As MaineHealth pursues the Triple Aim (improving the quality and patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, reducing the per capita cost of health care), the sense of opportunity, excitement, and innovation within primary care medicine has never been greater. Just as primary care is the foundation upon which our health care system is built, the experiences gained in our primary care track serve as the foundation and intellectual home for residents aspiring to careers in ambulatory internal medicine.
The curriculum offers focused clinical and didactic programs, flexibility, and mentorship. Because traditional categorical programs often fall short in opportunities for skill acquisition matching the demands of practice, our Track guarantees substantial additional clinical training in dermatology, musculoskeletal medicine and office gynecology. The track allows flexibility such that each resident can design their training to best suit their individual career goals. Primary Care residents may choose concentrated experiences with underserved urban populations, rural primary care, private practice, medical education, population health or research.
Residents may declare their interest in joining the primary care track during their PGY-1 year. Upon entry into the track, the primary care track content is then incorporated into the residents’ schedules.
Primary Care Track Overview
Residents in the Primary Care Track are paired with a mentor from the Portland general internal medicine community. These mentors are practicing general internists who are committed to fostering the professional and personal growth of residents. Primary care track residents meet with their mentors four times a year. Mentors also serve as core faculty members for the primary care track conferences and clinical experiences.
Ambulatory Morning Report
Once a month our morning report conference is dedicated to case-based discussions of the evaluation and management of common ambulatory internal medicine topics. The conference is supported by members of the Primary Care Track core faculty.
Primary Care Journal Club
Primary care track residents and core faculty meet once a month for a one hour conference dedicated to a review of the current literature for general internal medicine.
Primary Care Core Curriculum
As part of the Primary Care Seminar blocks, primary care track residents participate in a core curriculum unique to the primary care track. This curriculum complements the existing “pre-clinic conference” curriculum currently offered as part of our ambulatory “+2 blocks”.
Primary Care Seminar Blocks
Twice yearly, a two week Seminar Block unites the primary care residents for a set of clinical and didactic experiences unique to the primary care track. Each Seminar Block is themed to include a core curriculum of topics and experiences pertinent to primary care medicine.
Additional Clinics
As part of their ambulatory “+2 blocks” in our 4+2 scheduling system, residents in the Primary Care Track have the option to add ½ day sessions within their own continuity clinic site, or add a “second clinic” at InterMed, a large general internal medicine and multi-specialty group practice located in close proximity to MHMMC.
Home Visits
Primary care residents perform home visits on patients chosen from their continuity clinic panel, with the goal of learning how to effectively incorporate home visits into their future primary care practices. These visits are mentored by dedicated teaching faculty who regularly conduct home visits.
Electives
Primary care track residents have the flexibility to choose from a large menu of outpatient elective opportunities. Electives are available in addiction medicine, dermatology, geriatrics, osteopathic manipulation, palliative care, podiatry, psychiatry, rural medicine, sports medicine, urgent care, urology, women’s health and wound care.
Health Disparities
Primary care track residents can participate in local primary care outreach efforts at the Portland Community Free Clinic and the Preble Street Resource Center.
Primary Care Advocacy
Through the Maine Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP), primary care track residents can participate in advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels.
Local and Regional General Internal Medicine Meetings
Primary care residents attend the annual educational meetings of the Maine Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and New England Region of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM).
Internal Medicine Interest Groups
Primary care residents serve as representatives for the MHMMC Internal Medicine Residency-Primary Care Track to the Internal Medicine Interest Groups of the Tufts University School of Medicine-MHMMC Maine Track and the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.