About Us

The Transitional Year is traditionally designed to fulfill the educational needs of medical school graduates who:

1. Have chosen a career specialty for which the categorical program in graduate medical education has, as a prerequisite, one year of fundamental clinical education (this education may also contain certain specific experiences for development of desired skills).
2. Desire a broad-based year to assist them in making a career choice or specialty selection decision.
3. Are planning to serve in public health organizations or on active duty in the military as general medical officers or primary flight/undersea medicine physicians.
4. Desire or need to acquire at least one year of fundamental clinical education before entering administrative medicine or non-clinical research.

Residents working in a simulation lab

There is a national concern regarding the increasing competitiveness for medical students in finding a residency position leaving medical schools with unmatched graduating students. This is happening nationwide and most critically and importantly in our very own state of Arkansas and with our own medical students. In a state with currently one allopathic medical school and whose goal is to train physicians to stay here and serve the citizens of our state, having students that graduate and do not have a place to train is problematic.

We want our own “unmatched” UAMS medical students to have an opportunity to continue their training and what they are passionate about—serving patients and families and providing for their healthcare needs.

Therefore, a goal of the Transitional Year Residency Education Program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is to provide a year of a broad based and well balanced clinical curriculum as a possible opportunity for unmatched individuals to continue their training in preparation for a desired specialty or as an opportunity for those individuals who desire an additional year to assist them in making a career choice or specialty selection decision.

This philosophical principle is implemented by the selection of residents who have exhibited professionalism and who remain enthusiastic about their primary identity as physicians.  All aspects of the educational program maintain the orientation that, as a physician, one accepts the responsibility (with appropriate referral and consultation) of the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Consistent with the overall goal and philosophical orientation of the program is the need to provide specific educational experiences to residents who will have varying roles in the field of medicine.