The first week of the new academic year is already in the books. This is an exciting time in Internal Medicine, as it is for every department in the Carver College of Medicine. We are reminded of our core mission to training the next generation of physicians as we refine best practices and experiment with new approaches to prepare our trainees for the challenging but rewarding profession ahead. I had the pleasure of meeting many of our new house staff and some of our incoming fellows last week, and some more yesterday on Chair’s Rounds. I hope to meet and to get to know all of you in the course of the coming year. Our Department offers nationally recognized and innovative training in Internal Medicine and its subspecialties and I take great pride in the achievement of our trainees.
Let me welcome and introduce our incoming class of new subspecialty fellows. Thirty incoming fellows filled every open position in all our training programs. Some are joining us directly from residencies in diverse top-flight programs including our own, others are beginning second fellowships, still others have spent a year or two with us or elsewhere as hospitalists while they decided on their subspecialty. We welcome you all and wish you well as you familiarize yourselves with your new discipline and as you begin to explore opportunities for research and scholarship. Your experienced and dedicated fellowship directors, coordinators, and mentors stand ready to guide you through this next phase of your careers. (click image below for larger view)
I also want to welcome our new residents. The 33 new interns represent a very accomplished class and have joined us from medical schools in 16 states. The largest contingent is from Iowa (6), followed closely by Texas and Illinois with 4 each. We also welcome two house officers from Iceland and Venezuela respectively. They join a rising class of freshly minted second- and third-year residents who are eagerly looking forward to leading their teams and of course mentoring the new members of our class. I remember the excitement and trepidation when I started on this path in the last century! We make it our highest priority to provide all our residents with the rigor and wisdom that will allow them to succeed in any path they choose after graduation. While we will demand and will help you achieve excellence, we will also provide a nurturing environment that allows for growth at a pace that complements your strengths. We believe you will also discover a camaraderie with your classmates and even your instructors that will persist years past your time with us. Welcome, ask questions, and do not hesitate to let us know how we are doing. (click image below for larger view)
One of my greatest pleasures as Chair is getting to work closely with our Chief Residents. Whether it is our weekly rounds together or more informal settings, I am always impressed by their imagination, wit, and practical solutions to problems. Each class of Chiefs leaves our program stronger than the one they found and I have every confidence that these four will be no exception. I have asked them to introduce themselves to you here, and hope that you will enjoy getting to know them over this coming year as much as I will.
Our Chiefs play a critical role in the education of our residents. Their participation in the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) Day last week was as invaluable as that of the faculty, the proctors, the simulated patients, and the coordinators who also made this innovative program possible, whic seeks to identify from day one the strengths of our trainees and to identify opportunities for enhancing their clinical diagnostic skills. You can read more about the OSCE here. I would like to congratulate Residency Program Director Dr. Manish Suneja and Education Development Director Jane Rowat on the success of the OSCE. I would also like to wish all our faculty well and to thank you in advance for the sacrifices and efforts you will make in the months ahead on behalf of our valuable trainees.
