Residency Training Core Curriculum

Residency Training Core Curriculum

Goal of the entire Residency Training

To consistently produce competent and caring family physicians, adept in clinical and procedural skills, spread throughout Western Visayas then across the country

Synopsis of Rotational Components

Ambulatory Care/Triage

This rotation during the first year level training of a Family Medicine resident sharpens the clinical assessment and management skills of a primary care physician in a tertiary hospital setting.

This twelve-month period of training in the Ambulatory Care Unit of the University Medical Center is interspersed with the day-time out-patient department rotations of the first year resident in the departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery, Radiology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Rehab, Orthopedics and Dermatology.

The ambulatory care/triage by the Family and Community Medicine residents starts at 11PM.

General Medicine

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to the fundamentals of General Medicine will strengthen the clinical acumen of the resident physician in handling common diseases among the adult population.

On the first year of training, the resident will undergo 2 months daytime out-patient contact at the out-patient section of the Department of Internal Medicine in the University Medical Center. On the second year of training, the resident will spend 2 months in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Emergency Room and in the hospital wards. On the third year of training, the resident may choose Internal Medicine as a major course elective and continue training in the wards for 2 months.

General Pediatrics

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to the basics of General Pediatrics will fortify the clinical skills of the resident physician in preventing childhood illnesses and managing common disease conditions among children and adolescents.

On the first year of training, the resident will undergo 2 months daytime out-patient contact at the out-patient section of the Department of Pediatrics in the University Medical Center. On the second year of training, the resident will spend 2 months in the Department of Pediatrics Emergency Room and in the hospital wards. On the third year of training, the resident may choose Pediatrics as a major course elective and continue training in the wards for 2 months.

General Obstetrics and Office Gynecology

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to general obstetrics will enrich the clinical skills of the resident physician in managing common disease conditions among women of reproductive age. Focus on office gynecology will enhance the family physician’s expertise in the prevention, diagnosis, management and prompt referral of diseases occurring exclusively among women.

On the first year of training, the resident will undergo 2 months daytime out-patient contact at the out-patient section of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University Medical Center. On the second year of training, the resident will have a 2 month period of exposure in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Emergency Room, Labor and Delivery Rooms, and in the hospital wards. On the third year of training, the resident may choose Obstetrics and Gynecology as a major course elective for 2 months and continue training in the aforementioned hospital areas.

General Surgery

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to general surgery will strengthen the skills of the resident physician in the rapid diagnosis, appropriate management and prompt referral of patients with surgical conditions.

On the first year of training, the resident will undergo 1 month daytime out-patient contact at the out-patient section of the Department of Surgery in the University Medical Center. On the second year of training, the resident will have a 1 month period of exposure in General Surgery at the Emergency Room, in both minor and major Operating Rooms, and in the hospital wards. On the third year of training, the resident may choose General Surgery as a major course elective for 2 months and continue training in the aforementioned hospital areas.

Out-Patient Services / Family Health Care

This rotation during the Family Medicine resident’s training widens the physician’s clinical experience and communication faculties in a secure and comfortable setting.

During this rotation, the resident is expected to hone his skills in family assessment, draw up individually-crafted family health care plans and conduct family meetings and counseling sessions with minimal supervision.

The training will be conducted for 1 month each during the first and second years of residency. It will be held for 2 months during the third year. All activities will be conducted at the Department of Family and Community Medicine section of the Out-Patient Department Family Health Care Counseling Unit of the University Medical Center.

Community Medicine

This rotation tests the community organizing and analysis skills of the junior Family Medicine resident physician. He supervices and synergistically manage the communities of the first year to third year medical students.

The resident shall spend 4 months of his training in community immersion. He shall spend 1 month at Iloilo City Health Office during the first and second year of residency training. On his third year, he shall spend two months at the municipality of Igbaras where he will develop his community problem identification and organization skills. The resident physician is expected to continue rendering clinical services to the community while developing, assessing and implementing the strategic community health care plans.

