The curriculum consists of a comprehensive program of 36 four-week rotational blocks, plus a three-year continuity component of supervised patient care in the Family Medicine Centers. The curriculum is based upon the American Academy of Family Physicians Residency Assistance Program’s criteria for a "Program of Excellence," and exceeds all Institutional and Special Requirements for ACGME accreditation.
Overview of Rotational Components
Here is a listing of the rotations you will be doing each of the three years:
| Sacramento Track | Davis Track |
| | |
| First Year | |
| 1 week Orientation | Davis Track interns do the same rotations in Sacramento as well. Continuity clinics are done in Davis. |
| 8 weeks Internal Medicine |
| 6 weeks Family Medicine |
| 4 weeks ICU |
| 4 weeks Inpatient Pediatrics |
| 4 weeks Outpatient Pediatrics |
| 8 weeks Obstetrics |
| 4 weeks Emergency Medicine |
| 4 weeks Surgery |
| 2 weeks Continuum |
| 2 weeks Neurology |
| 2 weeks Radiology |
| 4 weeks Vacation | |
| | |
| Second Year | |
| 8 weeks Internal Medicine | 16 weeks Family/Internal Medicine |
| 8 weeks Family Medicine | 4 weeks Inpatient Pediatrics |
| 4 weeks Inpatient Pediatrics | 4 weeks Advanced OB |
| 4 weeks Advanced OB | 4 weeks Gynecology |
| 4 weeks Gynecology | 4 weeks Emergency Medicine |
| 4 weeks Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks Cardiology |
| 4 weeks Cardiology | 4 weeks Ortho |
| 2 weeks Orthopedics | 4 weeks Davis Community Clinic |
| 2 weeks Sports Medicine | 4 weeks Elective |
| 8 weeks Elective | 4 weeks Vacation |
| 4 weeks Vacation | |
| | |
| Third Year | |
| 4 weeks Internal Medicine | 8 weeks Family/Internal Medicine |
| 4 weeks Family Medicine | 4 weeks Clinic (Gynecology focused) |
| 4 weeks Clinic (Gynecology focused) | 4 weeks Surgery |
| 4 weeks Surgery | 4 weeks Psychiatry |
| 4 weeks Psychiatry | 4 weeks Outpatient Pediatrics |
| 4 weeks Outpatient Pediatrics | 2 weeks ENT |
| 4 weeks Health Services | 2 weeks Urology |
| 2 weeks ENT | 2 weeks Ophthalmology |
| 2 weeks Ophthalmology | 2 weeks Sports Medicine |
| 2 weeks Orthopedics | 2 weeks Community Medicine |
| 2 weeks Community Medicine | 14 weeks Elective |
| 2 weeks Urology | 4 weeks Vacation |
| 10 weeks Elective | |
| 4 weeks Vacation | |
Medicine | top
Block rotations include general internal medicine, ICU/pulmonary, neurology, and Family Medicine inpatient care. Residents work with both hospitalists and family physicians in providing care to patients with and without access to healthcare. All residents receive training at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. Davis track residents spend the greater part of the rotations during the second and third year at Sutter Davis Hospital in Davis. The E.I.C.U. (Electronic ICU) exposes residents to the newest state of the art tool to manage critically ill patients.
Pediatrics | top
There are four block rotations in pediatrics. Included are inpatient pediatrics, newborn nursery and outpatient pediatrics. Inpatient training takes place at the Sutter Children's Center located at Sutter Memorial Hospital (SMH). SMH has 24 ICU and concentrated care pediatric beds, and an additional 51 general pediatric beds. The hospital averages about 5,000 deliveries a year, so there is ample opportunity for hands-on experience with newborns. Outpatient pediatric training takes place in the offices of general pediatricians. Sutter is a tertiary referral site for many pediatric subspecialties; consequently, residents have exposure to a wide variety of cases.
Obstetrics and Gynecology | top
The obstetrics curriculum consists of three rotations including one month of high-risk obstetrics. Residents also follow at least 10 pregnant women in the Family Medicine Centers during the three years of residency. Through these combined experiences, residents can expect to deliver at least 80 babies and experience the full spectrum of perinatal care. An elective in advanced obstetrics is offered for residents having an interest in that area. The gynecology experience occurs in a variety of settings including community gynecology offices, County Clinic, and Planned Parenthood clinics. Residents also provide procedural gynecologic care to indigent women in our own Family Medicine Center. Residents attend outpatient surgery sessions at the Sutter Surgery Center where operative hysteroscopy and laparoscopy are performed. Additional experiences include therapeutic abortions and inpatient gynecologic surgery.
Surgery | top
Residents spend 4-1/2 months on surgery rotations, including two months in general surgery and one month on orthopedic surgery. Other subspecialty areas include otolaryngology, ophthalmology and urology. Residents perform a complete history and physical exam on patients with surgical diseases, provide an accurate assessment, develop operative skills to first assist on a variety of cases, and interact compassionately with the families of patients undergoing surgery.
Emergency Medicine | top
There are two block rotations in the Emergency Departments at Sutter General Hospital and Sutter Memorial Hospital (67,000 ED visits annually). Sutter General houses specialty centers in neuroscience, dialysis, diabetes, orthopedics, oncology, and AIDS care. Sutter Memorial Hospital contains the pediatric critical care center, chest pain center, women's center, and transplant center. In the ED, our residents routinely perform intubations, slit-lamp eye exams, reduction of orthopedic dislocations, laceration repair, incision and drainage, central lines and chest tube placement, and lumbar punctures.
Behavioral Science | top
Training in behavioral science takes place longitudinally at the Family Medicine Centers as well as through a one-month block rotation. The program is committed to the biopsychosocial model of health and illness and strives to incorporate awareness of such issues into all precepting and clinical care. The block rotation includes inpatient and outpatient care at the Sutter Center for Psychiatry. Residents become knowledgeable in a variety of psychiatric illnesses including depression, the suicidal patient, bipolar disease, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. As part of the longitudinal curriculum, residents participate in monthly Balint groups to discuss challenging patient-physician interactions.
During a two-week block, residents learn about community resources and their applications, epidemiology of disease, public and environmental health, school health and community education. In addition, each track spends four weeks in a clinic setting providing care to the area's underserved population. The Davis track rotation is based at the Davis Community Clinic. This rotation offers residents the opportunity to work with a diverse, underserved population. Here, residents gain valuable teaching experience, serving as preceptors for second year medical students. The Sacramento track partners with Sacramento County Health Department to provide care to underserved populations.
Continuum | top
Continuum is a specially designed two-week block rotation for first year residents. The curriculum of Continuum consists of lectures and workshops that address key topics in family medicine and interns are relieved from call responsibilities during this time. Core faculty and several local specialists put great effort into the teaching that occurs during these two weeks. The curriculum is constantly evolving, but typically Continuum will focus on procedural skills and behavioral medicine counseling skills.
Electives | top
Four months of elective time are available for residents to pursue particular clinical interests. Most electives are taken within the Sutter Health system; however, with approval, residents can take up to two months of "away" electives, one block in each of the PGY2 & PGY3 years. One "away" month may be used for an international elective.
