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The didactic curriculum at the Family Medicine Residency Program is an important cornerstone of our residents' education. We have a diverse Family Medicine faculty involved in teaching. We offer lectures and talks from an outstanding group of world-class subspecialists from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. We also have access to some of the best medical educators from other New York and national institutions to lecture for our residents. And our own second and third year residents take part in presenting a wide variety of Family Medicine didactics. The residency takes an active role in getting resident feedback to constantly improve and diversify the didactic curriculum.
We have several monthly conference series each of which focus on a different field of interest within Family Medicine. In the paragraphs below, different faculty members provide you with a brief description of each series. We also have excellent coverage of internal medicine topics, such as management of CHF, acid-base skills, hyperlipidemia standards, and management of hypertension.
"Our residents are taught by family Physicians, OB-GYNs, and certified
nurse midwives in the community. A collaborative and well-rounded approach is not only
reflected in the OB rotation (which boasts one-on-one direct family medicine attending
teaching) but also in this monthly Women´s Health Series. Our curriculum is created
to be sensitive to all women regardless of their racial, ethnic, or sexual orientation background."
-- Mary Jo Fink, M.D.
"The series involves reviewing radiology cases, techniques, reading skills
from various formats including X rays, sonography, CT and MRIs, and nuclear imaging among others.
What makes it unique is that the didactics and cases are directed toward primary care - making
the conference practical and very useful."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"Family Medicine is the only specialty that includes behavioral science
as part of its core curriculum. Here at Columbia that curriculum focuses on the multi-determined
nature of illness, health and the physician /patient/ family relationship. We also seek to
understand the impact of class, gender, ethnic and culture identifications as well as personal
and familial history. This assures that our program provides effective and compassionate medical
care.
-- Catherine Bratton Vourkas, A.C.S.W.
"The first providers most patients turn to for care after being
diagnosed with HIV is their primary care physician. It is important and vital that Family
Medicine continue to pave the way to compassionate care for people living with HIV-AIDS and
their families and to learn not just the medicine involved, but the role of advocate and
coordinator of care."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"The Journal Club is one of the interactive venues for teaching our residents
the skills of critical appraisal of medical literature."
-- Yael Swica, M.D., M.P.H.
"There's no better way to learn medicine than by reviewing cases. In
this highly interactive session, we use the Socratic method to discuss an interesting inpatient
case. From the presentation and differential diagnosis to the work-up and treatment, we pay
special attention to the process of clinical reasoning that is used along the way."
-- Bertie Bregman, M.D.
"There is no better way to learn and master a topic in medicine than
by having to turn around and teach it to others. Every second and third year resident presents
two lectures a year on a topic of their choice. They work in conjunction with a faculty mentor
who can be helpful in directing the resident towards resources, in choosing the best presentation
style for the audience, in time management, and in making the topic practical for family
practitioners."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"One evening monthly, residents and faculty come together for an
informal time together. We always have a program, which will vary from an interesting
case presentation, a cultural awareness topic including food or music, residents discussing
their community oriented primary care project, pressing issues identified from the residents'
meeting earlier that day, or a clinical update of interest. We always have food and
camaraderie, which is of course one of the most important aspects of any resident meeting."
-- Kathleen Klink, M.D.
"Although pediatric lectures are a part of the overall didactic curriculum,
we have a dedicated regular seminar series that puts the spotlight on our younger patients. We
cover topics from New Management Update in Strep Pharyngitis to Sensitive Sexual Histories For
Adolescents. The resources for these lectures come from our own Family Medicine faculty and the
Department of Pediatrics with whom we have a very collegial relationship both on the residents'
various inpatient and outpatient pediatric rotations and here in the didactics."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"Family physicians today are faced with a very complex spectrum of
medical practice opportunities that are constantly evolving. To be able to maintain a
quality medical practice, one must be (1) cognizant of the components of health care delivery,
(2) compliant with external regulatory agencies and accreditation organizations, and (3)
proficient in the body of knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to provide competent and
compassionate family medicine. Practice management attempts to teach these elements and
help the resident transition smoothly from training to the practice of medicine."
-- Carmen Dominguez, M.D.
"At this monthly meeting, the residents address any and all concerns
that we may have. We also use this time to discuss goals and resident projects, to develop
proposals for improving the residency, and to touch base and provide mutual support."
-- Rebecca Collins, D.O.
-- Adrian Strand, M.D.
"The field of family medicine is dynamic. Medical societies often
differ in their latest management recommendations; these medical controversies can confuse
patients and doctors alike. This conference series explores the latest updates in medical
management, treatments, and health promotion recommendations in family medicine."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"This conference series covers topics tested on the American Board of
Family Practice. It also covers test-taking techniques designed to enhance residents' success
on the USMLE 3 and ABFP examinations."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"This set of seminars covers issues in Sports Medicine,
Orthopedics (Pediatric and Adult), and Surgical Subspecialties such as
ENT, Ophthalmology, General and Vascular Surgery, Urology, and Emergency Medicine.
Family Physicians learn what they need to know in these subspecialty areas and how to
apply this knowledge to patient care."
-- Gretchen Mockler, M.D.
"At 7:30 AM on Wednesday mornings, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed residents and
a faculty moderator trek to Farrell to "breakfast" on a variety of highly charged and in-depth
outpatient case discussions. Born from the residents´ own strong desire to learn more about
ambulatory case management, a weekly resident presenter chooses one of his or her own patient cases
and leads the whole group through a very interesting interactive dissection and discussion of it.
This is topped off with a review of pertinent in-service exam questions. No one leaves the conference
room hungry...ever!."
-- Carmen Dominguez, M.D.
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