Preliminary Program
Preliminary residents are an integral part of the Duke Internal Medicine family and are fully immersed in the same supportive learning environment, educational curriculum, and community that define our categorical program. Preliminary interns participate in our 4+2 scheduling model, with four-week inpatient rotations followed by two-week ambulatory or consult blocks that provide dedicated time for clinical learning, professional development, and wellness. Preliminary residents train alongside our categorical residents, participate in the same conferences and educational experiences, and become valued members of our resident community.
Our preliminary year is designed to build a strong foundation in the practice of internal medicine while preparing residents for success in their future specialties. Residents gain broad exposure to inpatient general medicine, emergency medicine, and intensive care as well as subspecialty services including cardiology, neurology, and malignant hematology. This diverse clinical training develops the diagnostic reasoning, clinical decision-making, and interdisciplinary teamwork skills that are essential regardless of future career path.
From a scheduling standpoint, preliminary residents follow the same 4+2 structure as categorical interns, with only a few modifications tailored to their educational needs. Preliminary interns complete their Emergency Medicine rotation during intern year, rather than later in residency, and because they do not maintain a continuity primary care clinic, their "+2” blocks include additional opportunities in subspecialty clinics, urgent care, and consultative medicine. These rotations provide broad exposure to outpatient medicine while maximizing opportunities for career exploration and skill development.
One of the unique strengths of our program is our commitment to helping preliminary residents tailor their training year to align with their future specialty. We work closely with each resident to incorporate a career-congruent clinical experience into their schedule.
Depending on a resident's future training pathway, these experiences may include rotations such as dermatology consults, radiology, hyperbaric medicine, or other specialty-specific opportunities that complement their advanced residency training and career goals.
In addition, preliminary residents participate in a longitudinal subspecialty clinic experience designed to provide sustained exposure in an area of professional interest. These experiences vary based on career goals and may include opportunities such as a weekly dermatology clinic, pre-operative medicine clinic, or other specialty-focused ambulatory experiences. This longitudinal curriculum allows residents to develop meaningful relationships with faculty mentors while gaining clinical skills directly relevant to their future specialty.
Regardless of you advanced training specialty, the Duke Preliminary Internal Medicine Program provides strong clinical training and a welcoming community that will prepare you exceptionally well for the next stage of your medical career.