Our innovative didactics have been carefully planned to supplement your clinical experience in preparing our residents for practicing independently and passing the board exam.

  • Academic Half Day – (9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday). Attended by residents at all clinical sites with the exception of a few excused rotations. During Academic Half day, the attendings carry your pagers and care for all issues, so that you can focus on learning! Pre-reading and formal learning objectives combined with audience response questions facilitate learning.
     
  • Morning Report – These are at both Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and the VA for all residents on wards. Residents on subspecialty electives are excused. Three mornings a week, senior residents present a clinical case of a patient recently cared for in the wards. House-staff work through cases under the guidance of the chief resident. During each presentation, key teaching points are formally presented.
     
  • Patient Safety Conferences – These are opportunities to discuss “near misses” identified by residents and basic patient safety principles. They are led by the VA chief resident in quality and safety.
     
  • Internal Medicine Grand Rounds – 8:00 a.m. at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix or 12:00 p.m. at the Phoenix VA. This teaching session features nationally recognized physicians and focuses on emerging areas of clinical practice.
     
  • Select Noon Conferences – Cardiology grand rounds, tumor board, VA Morbidity and Mortality, Schwarz Center Rounds (focused on compassionate care in medicine).
     
  • Journal Club – Journal Club occurs monthly during grand rounds. Critical appraisal of literature surrounding relevant clinical questions and the use of evidence-based medicine (EBM) is emphasized. Categorical Internal Medicine residents are required to present an article at journal club at least twice during their residency.