Primary Care Internal Medicine Residencies

Abstract

Primary care internal medicine residencies have been begun or are being planned at a number of academic medical centers. Some have been established with federal grants, while others have been created with local or foundation support. These residencies, which are almost always in major teaching hospitals, coexist with more traditional internal medicine residency programs and may operate in parallel with pediatric primary care training programs. <h3>COMPARISON WITH OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMS</h3> Primary care internal medicine residencies differ quantitatively and qualitatively from the more traditional programs in internal medicine. The primary care trainee spends a much greater proportion of his training time in ambulatory care, and he may rotate through nonmedical specialties that include psychiatry, gynecology, surgery, surgical specialties (ie, otolaryngology and orthopedics), and community medicine. There is emphasis on long-term continuous comprehensive patient care within the family unit. Inpatient training in internal medicine is, however, given in the same setting and