Internal Medicine Residency Amarillo

The first-year resident, with the direct supervision and support of an upper-level resident and faculty attending physician, develops clinical diagnostic and medical management skills. Typical IM procedural skills are learned during the first year, including an introduction to placement of arterial lines, central lines, and catheters during the ICU rotation. All this supports advancement to the more independent performance and greater responsibility required during the second and third years. The intern is also expected to pursue scholarly learning and perhaps most importantly, to maintain the highest standard of personal and professional conduct. 

• NWTH Ward – 16 weeks
• VAMC Ward – 12 weeks
• NWTH ICU – 6 weeks
• NWTH Night Float – 4 weeks
• NWTH Nephrology – 4 weeks
• Cardiology – 2 weeks
• Anesthesia – 2 weeks
• Endocrinology – 2 weeks
• Hematology/Oncology – 2 weeks
• Pulmonary – 2 weeks
• One afternoon per week IM continuity clinic.

The second-year resident, still with the support and supervision of the attending physician, further develops clinical diagnostic and medical management skills and assumes greater responsibility for the care of the patient. Added responsibility involves the direct supervision of the intern and medical student. 

A continued high standard of personal professional ethics and humanistic qualities is required, including being a role model for others on the team. Further procedural skills are developed and supervised. Scholarly activity is encouraged. 

• NWTH Ward – 8 weeks
• VAME Ward – 8 weeks
• VAMC Night Float – 4 weeks
• NWTH ICU – 8 weeks
• Ambulatory – 4 weeks
• Cardiology – 2 weeks
• Hospitalist Elective – 4 weeks
• Infectious Disease – 4 weeks
• Geriatrics – 4 weeks
• Rheumatology – 4 weeks
• Pulmonary – 2 weeks
• One afternoon per week IM continuity clinic

The third-year resident builds upon the second year, developing further clinical competence and procedural skills, as well as a greater academic foundation. Although many duties in this year are similar to those of the preceding years, the third-year resident assumes greater responsibility, leadership, and supervisory capacity. Further specialty training via electives, more outpatient experience, and continued education activities lead to the goal of becoming fully independent by the conclusion of residency. As always, the highest personal and professional standards should be upheld; third-year residents, in particular, should be exemplary role models. 

With input from all residents and faculty, third-year residents are selected as Chief Residents and assume additional responsibilities regarding schedules, teaching, and leadership. 

• NWTH Ward – 8 weeks
• VAMC Ward – 4 weeks
• NWTH Night Float – 4 weeks
• NWTH ICU – 4 weeks
• NWTH ICU Night Float – 4 weeks
• Cardiology – 4 weeks
• NWTH ER – 4 weeks
• Neurology – 2 weeks
• Hematology/Oncology – 4 weeks
• Endocrinology – 2 weeks
• Anesthesia – 2 weeks
• Pulmonary – 2 weeks
• Infectious Disease – 2 weeks
• Nephrology – 2 weeks
• Gastroenterology – 4 weeks
• One afternoon per week IM continuity clinic.

The Internal Medicine Residency Program at TTUHSC-Amarillo continues full accreditation by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).  

The usual complement of Internal Medicine residents now includes thirteen Interns, thirteen PGYII and thirteen PGYIII. Third year TTUHSC medical students are involved in core rotations in Amarillo, typically eight or nine at a time in Internal Medicine; a similar number of fourth year students are present, pursuing various requirements and electives.

Patient service and teaching are the foundation of our mission. We achieve good patient volume and diversity via our two main teaching hospitals, Northwest Texas Hospital (NWTH) and the Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). NWTH is a private 400-bed hospital but is also responsible for the indigent of the community and is our regional trauma center. Here we admit our own Texas Tech private patients, those from the Amarillo Hospital District's Wyatt Clinic, and those via the ER without a physician. The Thomas E. Creek VAMC provides treatment to 25,000 patients yearly. The VAMC maintains 69 acute care beds and a 120-bed skilled nursing care unit. The inpatient experience is bolstered by outpatient experience at our own Texas Tech Physicians clinics. In addition, we are closely affiliated with the local clinic of Texas Oncology, P.A., a large network of oncology physicians in the State of Texas.

Our full-time Texas Tech Internal Medicine clinician faculty, all board-certified, are dedicated teachers, weighted toward general internal medicine, but with the subspecialties of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Endocrinology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Cardiology, Hematology, Oncology, and Geriatrics represented. Northwest Texas Hospital is also a regionally accredited Heart Hospital and the designated stroke center. The VAMC has a separate similarly-sized faculty of various generalists and subspecialists. In addition, we utilize "clinical faculty", i.e., community physicians in other Internal Medicine subspecialties and non-IM fields such as gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and radiology, etc. for clinical and didactic teaching. 

On the subject of didactics, Morning Report is conducted at each teaching hospital. Monthly Grand Rounds, an organized year-long curriculum of noon conferences, and board review sessions as well as Monthly Journal Club are given. Procedural skills are taught by our Critical Care specialists. TTUHSC-Amarillo has a multi-million-dollar simulation center as part of a collaborative effort between TTUHSC, Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University. Through Sim Central, the residents receive training on hospital-based clinical scenarios and procedures.

Additionally, our ABIM Board pass rate has been 100% four out of the last six years with only two failures.

In addition to the pursuit of clinical excellence, we strive to instill the values of professional/personal ethics, responsibility, and accountability to patients, faculty, resident colleagues, and healthcare staff.

"Our residency program is built on strong training, resilience, and teamwork in a supportive and inclusive environment. We are committed to shaping compassionate physicians, grounded in peace and service, who carry forward a bright future for medicine and the communities we serve."

Mazin Saadaldin, M.D.
Associate Professor
Residency Program Director

“As a graduate of this program, I can personally attest not only to the outstanding training and the supportive, approachable faculty, but also to the warmth and genuine hospitality of the Amarillo community. What I once envisioned as a brief three-year residency – a temporary stop before returning to the east coast – gradually became something far more meaningful. Those years transformed my expectation, rooted me in a place I never planned to stay and ultimately led me to a deeply rewarding 10-year journey and a fulfilling career in Amarillo,”

Hayder Yasir, M.D,
Assistant Professor
Associate Program Director