Family Medicine Residency

The Department of Family Medicine Residency Program offers a three-year educational experience that is designed to produce family physicians that are not only competent but also dedicated to patient care. The Residency Program has been in operation since 1993 under the American Board Academy of Family Medicine standards and the accreditation of the ACGME. The program is approved for 21 positions--7 in each year of training.

Program Goals and Objectives

Family Medicine is the medical specialty which is concerned with the total health care of the individual and the family.  It is the specialty whose breadth integrates the biological clinical and behavioral sciences.  The scope of Family Medicine is not limited by age, sex, organ system or disease.  The Family Medicine Residency Training program is a direct and natural extension of the Department of Family Medicine at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, a non-profit hospital that directly supports financially and philosophically the goals of the Residency Training Program in Family Medicine. 

The major emphasis of our program is the commitment to innovation, quality and compassion in addressing the health care needs of the underserved inner city population of New York City. The educational goal of the program is derived from the guidelines provided by the American Board of Family Medicine as well as ACGME program.

Program Curriculum

Family Medicine residents complete traditional rotations, as well as many other unique and progressive educational experiences. During the 3 year stay residents will have increasing involvement at the Hospital Center. The Family Medicine resident will be expected to provide longitudinal, comprehensive care to families, becoming an integral part of the healthcare delivery team in each major service area of the Hospital Center. The ambulatory care experience will include:

     - Prenatal care
     - Health maintenance and the management of common medical problems from
       the Family Medicine perspective.

Program Requirements (see FAQ below)

     - An Average of 80 or higher for USMLE steps 1 and 2
     - US citizenship or permanent residency
     - Graduation from medical school within 5 years of applying
     - At least 3 current letters of recommendation
     - US clinical experience

How to Apply

Application to our program can be made through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Program Description

The program is designed so that residents will develop an appreciation for the different stages in an individual's family life, and how healthcare services can impact the quality of that life. The residents will also participate in the inpatient management of common medical problems.

For example, residents will provide a woman and her family with prenatal care, assists at the delivery, and provides health maintenance services to the newborn.

The residents also participate in home visits, family interviewing, psychiatric assessment and family therapy. Each resident will be assigned to an attending physician, as well as a behavioral professional.

These faculty members will provide the necessary supervision to the residents for the families that they care for. Throughout their experience, each resident will receive thorough training in the delivery and practice of quality family medicine to the served population. This knowledge and expertise will be easily transferable to any community which the resident ultimately chooses to serve.

Community Description

The Hospital Center is located in downtown Brooklyn, just a few blocks from the famous Brooklyn Bridge, and serves a culturally and economically diverse community. The neighborhoods surrounding the Hospital Center have been defined by New York State as "health care manpower shortage areas," indicating that there are many families in need of comprehensive quality care. Due to the diversity of the groups served, the resident is exposed to a broad spectrum of medical problems. This is conducive to the development of a holistic, comprehensive approach to medicine, which is the hallmark of the family physician.

Faculty

The Faculty members, like the patient population itself, comes from a broad variety of backgrounds.  Our faculty show care and concern for the residents and play the roles of preceptors, conference and curriculum coordinators, as well as academic advisors to the residents.

There are over 15 faculty members in the Department who participate in clinical and teaching activities.  Many of the faculty members have additional training and expertise in areas such as geriatrics, behavioral science, psychiatry, community health, and women’s health. The Department is also staffed with primary care internists, social workers, psychiatrists and a geriatrician.

This diverse group committed to the training of the Family Medicine resident, provides an excellent environment in which to learn a multi disciplinary approach to the delivery of quality family health care.

Curriculum for Family Medicine

The listed curriculum is in addition to the time devoted to the resident’s own practice at The Family Medicine Center.  This time increases from a half-day session per week in the first year to two sessions in the second year, and three sessions in the third year.

In addition, there will be scheduled blocks of conferences, which the resident will attend on a weekly basis.  Many of these conferences are given by hospital faculty as well as outside speakers from the Metropolitan New York area.  Each resident also has a total of three months elective time to spend in an area of special interest.

PGY-1

PGY-2

PGY-3

Family Medicine Concepts Experience

The Family Medicine Concepts Experience is an annual educational program which serves to strengthen and refine the resident’s skills and knowledge of the practice of Family Medicine.  The longitudinal experience lasts for one month for the first-year residents, and three months for the second and third-year residents.

During the experience, residents receive a more intensive exposure to the ambulatory practice of dermatology, ophthalmology, urology and ENT.

The residents also spend one day per week learning the practice of geriatrics.  They develop refined interviewing and assessment skills through the psychiatry and behavioral sciences section, and learn the practical application of community medicine.

It is also through this unique experience that the residents learn to develop skills in managing a practice. At the end of this experience, during their third year, they would have completed a community medicine research project.  By the end of the rotation in their third year, residents are expected to become competent teachers to their fellow medical staff.

First Year Concepts Schedule (1 month)

Second Year Schedule (Three Month Rotation)

Third Year Schedule (Three Month Rotation)

Research

As part of the Concepts experience and a monthly conference, the Family Medicine Residents, benefit from mandatory research under the direction of Dr. Eloi-Stiven.  In addition, additional help is provided from Dr. Finkel and Paul Christos, MPH of Cornell University.  Residents are required to complete and present a research project in their third year at the hospital’s annual Resident Research Day, where they can compete with the other departments for prizes.   In addition, journal publications and poster presentations are encouraged.

Family Medicine/Adult Inpatient Service

The Family Medicine/Adult Inpatient Service is an annual three or four month rotation, wherein residents admit Family Medicine Patients to the service, follow them through the course of their admission, and provide outpatient follow-up care when patients return to the Family Medicine Center.  This rotation enables the residents to develop skills in adult medicine within a comprehensive, longitudinal Family Medicine perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the Program accept Foreign Medical Graduates?
A: Yes (with an ECFMG Certificate at time of interview)

Q: What is the deadline for application to your program?
A: December 31st.

Q: What are the score requirements?
A: An average of 80 for both USMLE I & II combined.  Less than 3 attempts.  A passing grade on the CS exam.

Q: What year of Medical School graduation is acceptable?
A: The year of graduation required is within (5) five years.

Q: What are the Visa Requirements?

A: Permanent Resident (Green card holder) or US citizen. 

Q: Is Clinical experience required?
A: Yes, (6 months to a year).

Q: Are any letters of recommendation needed?
A: Yes, three (3) current letters of recommendation are needed.

Q. How many positions are available?
A: Currently seven (7).

Q: Does your program offer clerkships/observerships?
A: No, not at this time.

Related Information

Here are some links to important Family Medicine resident information:

Association of American Medical Colleges [1]

The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) [2]

National Resident Matching Program [3]

The American Academy of Family Physicians [4]

The American Board of Family Medicine [5]

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education [6]

American Medical Association [7]

Society of Teachers in Family Medicine [8]

Learn more about Family Medicine at The Brooklyn Hospital Center [9].