Internal Medicine Residency Curriculum
The Internal Medicine Residency in NYU Langone’s Department of Medicine prepares leaders in healthcare with comprehensive and outstanding clinical training for interns and junior and senior residents.
Our program forges outstanding physicians through robust clinical experiences that are scaffolded with an intentional, theory-grounded curriculum. To maximize learning in the clinical environment, we have developed longitudinal curricular pillars designed to strengthen resident decision-making and support thoughtful choices in areas ranging from communication to evidence-based medicine throughout residency training and beyond. Interns and residents also complete a variety of formal teaching activities designed to enhance skills learned during clinical rotations.
A Longitudinal Curriculum
We have developed a longitudinal curriculum that is guided by a series of pillars, or core values, designed to cultivate metacognition throughout residency training, particularly in regard to skills commonly used in clinical environments. The goal is to increase long-term career engagement and satisfaction.
The curriculum includes conferences to improve resident understanding of medical care in clinical macro- and microsystems and covers topics such as data-driven medicine, health disparities, and quality improvement and patient safety. We also host journal clubs to enhance critical appraisal skills. Educational experiences range from case discussions to interactive seminars, bedside rounds, and didactic lectures.
Our Core Pillars
The foundation of our curriculum is introduced through several core pillars, which are taught as part of dedicated academic half-days that take place during each track’s non-inpatient blocks (+2 time in our block scheduling model).
Clinical Reasoning
Residents learn about clinical reasoning during System 1 and System 2 Thinking, Cognitive Bias and Heuristics, and Illness Script courses.
Fundamental Medical Knowledge
Residents gain fundamental medical knowledge including Physiology and Pathophysiology of Organ Systems, Point-of-Care Ultrasonography (POCUS), and Evidence-Based Diagnosis and Treatment courses.
Equity in Healthcare
Concepts related to equity in healthcare are taught through several conferences and include Population Health, Disparities, and Structural Competence; The Patient in Social Context; Communication and Building Trust; Social Determinants of Health; and Managing Bias and Discrimination.
Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Residents learn about quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) during sessions that cover topics including foundational quality improvement techniques, panel management skills, patient safety ethos, transitions of care, and the communication of mistakes.
Evidence-based Medicine
Skills in evidence-based medicine (EBM) are emphasized during conferences. These skills include Critical Appraisal of the Medical Literature, Refining Clinical Questions and Resources, Clinical Application of Relevant Medical Literature, and Translating the Medical Literature in Patient Discussions.
Professional Development
We emphasize professional development through Reflective Practice, Leadership Training, and Interprofessional Communication Skills courses.
Resident as Teacher
We provide training to help residents develop skills to teach at the bedside, give short talks and lectures, and coach junior trainees.
Inpatient Training
As part of inpatient training, internal medicine interns and residents participate in regularly scheduled academic activities including clinical case discussions, interactive noon conferences, morbidity and mortality rounds, weekly departmental grand rounds, physical diagnosis rounds, patient safety conference, point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) training, and “boot camp” in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Outpatient Training
In the outpatient setting, the academic activities occur on a half-day schedule. While the focus varies based on residency track and year of training, all residents have small-group seminars that emphasize developing self-awareness and reflective practices to bring to your clinical work and teaching.
The 4+2 Block Schedule
We use a 4+2 block scheduling model to minimize conflicts between inpatient and outpatient responsibilities and improve care transitions during ambulatory care training experiences.
The 4+2 model alternates four-week blocks of traditional inpatient rotations on the wards, on night float, and in the ICU with two-week blocks dedicated to ambulatory care, electives, and core components of the residency curriculum. This schedule continues throughout your three-year training experience.
This model prevents residents from being pulled toward other patient care commitments during ambulatory blocks and allows them to focus more fully on continuity practice, ambulatory care, and electives.
Residents acquire essential clinical skills, as well as the confidence, independence, and professionalism needed to deliver compassionate, high-quality medical care to a diverse patient population as part of comprehensive clinical inpatient, outpatient, and subspecialty training experiences across all internal medicine residency tracks and programs.