Internal Medicine Residency Program Schedule

About Each Residency Year’s Schedule

We follow an X+Y schedule and have 4 weeks of dedicated inpatient work separated by 1 week of exclusive outpatient work.

Though interns do have a limited number of afternoons in clinic on X weeks (about six throughout the year) to aid with continuity of patient care, our trainees have more focused space and time with their patients, treatment team and teaching faculty. Our elective time is an “X” experience, thus providing 4-week elective rotations that are not interrupted by continuity clinic.

Intern Year for Categorical Residents and Preliminary Residents

The first year of training is comparable for both categorical and preliminary residents. All interns spend similar amounts of time in rotations, usually divided between the general medicine wards, Medical Intensive Care Unit, afternoon back-up and overnight float, Emergency Medicine, and elective time, as well as 10 weeks of outpatient clinic.

The inpatient services are a major focus during PGY-1. These services' general structures are teams of a resident, two interns, and medical students. On our general medicine wards service, we employ a geography system that has the team covering a panel of patients on their assigned floor. Our float system gives interns the opportunity to finish their daily work and leave at a reasonable hour.

Regardless of whether your future goals are in internal medicine or elsewhere, your internal medicine internship at Mount Auburn Hospital will prepare you well for your future.

Electives

Residents work with their faculty advisors and mentors to design elective experiences that align with their intended career objectives. Our pathways in fellowship training, hospitalist medicine and primary care medicine provide guidance in designing the overall experience for each individual resident.  

Electives are flexible, and their structure is limited only by the educational needs of the resident and the requirements of the American Board of Internal Medicine. In addition to spending this time in training at Mount Auburn Hospital, many residents take advantage of opportunities at other hospitals in the Greater Boston area, as well as at national and international training sites.

Training Pathways

Training pathways at Mount Auburn Hospital allow residents to focus on their individual interests and career goals. While some categorical residents arrive certain of their pathway, others request to join or switch between pathways later in training. This allows you to modify your focus as your interests evolve throughout residency.

All pathways are part of our categorical program, and regardless of the pathway you choose, you’ll qualify for the same American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam and graduate from our residency program with the same credentials.

We offer three specialized training pathways: 

• Primary Care
• Hospitalist Pathway
• Fellowship Pathway

What if I Change My Mind About My Career Goals?

The advantage of pathways, rather than separate tracks, is that residents have the flexibility to switch between pathways from year to year. This ensures that you can explore different interests without limiting your potential career options within the field of internal medicine.