Supporting Residents Interested in Primary Care

• The same scheduling plan as the rest of the program: 4+2 scheduling for interns and 4+4 for JARs/SARs.

How does Duke support residents planning a career in primary care?

• Increased primary care clinical experiences: Beginning in their PGY-2 year, primary care-bound residents have the option to add an extra clinic session at their continuity clinic site when on ambulatory weeks. Alternatively, for individuals who are interested in exploring different models of care, residents can elect to work with a longitudinal mentor at one of the other continuity clinic sites, i.e. resident has their own continuity clinic at the Duke Outpatient Clinic and spends a half day at Pickett Road during each ambulatory week.

• Tailored ambulatory rotations: In their PGY-3 year, residents can choose rotations to gain more experience in fields that are high-yield for primary care practice, such as sports medicine, dermatology and addiction medicine.

• Opportunities for outpatient-based teaching: During their PGY-3 year, residents who serve as Duke Regional/Ambulatory Assistant Chief Resident (ACR) participate in tiered precepting of junior trainees at their continuity clinic site. They also co-lead a biweekly case-based discussion series with the ambulatory chief residents and faculty discussants on common outpatient medicine topics.

• One-on-one mentoring throughout residency with our APD for ambulatory care, plus at least one additional general internal medicine faculty member based on potential career interest. Guidance on career choice and general medicine fellowship options is included, whether the focus is research, education, or other clinical focus such as women’s health.
• Focused mentoring leading to submission of research posters or clinical vignettes to local (North Carolina American College of Physicians) and national (Society of General Internal Medicine) meetings.

Trainees interested in primary care may also apply for the Advocacy in Clinical Leadership Track (PGY-2 and PGY-3). There is also the opportunity to precept junior trainees in continuity clinic during the PGY-3 year as the Duke Regional/Ambulatory Assistant Chief Resident.