research strategies, and critically appraising the literature.
Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Curriculum
The residency program recognizes the importance of continuous improvement processes in healthcare quality and related outcomes. Our integrated ambulatory health systems science curriculum incorporates longitudinal quality improvement initiatives, patient safety education and research.
Our QI curriculum linked to population management in the resident continuity clinic setting has been well established over the past 3 years. all residents participate in both a didactic and experiential QI curriculum during their ambulatory clinic blocks and work in multidisciplinary teams on QI projects directed at improving the care of a defined patient population in their practice.
The residents meet with their facilitator weekly to discuss the basic concepts of root cause analysis, PDSA cycle, pay-off priority matrix, and measurement of outcomes as they pertain to their projects. They are expected to present their work at a departmental conference in May of each year. Scholarly output, in the form of posters and publications, related to QIPS is strongly encouraged.
The Patient Safety component of the curriculum engages residents in didactic sessions on basic patient safety principles, high reliability organization principles, Team STEPPS training, high value care, and the basic understanding of heuristics. The residents are encouraged to use the knowledge gained to review and present cases at morbidity & mortality conferences as well as patient safety reviews using the root cause analysis format.
Clinical Skills Initiative (CSI)
As a needs based initiative, the CSI Program, which takes place during the summer of internship year, was introduced into our curriculum in 2007. Recognizing that our intern class typically represents 10-14 different US medical schools, CSI was designed to enable our program leadership to assess, review and teach introductory clinical skills and clinical reasoning in the context of early residency training in our environment.
The sessions focus on standardizing history-taking, physical exam skills, documentation, oral presentations, transitions in care, and ancillary diagnostic skills (analysis of CXRs, EKGs, peripheral blood smears and urinalysis). Procedure simulation workshops and mock code simulations are incorporated into the course. CSI provides a protected learning environment where we instruct, directly observe and provide immediate formative feedback in a small group setting.
Resident as Teacher
Acknowledging the Latin etymology of “doctor”, the program expects residents to develop effective teaching skills. At our annual resident retreats, didactic sessions aimed at reviewing teaching techniques and methods for effective delivery of feedback to all learner groups are discussed. On the floors, resident led teaching rounds precede daily attending rounds, provide opportunities to demonstrate and review physical exam findings and explore clinical reasoning strategies. During clinic week, residents lead various aspects of the ambulatory curriculum, mentor junior housestaff to optimize EBM skills, and lend guidance on QI projects. The Arnold P. Gold foundation and the program honor the efforts of our best resident teachers on an annual basis.
Medical students are a constant presence on the wards and in the subspecialty clinics at RWJUH and Princeton. Second year students learn physical diagnosis skills, third year students complete clinical clerkships, and fourth year students serve as sub-interns. In addition to learning the science of medicine, professional values, attitudes and behaviors are influenced and nurtured by our resident role models.
Community Service Program and Global Health Opportunities
An outgrowth of our Humanism and Professionalism Council established in 1998, this resident-run initiative works in conjunction with the community outreach departments at both our teaching hospitals and through various local organizations.
Residents volunteer time to a variety of activities including:
- Educational sessions for patient groups at Princeton clinic; Presentations to a wide array of community groups on prevention, detection and treatment of various diseases; “Ask the Doctor” table at health fairs;
- Fund Raising Activities: Diabetes Walk, Cancer Walk-a-thon’s, Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, Back to School Suppiles
The residency program, in collaboration with the Office of Global Health, intends to expand opportunities for organized international rotations.
For information on Rutgers RWJMS Office of Global Health visit: http://rwjms.rutgers.edu/global_health/
