Learning Environments

From 12:00-1:00pm every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (Thursday is Grand Rounds), all internal medicine residents and prelims on IM rotations gather in our lecture room for a didactic session.  See the curricula below to see examples of what we learn about.

FREE FOOD IS PROVIDED! You don’t even have to use your call money.

Pagers are monitored by our wonderful administrative page.  If you get a page that needs to be addressed urgently, they will let you know.  Otherwise, noon conference time is a break in the day dedicated to learning.

While you are in the food line is a great time to socialize with your co-residents.

Morning report is led by residents for residents.  Every Wednesday from 7:15-7:45, a resident presents a case to the other residents on elective rotations to hear a case presentation.  Chief residents help add to the teaching points brought up by the resident presenter.

Recent morning report cases:

• Fanconi syndrome due to oxaliplatin
  • Discussion point 1: Physical exam findings to differentiate venous stasis from lymphedema
  • Discussion point 2: Differentiating between the RTA type 1, 2, and 4
• Native-valve endocarditis leading to hemorrhagic stroke and altered mental status
  • Discussion point 1: Framework for altered mental status
  • Discussion point 2: Physical exam findings of endocarditis
• Air embolism leading to chest pain and stuttering speech
  • Discussion point 1: Framework for chest pain in a patient with cancer
  • Discussion point 2: Prevention and management of air embolism

On Thursday’s from 1:00-5:00pm on residents’ Y-week, residents participate in a variety of interactive didactic sessions.  Depending on the week, residents will either be participating in the Ultrasound curriculum, RRT/Code blue simulation curriculum, Quality Improvement curriculum, Resident teaching skills curriculum, or Board review.

Additionally, each academic half day ends with an ambulatory workshop.  The ambulatory workshop is an interactive session on a topic particularly relevant to primary care.

Topics covered recently include:

• Shoulder MSK physical exam and practicing shoulder injections
• Knee and ankle MSK physical exam and practicing knee injections
• Men’s health – BPH, ED, hypogonadism
• Women’s health – breast cancer screening and common breast problems
• LGBTQ+ health, health inequities, implicit bias
• Motivational interviewing for addressing substance use and obesity
• Anorectal disease and practice anoscopy
• Dermatology basics and practice skin biopsy

Every Friday, from 8:00-8:30 the long call team presents one of their patients that they currently have on service to a master clinician (AKA our program director Dr. Suneja) and the chief residents, none of whom know the final diagnosis.  As the case unfolds, the master clinician discusses their thought process as it applies to the case.  After the presentation, the team and master clinician examines the patient and demonstrates relevant physical exam findings.

On Thursday from 12:00 – 1:00, the whole internal medicine department gathers for grand rounds.  Grand rounds are organized by the department of internal medicine. Topics are often focused to updating primary care providers and general internists to developments in the subspecialties.

Food is provided to all attendees, including residents!

Recent talks include:

• “Updates in Alcohol” by Dr. Andrea Weber
• “Osteoporosis in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa” by Dr. Amal Shibli-Rahhal
• “Rural Health: What it means for the VHA, UIHC, and the Nation” by Dr. Peter Kaboli
• “Death from Asthma” by Drs. Gregory Schmidt, Eyas Azayadneh, and Zeke Quittner-Strom (an internal medicine resident!)