Tracks/Areas of Concentration

Medical Education

To develop hands-on teaching and other related skills important to the practice of medical education, and to equip the resident to provide high-yield educational experiences to students and residents over the course of their career. By graduation, participants will:

• Demonstrate evidence of both quantity and quality of educational work by creating an Educator's Portfolio.
• Identify strengths, areas of improvement, and long-term career goals through an Educator's Personal Statement.
• Develop group facilitation skills by leading at least two educational sessions for either medical students, residents, or both, in collaboration with a faculty member.
• Develop lesson planning skills by creating the content of at least one of the two aforementioned educational sessions, with faculty supervision.
• Develop clinical teaching skills by precepting medical students in clinic and doing direct observation of junior resident peers in clinic using the PCOF, and providing verbal and written feedback to them and their supervisors.
• Interpret medical education literature through participation in a journal club or SOFM format.
• Contribute to medical education at the University of Rochester Family Medicine Residency or the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry through curriculum development, program evaluation, or other educational project, and submit the work for presentation either locally, regionally, or nationally.

Political Advocacy & Leadership Track (PALT)

This track supports residents who are interested in the policy making process that directs the delivery of health care in the U.S.

• Meets once every 2-3 months with different speakers/workshops
• Provides opportunities to meet with state and local representatives
• Residents are encouraged to focus on an aspect of advocacy or leadership that they are passionate about

Two tracks within PALT:

• Political Advocacy: meeting with CBO's, NYSAFP commissioners, lobby days
• Leadership: Meeting with local/national leaders, holding leadership position

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-N.Y.), made a trip to Highland Family Medicine last fall to talk to us about policies relating to health-care. There was an opportunity for participants to ask questions and take photos.

Peter Robinson, COO of URMC and head of governmental relations for the university, spoke to our PALT residents on 8/1/2019, about how the university analyzes health care bills presented to Congress and works to determine what impact these bills have on the university. He also spoke about his leadership position and how our residents can get involved with advocacy and leadership.

Geriatric

The Geriatric Area of Concentration is supported by a Geriatric certified Family Physician on our faculty. Requirements include:

• Documentation of satisfactory completion of four weeks of approved geriatric medicine elective
• Documentation of satisfactory completion of all scholarly work requirements, including copies of presentation materials used (posters, slides, etc.)
• Copies of progress notes from additional geriatric home visits
• Documentation of attendance at an approved geriatric medicine CME conference.

Global Health Track

Established in 2003, this track prepares highly motivated and accomplished residents to care for underserved populations anywhere in the world.  Up to six interested residents per class are selected to enter the global health track.  Each Fall and Spring trip usually has 7-8 residents traveling to work at the site.  While further detail can be found on the global health page of this site we would like to highlight a few important features of this track:

• Didactic training  occurs in the US to prepare residents for working in international sites
• GHT residents make up to 3 trips during their residency to work in an underserved setting in Honduras, which is the primary overseas site
• Travel expenses and insurance are covered by the Program for times spent overseas
• Department faculty teaches the didactic sessions as well as travels to Honduras with the residents
• Training is also available to residents who want to participate in an international experience but do not wish to commit to the full GHT program.

Maternal & Child Health Track

One of the long standing strengths of our program, maternal and child health, has remained an important focus with extensive obstetrical training for those residents who are particularly interested in including OB in their future practices. Some of the highlights of this track include:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology training occurs at Highland Hospital, a community hospital where residents generally accumulate experience with 40-60 deliveries in their required two blocks on service in the first year
• Those who wish to pursue additional OB training have the opportunity to do another 2-3 blocks and can amass up to 100 or more deliveries, with opportunities to first assist Caesarean sections, as well as perform vacuum-extraction deliveries
• OB track residents will  take second call on the Labor and Delivery service, providing an opportunity to be involved in all complicated deliveries and gain more experience with ultrasound, Maternal-Fetal Medicine and newborn care
• Certified Nurse-Midwives are a constant presence on the labor deck and add to the diversity of the maternity care experience managing routine and high-risk patients.

Research Area of Concentration

Learning Objectives include:

• To gain knowledge about the basics of research subject safety and  research study design
• To gain experience in writing research study protocols and conducting a clinical research project
• To develop academic scholarship skills in data analysis, writing up and presenting research findings
• To gain networking experience in attending and presenting at national conferences
• To gain exposure to different types of clinical research projects that can be done within the scope of family medicine.

Sports Medicine

The Sports Medicine Area of Concentration offers an opportunity for interested residents to expand their interest and exposure to the field, beyond what is offered through the Sports Medicine rotation in the 3rd year. Residents pursuing this area of concentration will have increased opportunities to:

• Develop academic scholarship skills in sports medicine
• Develop advanced examination skills of the musculoskeletal system
• Gain additional experience and develop proficiency in the following areas:
• Performing and evaluating exercise treadmill tests
• Creating orthotics for injury management
• Performing sports pre-participation physical exams
• Assisting as team physician for various high school and college athletic programs
• Diagnosing and managing sports medicine and orthopedic injuries
• Caring for medical problems in the athlete
• Performing orthopedic procedures, including: joint and soft tissue injection/aspiration, fracture management and reduction, casting and splinting, joint relocations, etc.
• MSK ultrasound teaching/learning.

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

• To further advance osteopathic manipulation skills throughout residency for both DO and MD residents.
• To encourage scholarly work in the field of osteopathy.
• To develop resident's teaching skills of osteopathic techniques.
• To incorporate the core osteopathics principles into daily practice as family physicians.

Expectations of Participants Include:

• OMT Experience
• Conference Attendance
• Scholarly Work