Special Features of the Program
Peripheral Smear Rounds
Every floor team reviews their patient’s peripheral smears with the hematologist. The patient’s smears are projected onto a screen through a teaching microscope, and residents and medical students participate in interpreting the smear.
PERKS (Pursuit of Excellence in Resident Knowledge and Skills)
A once-a-month teaching session focusing on strengthening physical exam skills. One faculty member is stationed at the bedside to demonstrate and teach interesting physical findings. Five stations are arranged for each PERKS, lasting about 90 minutes.
Transitional Workshop
Required for all Transitional residents before graduation. This is a half-day workshop conducted in the spring at a participating hospital hosted by the SECME, with educational content, social activities, and team building exercises.
Research
One-third to one-half of trainees may use up to two months of elective time to conduct basic science research. Upon completion, residents must produce abstracts and/or posters suitable for presentation at local, regional, or national meetings, as well as submission to peer-reviewed journals.
Poster/Oral Presentations
Each PGY-1 is required to prepare and submit an abstract for the Michigan Chapter ACP Associates Meeting held each spring. PGY-1s work with faculty and CMRs to develop case reports and EBM cases into posters or presentations.
Evidence-Based Medicine Course
Offered to PGY-1s within the first four months of training, consisting of lectures on clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, quality improvement projects, clinical decision making, diagnostic probabilities, social determinants of health, and the IRB process.
Harrison’s Club
A one-hour interactive weekly session for Transitional and categorical PGY-1 residents. The course integrates basic science into clinical practice. Interns choose a topic from Harrison’s, summarize and present it in an interactive PowerPoint format with observation and feedback from CMRs.
Journal Club
Each week, a brief article is assigned for advance reading and discussion at a short (15–20 minute) pre-clinic conference. Topics covered are relevant to outpatient primary care such as low back pain, current guidelines, or headache syndromes.