Program Curriculum Overview

Overview

Lubbock Family Medicine Residents embark in a rigorous educational journey pushing them toward excellency.  Equipping our residents with knowledge in all areas of medicine and setting them up for success.  Educating them in whole health, rural health spanning all age groups.

Family Medicine Inpatient Service
(12 total weeks per year)

The family medicine inpatient service is a chance to come back home. Residents from all PGY levels work together closely to manage adult and pediatric hospitalized patients under the supervision of our Family Medicine faculty.  The acuity level of patients varies from observation to ICU patients, including obstetrics. Learning takes place at both our main academic training hospital (University Medical Center) and a private community-based hospital (Covenant Medical Center). This allows for a broad scope of patients including continuity patients from our clinic, and unassigned patients who have no medical home from Lubbock and the surrounding communities.  Residents develop excellent knowledge for managing hospitalized patients and valuable leadership skills as each year the expectations for managing patients and supervision of the hospital team and educational duties increase. Working together, our resident teams provide safe and high quality care of our patients creating endless learning opportunities for the team members.

Practice Management
(4 total weeks per year)

This is a rotation dedicated to learning how medical practices function in the complex health systems (and environments) medical personnel have to practice in today.  It is geared toward helping residents learn how to adjust and remain viable and current within the dynamic trends and regulations that affect medical practices/practitioners today.  It is your practice and your medical career, how do you keep yourself and your practice healthy and viable; how can you make the most out of the ever-changing regulations and reimbursement situations?  

This rotation also discusses issues regarding employment contract negotiations, various state licensure information, maximizing reimbursement in complex business associations and partnerships, forming limited liability companies/associations, IRS taxation trends, malpractice overage and protection, etc.  These are some of the questions that this rotation is designed to address in a longitudinal curriculum throughout your training at our residency program.

Night Float
(4 total weeks per year)

The night float rotation, a small team of upper and lower level residents work together to manage the hospitalized patients on our family medicine inpatient services at the two hospitals we cover.  Under the supervision of our family medicine faculty residents admit new patients, manage needs of currently hospitalized patients, and take care of obstetric cases overnight. The oversight and educational responsibilities increase year to year with the upper-level resident leading the team. This is another opportunity to develop leadership skills and autonomy as the residents grow into independent physicians.

Pediatric Inpatient Service
(4 weeks, PGY1)

On inpatient pediatrics, first year residents work alongside pediatric residents and pediatric hospitalists to care for hospitalized pediatric patients at University Medical Center.  The residents are responsible for evaluating and managing patients of varying acuity and have opportunities to perform procedural tasks under supervision of the attending physicians. The duties of the family medicine residents are the same as for the pediatric residents which creates a very collegial environment for learning.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine
(4 weeks, PGY2)

Pediatric emergency medicine occurs in the emergency department of a private children’s hospital (Covenant Women’s and Children’s Hospital) and learning is directed by pediatric emergency medicine trained physicians in the community.  Residents are responsible for evaluating minor and major emergency patients and develop procedural skills in the emergency department setting.

Obstetrics
(4 weeks in each, PGY1 and PGY2)

A robust obstetric experience is a pride of the program. During the obstetrics rotation, 4 weeks in the PGY 1 and PGY 2 years, residents are immersed as a part of the labor and delivery team.  With oversight from OB/GYN faculty, residents work alongside OB/GYN residents to manage labor and delivery of complicated as well as straight-forward obstetrical patients.  After your PGY1 rotation you can start managing your own continuity OB patients in our Family Medicine clinic under supervision of our 9 Family Medicine-OB faculty.

Gynecology
(4 weeks, PGY1)

During the gynecology rotation PGY1 residents work in the OB/GYN department clinics seeing a variety of patients with gynecologic issues.  Experience with procedural skills, including colposcopy, is gained while working with the OB/GYN faculty.  Opportunities are also available to gain experience from the maternal-fetal medicine specialists with more complex obstetric patients.

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CICU/Heart Station
(2 weeks Inpatient, 2 weeks EKG, PGY1)

During this intensive cardiology experience, PGY1 residents spend 2 weeks in the Cardiac ICU and 2 weeks in the Cardiovascular Center/Heart Station.  Residents act as an integral part of the cardiology team and rotate from working on the cardiac intensive care unit to the cardiology consult team under the supervision of the cardiology attending and fellows.  During the Heart Station experience, residents work alongside the cardiology attending physicians and fellows learning about and reading electrocardiograms in the EKG reading room.   This rotation offers an invaluable opportunity for networking with residents from internal medicine which benefits learning and coordination of care for our patients throughout each year of training.

Medical ICU
(4 weeks, PGY1)

PGY1 residents will spend 4 weeks immersed as a member of the medical ICU team gaining valuable experience in the management of critically ill patients under supervision of the Critical Care attending and fellows at University Medical Center.  Residents will work alongside team members to manage complex medical presentations, and learn procedural skills including ventilator management, central venous line placement, arterial line placement, intubation and bedside ultrasound evaluations necessary in caring for critically ill patients.  The skills learned in this rotation augment those gained while caring for critically ill patients on the family medicine inpatient service. 

Emergency Medicine
(4 weeks, PGY1)

Residents work in the Emergency Center at University Medical Center under the supervision of Emergency Medicine trained physicians, and Family Medicine trained emergency department physicians during this rotation for 4 weeks as a PGY1 and 2 weeks as a PGY2.  Working in a Level 1 Trauma Center, residents have extensive opportunities for evaluation of acutely ill patients of all ages with both urgent and emergent presentations. During the rotation residents gain invaluable experience with management of patients presenting to the EC from initial evaluation to final disposition. Residents also obtain common procedural skills with supervision from the attending physicians in the emergency department including but not limited to suturing, initial fracture management, intubation, and central line placement.

