Rotations

First-year residents spend one half day per week in the Family Medical Center seeing their own panel of patients.

• Cardiology – This is an inpatient experience working with the cardiology team. You will learn about electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, stress tests, interpretation of tests, and more. (Two weeks in PGY-1, two weeks in PGY-2)
• Family Medicine 1 (FM-1) –  During July of the first year in the program, you are oriented to Family Medicine.  Emphasis is placed on the common problems of patients throughout the lifecycle.  (Two weeks)
• Family Medical Center (FMC) – You spend two weeks in the FMC intensively involved in the evaluation and management of your own panel of patients.  (Two weeks)
• FMC/Airway –  You spend three weeks in the Family Medical Center intensively involved in the evaluation and management of your own panel of patients. You spend one week in One Day Surgery, where you intubate patients and provide non-invasive airway management for patients undergoing outpatient surgical procedures. (One month)
• Family Medicine Wards – You spend two months during the year on the Family Medicine Service at  the UAMS Medical Center.  Under the supervision of department faculty and an upper level resident, the you learn to care for the hospitalized patient and functions as an integral member of the wards team. (Two months)
• Geriatrics – You spend one month on the geriatric service at the UAMS Medical Center.  Activities include didactic sessions with the staff, home visits, and rounding with the geriatric team. (One month)
• Internal Medicine Wards – The goal of this rotation at the VA is to become familiar with and competent in the treatment of hospitalized patients with a variety of diseases and common illnesses.  (One month)
• Labor and Delivery – The L&D rotation takes place in the OB department of UAMS. Residents attend postpartum rounds, antepartum rounds and conduct prenatal examinations. Residents will assist in the triage area and follow patients they admit. Residents will participate in the delivery of patients they have been actively managing. Residents discuss all management plans with the OB chief resident prior to implementation. Residents receive hands-on training in the clinic.  (One month)
• Neurology – This is a two-week rotation.  Activities occur at the UAMS Medical Center and its clinics, and include the enhancement of your skills in basic neurological exams and the management of common neurological problems.  (two weeks; see footnote*)
• Pediatrics – One month each is spent on the inpatient wards and in the outpatient clinics of Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH).  In addition, one month is spent at the Term Nursery at the UAMS Medical Center.  You gain valuable experience learning the preventive aspects of pediatric health care, working with consultants and agencies related to child and family care, and managing the basic health care needs of children.  (Total of three months)
• Radiology – Indications for x-rays and scans, limitations of x-rays and scans, preparation of the patient for various studies, complications of x-ray procedures and interpretation of chest, abdomen, GI and urinary tract x-rays are included in this rotation. (two weeks; see footnote*)
• Urology – Evaluation and management of common urological conditions in the outpatient setting are learned.  (two weeks; see footnote*)

Third year residents spend five half days per week in the Family Medical Center seeing their own patients.

• Behavioral Health – This is a rotation with behavioral health specialists in our Family Medical Center. Some Behavioral Health training is included on a longitudinal basis throughout the program. (Two weeks in PGY-2, two weeks in PGY-3; see footnote*)
• Community Health – Residents on this rotation work in various clinics, community practices, and FQHC’s to learn more about the role of the family physician in improving community health. Learning opportunities include participation in and leadership in Walk with a Doc; training community health leaders to perform simple health checks; visiting neighborhood meetings; working with mobile health units; expanding outreach to underserved groups; providing family planning outreach to high schools; and in general serving as an advocate for health promotion in the community, as outlined by ACGME directives to embrace a commitment to the community that is served by the residents. (Two weeks; see footnote*)
• Dermatology – You become acquainted with common dermatological problems frequently seen in primary care.  Outpatient procedures related to dermatological conditions are learned.  (One month)
• Emergency Medicine – You become competent in diagnosing and managing emergency conditions while working with Emergency Medicine physicians in the UAMS Emergency Department.  This facility, which is JCAHO level I accredited, has 25 beds for major and minor trauma, major medicine, a decontamination suite, an orthopedic suite, and a minor surgery suite.  (One month)
• Family Medicine Wards – As a third-year resident, you assume major responsibility for the administration and organization of the patient service.  You share teaching responsibility for lower level residents with the faculty preceptors.  (Two months as Wards Chief)
• FMC – You spend a total of 6 weeks in the Family Medical Center intensively involved in the evaluation and management of your own panel of patients. (Usually split into 2 weeks and 4 weeks)
• Night Float – Each PGY-3 resident spends a total of one month on night float. (Two weeks early in the academic year, two weeks later in the academic year)
• Palliative Care – This is a mix of inpatient and outpatient, with the palliative care team. Training includes end of life issues, communication of difficult topics, and pain management. (Two weeks; see footnote*)
• Longitudinal Peds – You practice making diagnoses and problem solving related to the child and his/her family in the outpatient clinics and emergency department of Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Activities include history-taking, physical examination and specific technical procedures. The peds training is distributed throughout the year (so that you can experience seasonal changes in health issues). (Longitudinal experiences adding up to one month in total)
• Electives – You have four elective months as a PGY-3. See “Electives” below for more information. (One month each)

Longitudinal rotations that are distributed throughout your three years in the program include:

• Pediatrics (There is one block month in PGY-1, but PGY-2 and PGY-3 peds rotations are longitudinal.)
• Nursing Home
• House Calls
• Procedures
• University Women’s Clinic