Mental Health (Psychiatry)

Exposure to the Mental Health rotation will aid the Family Medicine resident in developing his communication skills as well as in making the proper diagnosis, appropriate management and prompt referral of patients with mental health problems.

This 1 month period of training will be spent by the second year level resident at the out-patient section of the Department of Psychiatry in the University Medical Center, at the Emergency Room and in the hospital wards.

Radiology

This one-month rotation in the Department of Radiology of the University Medical Center intends to guide the first year level resident physician as to the appropriate ways of requesting radiological examinations and have a handle on the interpretation of x-ray films, ultrasound printouts, CT scans and MRI plates.

Ophthalmology

This 2 week rotation at the out-patient section of the Department of Ophthalmology of the Western Visayas Medical Center serves to familiarize the first year level resident physician as to the proper evaluation, diagnosis, management and prompt referral of eye conditions encountered in the community.

Otorhinolaryngology

This one month rotation at the out-patient section of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery of the Western Visayas Medical Center aims to enhance the skills of the first year level resident physician as to the proper evaluation, diagnosis management and prompt referral of conditions affecting the ears and the vestibular system, the nasopharyngeal area, and the throat.

General Orthopedics

This one month period of training will be spent by the first year level resident at the Emergency Room and at the Emergency room and out-patient section of the Department of Orthopedics of the University Medical Center.

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to general orthopedics will bolster the skills of the resident physician in the proper diagnosis, appropriate management and prompt referral of patients with afflictions of the musculoskeletal system.

Rehabilitation Medicine

This 2 week rotation at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the University Medical Center seeks to acquaint the first year level resident physician to the various exercise prescriptions implemented by physiatrists and physical therapists when handling patients with chronic disabilities. During the second year, another two week period of training will be spent by the resident at the Ward for referred patients for Rehabilitation treatment.

The rotation also seeks to complement the resident’s exposure to General Orthopedics so as to appreciate the importance of kinesiology and physical exercises in the rehabilitation of these patients.

Palliative, Supportive and Hospice Care

This rotation during the Family Medicine resident’s training exposes the physician to the principles and practice of palliative, supportive and hospice care. The first year resident will receive referrals of hospice/palliative from the different departments and will manage the patient as a floating resident with the supervision of the Family Medicine consultants. This period of training will run for 2 months during the second year and 3 months during the third year of residency. Opportunities to hone these skills can be accomplished by attending to patients with life-limiting illnesses admitted in the University Medical Center or consulting at the Out-Patient Department. A home care service for terminally-ill patients within a 5 kilometer radius from the hospital is proposed.

Exposure of the Family Medicine resident to palliative, supportive and hospice care will support the skills of the resident physician in the proper diagnosis and management of chronically ill and terminally-ill patients and appropriate referral to other specialists as the case may call for.

The resident physician will acquire confidence in looking after terminally-ill patients, organizing resources for home or in-patient hospice care, handling the death of a patient and extending psychosocial support to the bereaved family.

Sub-Specialty Electives

Cardiology

This elective rotation will train the Family Medicine resident in appropriately diagnosing, managing and referring patients suspected to have cardiac-related conditions. This 2 week elective rotation will be spent by third year level residents at the Cardiology Department of West Visayas State University Medical Center.

TB DOTS

This elective rotation will develop the skills of the Family Medicine resident in appropriately diagnosing, managing and referring patients with tuberculosis as well as those patients with concurrent HIV disease. This 1 month period of training will be spent by the third year level resident at the TB DOTS Facility of West Visayas State University Medical Center.

Laboratory

This elective rotation will train the Family Medicine resident as to the appropriate assessment and management of new-born infants, and prompt referral of infants with urgent needs. This 1 month period of training will be spent by the third year level resident at the hospital nursery of the University Medical Center. An alternative venue of training will be the La Paz Maternity Center in the La Paz district of Iloilo City.