A creative interplay of didactics, audio visuals, and computer-assisted learning models support the attending-resident educational relationship. Residents are also involved in supervised, structured medical presentations, journal clubs, board reviews and practical workshops designed to enhance their training experience. Research activities are required in order to promote a spirit of inquiry and objectivity. It is our belief that this educational format will produce family physicians capable of exercising clear judgment in the care of their patients. This, we hope, will serve as the foundation upon which our residents navigate the continuously changing course of medical practice. Our curriculum encompasses all areas of Family Medicine. The clinical component consists of four week block rotations and longitudinal experiences. Throughout this three year experience, resident physicians return to the Family Practice Center to care for their panel of patients and their families:

• PGY 1: 1 to 3 sessions weekly
• PGY 2: 2 to 4 sessions weekly
• PGY 3: 3 to 8 sessions weekly

The Community HEAL (Health Equity, Advocacy and Leadership) rotations are a unified longitudinal block experience that encompasses all three years of training that emphasizes patient safety, population health, health inequities, patient advocacy, and the development of leadership skills. It is a graduate level experiential learning immersion which is designed to help our Residents understand our healthcare system from multiple vantage points. By achieving a deeper appreciation of the healthcare environment, residents will be able to help their patients to navigate through the healthcare system, advocate for them when needed, and be prepared to be a leader in the community that they serve. Residents will have the opportunity to engage with patients by participating in community events and creating social media content for outreach.

In addition to a block rotation, sports medicine is a longitudinal experience as well. Our osteopathic residents conduct OMT clinics where they learn to manually treat all types of musculoskeletal dysfunctions. There are also weekly workshops where topics in musculoskeletal anatomy, biomechanics, OMT techniques, and interesting patient cases are reviewed. All residents, faculty, and medical students are welcome to attend any workshop meeting or educational experience.

Jamaica Hospital boasts a Palliative Care Consultation Program and a fellowship in Palliative Medicine through the Department of Family Medicine. Residents are afforded the opportunity to work with the interdisciplinary team and care for patients and families coping with advanced chronic life limiting illnesses through both a block rotation and longitudinally.

The curriculum includes pain and symptom management, prognostication, establishing goals of care and discussing advanced directives. It also addresses how to conduct family conferences, the psychosocial aspects of chronic illness, and grief and bereavement counseling.

This experience provides our residents with the necessary knowledge and skills to care for their patients throughout the life cycle.

Integrative health redefines the relationship between the practitioner and the patient by focusing on the whole person and the whole community. It is informed by scientific evidence and makes use of all appropriate preventative, therapeutic and lifestyle approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to promote health and well-being. Our leadership is deeply committed to Integrative Medicine and its alignment with the biopsychosocial model of Family Medicine. To that end, we have established a relationship with the Integrative Medicine in Residency (IMR) Program through the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, providing residents with additional educational resources and opportunities. Several of our faculty members have completed fellowship training in Integrative Medicine, giving all residents access to experienced mentors and a wealth of expertise as a part of their core training. Residents who are especially passionate about Integrative Medicine can also complete a 100-hour competency-based, interactive, longitudinal web-based and on-site mentored curriculum in Integrative Medicine. This training can be done over a two-year period beginning in the PGY2 year. Upon completion, the resident will receive a certificate recognizing their advanced training within this sub-specialty.

Finally, for individuals who want to pursue post-residency training in Integrative Medicine, our department offers a one-year Integrative Medicine Fellowship. This program gives fellows exposure to diverse modalities such as acupuncture, functional medicine, mind-body medicine, osteopathic manipulation, and integrative oncology. Graduates of this fellowship are eligible to sit for the Integrative Medicine board examination upon completion of their training.

Residents follow a panel of patients in Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Nursing Home under the supervision of Family Medicine faculty and also follow patients longitudinally on home visits. During their geriatric rotation, residents work with geriatricians in a variety of settings including the hospital and the nursing home to gain additional experience managing older patients.