Family Medicine Residency – Desert

Curriculum

Didactics 

Our clinical and didactic education is rigorously anchored in evidence-based medicine. Didactics include:

• Strong emphasis on information mastery and EBM tools
• Case-based instruction using simulation and real patients
• Academic half-day model for formal teaching
• Longitudinal curriculum that provides training in population health, quality improvement, patient safety, advocacy and leadership
• U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix Department of Family, Community and Preventive Medicine Grand Rounds

Clinical Experience

The curriculum has been designed based on best practices to provide longitudinal experiences in ambulatory, community and inpatient environments. The program focuses on care of patients across the lifespan. 

Outpatient Training

Central to the experience is the longitudinal, continuity clinic at Banner Health Center in Chandler, which is an innovative primary care home for our patients and features a top-rated electronic health record, panel management and integrated care teams. 

• The Banner Health Center is a state-of-the-art ambulatory clinic space with team-based design including:
  • Large exam rooms, shared collaboration spaces, and pod system with dedicated pod for residency clinic 
  • On-site laboratory services and imaging
  • Integrated care team including clinical pharmacy
  • Supported population health and panel management, including through incorporation of quality and safety metrics to improve patient care
  • Fully equipped on-site conference space for didactic, group visits and social events
• Office time is one to two half-days per week in Year One and two to five half-days per week in Years Two and Three
• Residents develop and learn to manage their own patient panels 
• Longitudinal opportunities for training in core family medicine procedures including gynecologic procedures such as endometrial biopsies and IUDs, joint injections, circumcisions, and dermatologic procedures
• Experience with a “real world” practice, including privately insured and Medicare/Medicaid patients
• True mentorship model through a highly trained core faculty team that residents work with throughout the experience

Inpatient Training

Inpatient rotations occur at Banner Desert Medical Center, a 650-bed tertiary referral center, where residents learn to provide adult and pediatric inpatient, emergency, and obstetrical care with a family medicine approach.

PGY1–PGY3 Rotation Overview