Tracks & Pathways

Primary Care Track

The mission of our Primary Care Track (PCT) is to cultivate humanistic, patient-centered, and resilient primary care physicians who are exceptional clinicians and transformative leaders poised to innovate and advocate for all people within their communities. Applications are solicited in the fall of PGY-1, and all interested residents are welcome to apply.

Components
The foundation of this track is a robust categorical ambulatory curriculum designed to develop well-rounded, highly skilled general internists. Between elective time and required rotations outlined below, PCT residents can choose to spend over 50% of their clinical time in the ambulatory setting during PGY-2 and PGY-3.

This is a three-week outpatient rotation designed to highlight primary care in a setting off the hill. We have partnerships with a variety of sites:

The R3 primary care rotations are two separate three-week blocks during PGY-3. These include both core clinical experiences along with individualized training tailored to each unique resident's interests and needs. 

Examples include dermatology, sports medicine, women's health, procedure clinics, time in the human performance lab, pre-op medicine, teaching, co-precepting in your continuity clinic, and scholarship. The PCT directors meet individually with each resident in advance of this rotation to ensure the block is optimized for each resident's education and needs. 

IM PCT WS

This annual workshop is held each spring and is designed to address topics requested by current and former PCT residents. Content areas include procedural skills training (e.g., Nexplanon placement, joint injections); communication skills (such as improve-based exercises focused on managing uncertainty and relationship-building); medical knowledge (with deeper dives into care for vulnerable populations, including undocumented patients, survivors of trauma, and transgender patients); advocacy training; as well as opportunities for networking and mentorship.

Global Health Scholars Program

The mission of the Global Health Scholars Program (GHSP) is to supplement and enrich resident training with focused clinical and didactic opportunities in global health, social medicine, and care for underserved populations. We endorse a broad definition of global health rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration to improve planetary and population health worldwide. In this framework, "global" refers to the scope of the problem rather than the location of practice. Applications for the GHSP are solicited shortly after Match Day.

Clinical Rotations
Residents in the GHSP use elective time in PGY-2 and PGY-3 to rotate at one or more global health sites, with a wide variety of options available locally, domestically, and internationally. While any resident may request these electives, priority is given to GHSP participants. 

IM GHSP Banner

Global health encompasses more than just international service. Our program provides residents with skills to care for underserved and vulnerable populations within their local communities. Global health residents may select from diverse clinical sites within the Portland metropolitan area and across the country. 

Residents who select a local global health elective rotate through a combination of the following clinics in the Portland metropolitan area:

Residents who select a domestic global health elective can choose from one of the following sites servicing American Indian/Alaskan Native populations:

IM Botswana Rotation

Our program is dedicated to building healthcare capacity in Botswana through clinical stewardship, medical education, and collaborative quality improvement. We have a longstanding partnership with Scottish Livingstone Hospital (SLH), the Botswana Ministry of Health, the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This collaboration offers OHSU IM residents, as well as residents and fellows from other U.S. training programs, the opportunity to contribute to capacity building and by working alongside local medical students, interns, medical officers, and nursing staff in Botswana. 

Residents can elect to spent four weeks in Botswana during PGY-3, working primarily on the inpatient wards and SLH with a focus on education and supporting healthcare delivery. We send approximately ten residents per year and have had more than 100 IM residents participate to date. Dr. Kese Chabaesele, the local site director for the rotation, provides on-site orientation and supervision to residents. In addition, the Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia, and Obstetrics & Gynecology each maintain full-time U.S. faculty presence in Botswana. 

In addition to the curated independent study materials, residents in the GHSP engage in a comprehensive didactic curriculum addressing core global health topics, including structural violence and competency, systemic racism, Native health, infectious diseases, social justice, advocacy, and more. The curriculum is integrated throughout all three years of training and delivered through the following educational experiences:

  1. Quarterly, in-person global health didactic sessions
  2. Four global health-themed noon conferences annually
  3. Bimonthly, resident-led journal club
  4. One-on-one discussions as part of the local global health rotation
  5. Pre-departure briefings and post-travel debriefing for the Botswana rotation

We recognize that finances are tight during residency. The Department of Medicine reimburses travel to and from Botswana, and donor-supported funding may cover travel and housing expenses for select domestic clinical experiences.

IM POCUS Pathway

POCUS Pathway

This longitudinal pathway occurs during PGY-2 and PGY-3 and is designed for residents interested in developing advanced POCUS proficiency. It consists of monthly hands-on scanning sessions, independent learning modules, dedicated conferences, and image portfolio development with formative feedback. Participants receive longitudinal mentorship from General Medicine Ultrasound Fellows and POCUS faculty, with the goal of graduating fully entrusted to perform POCUS in clinical care and prepared to serve as future leaders in POCUS education. Applications are solicited during June of PGY-1.