Education and Conferences

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Internal Medicine Chief Residents' Blog
for easy access to conference recordings and educational materials.

Resident Core Conferences - Core conferences are held Monday-Friday at noon. These conferences are protected (pagers are covered by administrative staff) and lunch is provided. Goals of these conferences include enhancing medical knowledge, developing diagnostic-reasoning skills, and promoting principles of life-long learning.

Core Topics in Internal Medicine - Lecture series provided by a diverse set of clinical and research faculty ranging from general medicine, internal medicine subspecialties, and outside departments addressing clinical topics relevant to the training internal medicine resident

Case Presentations/Live from 6RC - A series of interactive conferences during which a case is presented by a Chief Resident or Inpatient Medicine senior resident. As the case unfolds, residents work as a group or in teams to build a differential diagnosis, work-up difficult cases, and discuss clinical reasoning and management strategies.

Journal Club - Monthly, senior residents in conjunction with pre-assigned faculty lead discussion on a critical appraisal of current primary literature in internal medicine or internal medicine subspecialties. There is added focus on study design and evidence-based medicine, fostering skills that will be essential as an independent practitioner.

R2 Talks - All second-year residents participate in creating and delivering a noon conference lecture as well as a handout on an educational topic of choice. Residents are paired with faculty mentors and are given feedback on effective presentation skills.

Monthly physiology lectures - This monthly case-based conference is designed to demonstrate how the application of physiologic principles enhances clinical reasoning. The format is case-based and interactive, and the discussion is facilitated by the Program Director and an Associate Program Director.

Clinical Reasoning Week - We conduct an intensive, week-long curriculum on diagnostic and clinical reasoning emphasizing the cognitive theory underlying clinical decision-making, the language of clinical reasoning, frameworks to approach a concern or disease and illness script models for organization, cognitive biases, and categorization of information. These concepts are reinforced throughout the year in all other didactic session and in clinical experiences.

Wards 101 - During the UIHC Inpatient medicine rotation, there is protected time for intern-focused teaching on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. During these sessions, interns and medical students are given an opportunity to discuss and work through cases, focus on practical management of common inpatient issues, and discuss evidence-based topics pertinent to hospital medicine.

Morning Report - Our weekly morning report is hosted by a resident on an ambulatory/elective rotation and progressively works through an interesting/difficult case in a small group setting with junior and senior residents. The focus is on clinical reasoning and the process of working up a chief complaint, with several short teaching points at the end.

Board Review - During the ambulatory Thursday afternoon curriculum, residents meet with a faculty facilitator or chief residents to participate in interactive group sessions. The assigned facilitator utilizes prepared ABIM-focused content with MKSAP question in order to reinforce clinical reasoning, key points, and test taking strategies. A faculty member from each subspecialty provides an in-depth review of internal medicine topics tailored to the ABIM certification exam. This is open to residents at any level of training.

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds - This traditional weekly conference provides an opportunity for the entire department to convene for an academic discussion which may range from innovative research, comprehensive updates on key topics, or visiting lecturers. In addition, Clinical Pathology Conferences (CPCs) are held monthly, integrating basic pathology into clinical scenarios.

Morbidity, Mortality, and Improvement Conference - Interdisciplinary case-based conference presented by residents and faculty evaluating a medical error, adverse, event, or near-miss scenario. Broad group discussion is utilized to identify contributors to adverse events. Monthly updates are provided on the outcomes of previously identified safety issues and the steps taken to resolve them.

House Staff Meetings - On a monthly basis, all of the residents meet with the chief residents and faculty to receive updates regarding anticipated events, program changes, and to provide an open forum for discussion of concerns.