TYR Curriculum

The one-year transitional medicine residency program has a flexible curriculum that provides residents with a strong academic and clinical foundation to meet their specific requirements.

The one-year program consists of 13 four-week long rotation blocks. Residents have requirements of seven blocks of internal medicine (1-2 blocks of ICU and 5-6 blocks wards), one block ambulatory primary care, one block emergency medicine, and four blocks of electives. The option of electives gives residents the opportunity to gain experience in other areas including rotations in, but not limited to, gynecology, radiology, anesthesia, pathology, radiation oncology, medical and surgical subspecialties and neurology. An extensive list of elective rotation options is available. Additionally, with proper planning and approval, a four week block clinical research rotation can be obtained.

Because of our relentless pursuit of improving the quality and safety of patient care, we also involve all our TYRs in scholarly activity. TYRs will participate in quality improvement research teams which have a faculty primary investigator and a mix of internal medicine and TY residents on the team. An annual science competition is held where teams present their findings to faculty judges. Many have gone on to publish or present at local or national meetings including POMA, ACP, CHEST, SCCM, and more.

Considered active members of each rotation, transitional year residents perform all the duties and have the same responsibilities as all other PGY-I residents on the service. Transitional residents are also expected to participate in regularly scheduled educational conferences, such as Noon Conference and Grand Rounds.

Resident participating in the Osteopathic Education curriculum will attend monthly Osteopathic Case Conferences where resident peers and faculty present common topics and approaches with OMT. Residents also attend two OMM seminars at nearby Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, given by experts in Osteopathic Manipulation. Lastly, an emphasis on daily application of OMT and teaching Osteopathic Medical students rounds out the curriculum.

Residents rotate through Mercy Fitzgerald where they encounter a diverse patient population that offers a highly varied learning experience. The ambulatory primary care rotation is offered at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, in a new facility that was opened in 2011. In addition to a state-of-the-art electronic medical records system, this facility also incorporates the Medical Home model of primary care delivery and coordination.