Residency Curriculum

The curriculum is organized to maximize the ability of graduates to obtain clinical privileges and develop leadership skills that are applicable to rural and urban environments. To meet these goals, the Saint Francis FM Residency has designed a curriculum which gives the resident a broad-based experience in a large community hospital combined with a strong real-world experience in family practice. The educational program therefore provides for inpatient and OB rotations at Saint Francis Hospital, MICU rotations at Methodist University Hospital, and inpatient and emergency room rotations at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center. In addition, residents rotate at the VA and with private physicians in selected specialty services, as well as the Saint Francis Emergency center. Residents are exposed to the thinking and skills of highly competent specialists.

On all of these rotations, the goals are two-fold: the first goal is to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to provide primary care to a wide variety of problems, and the second is to understand the breadth and depth of the ability of consulting specialists in order that intelligent and appropriate referrals may be made.

The curriculum reflects the content of family medicine and describes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to be a successful family physician. The curriculum is designed to give residents a practical hands-on experience with patients while under the supervision of experienced faculty with a strong interest in teaching.