Our program’s core purpose is to design and support an internal medicine residency program that develops board certified physicians of the future who expertly and empathetically serve the communities in which they choose to practice. Our curriculum is designed to prepare physicians for success in whatever career path they choose through intentional balance of inpatient, sub-specialty, and outpatient care using a modified 4+1 training model to structure the three years of training.
Each academic year is divided into 10, five-week clinical education blocks and a dedicated two-week vacation block (there’s two additional weeks of vacation as well). The first four weeks of each block are dedicated to the assigned rotation. What that means is, if you are on inpatient service, then you’re on inpatient service and there will be no additional clinical assignments, such as the continuity clinic housed at Fountain Plaza Medical Offices on Northwest Medical Center’s main campus.
The fifth week of each block is dedicated to ambulatory clinical experiences which includes a dedicated, assigned panel of patients within the program’s continuity clinic. This model allows residents to be fully present and immersed in the content of each rotation instead of dividing attention between competing priorities.
To put it into perspective, below is a sample five-week clinical schedule for a first year resident:
| Week 1 | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | OFF |
| Week 2 | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | OFF | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service |
| Week 3 | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | OFF |
| Week 4 | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service | OFF | 7a – 7p: Inpatient Teaching Service |
| Week 5 | 8a – 5pm: IM Continuity Clinic | 8a – 5pm: IM Continuity Clinic | 8a – 12p: IM Continuity Clinic / 1p – 5p: IM Subspecialty Clinic | 8a-12p: Reading / 12-5p: Academic Half-Day | 8a – 5p: IM Subspecialty Clinic | OFF | OFF |
More broadly, Northwest Healthcare Tucson’s Internal Medicine residents receive a well-rounded approach to their three years of training with an inpatient-intense first year and inpatient/outpatient balanced second and third years of training. Our program curriculum includes 32 weeks of elective time so that residents actively participate in the design of a training experience that prepares them for their chosen career path and Board exam.
| Inpatient Medicine (Days or Nights) | 22 weeks of Days, 2 weeks of Nights | 12 weeks of Days, 2 weeks of Nights | 12 weeks of Days, 2 weeks of Nights |
| Outpatient Medicine (Continuity Clinic + Subspecialty Clinics) | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Cardiology | N/A | 4 weeks | N/A |
| Critical Care Medicine (ICU) | 8 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Emergency Medicine | 2 weeks | N/A | 2 weeks |
| Geriatric Medicine | N/A | 2 weeks | 2 weeks |
| Neurology | N/A | 2 weeks | N/A |
| Vacation | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Electives | 4 weeks | 12 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Total | 52 weeks | 52 weeks | 52 weeks |
Elective options include any of the Internal Medicine subspecialties (Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Hematology, Hospice/Palliative Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Medical Oncology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, Sleep Medicine, Sports Medicine), Behavioral Medicine, Dermatology, Neurology, Radiology, and Research. The program will also consider requests for resident-designed electives.
Northwest Healthcare Tucson Internal Medicine Residency Program faculty pride ourselves on hosting an exceptional educational experience from beginning to end. Teaching teams are overseen by board certified physician faculty who value the opportunity to educate trainees. Our faculty guide and support resident physicians’ decision-making and work with learners to successfully move through progressive levels of responsibility and patient care.