General Surgery
(4 weeks, PGY1)

During this 4 week rotation PGY1 residents work alongside surgery residents and surgery attendings learning to manage surgical patients in the hospital, and in the outpatient clinic. This rotation allows residents to become familiar with common surgical procedures as they follow their patients from the pre-operative evaluation, through surgery in the OR, and for post-operative follow-up in the hospital and clinic. Residents also get to work with surgical subspecialties during this rotation including trauma, ENT, and neurosurgery.

Family Medicine Didactic
(Every Tuesday, PGY1, PGY2, PGY3)

Getting together each week becomes a highlight for all the residents.  During didactics curricular material is presented using multiple modalities to accommodate adult learning styles. Valuable information regarding board preparation, hospital and clinic systems, billing and future job opportunities are provided, and usually lunch.

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Orthopedics
(4 weeks, PGY2)

PGY2 residents spend 4 weeks working with our TTUHSC Orthopedics residents and faculty learning how to diagnose and treat common orthopedic conditions in outpatient and emergency department settings.  Residents have the opportunity to learn and practice skills in common orthopedic procedures including x-ray interpretation, joint injections, and splinting and casting of fractures.

Sports Medicine
(2 weeks, PGY2)

PGY 2 residents spend 2 weeks working intimately with our Sports Medicine fellows and faculty learning how to evaluate, diagnose and manage common sports-related and orthopedic injuries. Our fellows teach how to use ultrasound to aid in the diagnosis of common complaints and ultrasound-guided injection techniques. Residents can also get to spend time on the sideline observing one of the many high school and collegiate sports teams our Sport Medicine Fellowship covers!

Urgent Care Clinic
(4 weeks, PGY2, PGY3)

PGY2 and PGY3 residents get experience and hone their skills in evaluating and managing same-day and urgent complaints that present to our outpatient Family Medicine Clinic.

Rural Rotation
(4 weeks, PGY2)

Spend 4 weeks in a rural setting of your choice to gain valuable experience in what it looks like to be a rural family doc!

Newborn Nursery
(4 weeks, PGY2)

Spend 4 weeks caring for well and ill newborn infants in our UMC Newborn Nursery.  Residents work alongside Pediatric residents and Pediatric attendings to gain invaluable skills in evaluating and treating newborn babies from birth through hospital discharge and follow-up for newborn weight checks in the first week of life.   During this rotation residents will become proficient with newborn circumcision procedures, and other procedures common in newborn care.

Pediatric Ambulatory Clinic
(4 weeks, PGY1, 2 weeks PGY2)

Residents spend 6 weeks rotating with our Pediatric faculty in their outpatient pediatric clinic gaining expertise in well childcare and in evaluating and managing common outpatient pediatric complaints.

Adolescent Medicine/Student Health
(2 weeks, PGY2)

In this ambulatory clinic experience, PGY2 residents work at the Student Health Clinic for Texas Tech University. This clinic serves both undergraduate and graduate students and includes both primary, urgent, and mental health care. Residents will gain experience with common sick complaints as well as the potential for procedures such as suturing, I&D and LARC placements and removals. Residents will be a part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team that includes mental health and sports medicine resources. This rotation teaches invaluable skills of educating patients, especially in preventative health care, common ailments, and sexual health. 

Dermatology
(4 weeks, PGY3)

Residents spend 4 weeks working with community-based dermatologists to enhance their knowledge in recognition and treatment of common dermatologic conditions including skin cancer.  Residents will get hands-on experience with common dermatologic procedures including cryotherapy, electrocautery, and skin biopsies.

Urology
(2 weeks, PGY3)

PGY 3 residents spend 2 weeks in the outpatient Urology clinic working with our adult and pediatric Urology attendings and residents to gain more experience in the management of common urologic diagnoses. Residents also get experience with procedures such as urodynamic testing, and vasectomy.

ENT
(2 weeks, PGY3)

PGY 3 residents spend 2 weeks working alongside our ENT faculty and residents in the outpatient clinic learning how to evaluate and manage common adult & pediatric ENT concerns.

Ophthalmology
(2 weeks, PGY3)

Spend 2 weeks in the Ophthalmology clinic working directly with our Ophthalmology faculty and residents to gain valuable knowledge in the evaluation and management of common eye conditions including ophthalmologic emergencies.

Radiology
(2 weeks, PGY3)

Increase knowledge and skills in reading common radiologic exams, including chest x-rays, CT scans and MRIs, that family physicians routinely use to aid in diagnosis and management of common acute and urgent conditions during this 2-week rotation. Learn which tests are most appropriate to order for conditions commonly seen in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Community Medicine
(2 weeks, PGY3)

Work with our local Department of State Health Services to explore the many areas where they provide services to help keep our communities healthy.

Longitudinal Behavioral Health

Description coming soon.

Geriatrics

Throughout all three years of training, residents have a longitudinal experience in a nursing home where they provide continuity of care to patients. During the 4 week experience, residents are part of the geriatrics fellowship team. They get the opportunity to work in the geriatrics clinic, skilled nursing and nursing home alongside the geriatric fellows. 

Gastroenterology

Residents are able to work with a community GI doctor doing clinic and procedures.

Pulmonology

Residents have experiences with pulmonologists, learning about screenings and management of chronic lung diseases as well as possible procedures.

Hospice and Palliative

Working with our hospice and palliative fellowship team, residents experience being a part of an inpatient palliative consultation service, working with hospice providers in the community and participating in home visits and family meetings. 

Wound Care

Residents work with a wound care specialist and their team in 2 locations learning about management of chronic wounds as well as more acute wound management. 

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