Core Curriculum

Core Curriculum Conferences are given during once-weekly half-day educational sessions. Each session begins with coffee and light breakfast, followed by three to four lectures.  The second and third year residents attending these conferences are on non-call rotations and are excused from clinical responsibilities to attend these learning sessions.  No continuity clinics are scheduled during this time, so that all learners have the opportunity to attend.  Over the course of two years, every second and third year resident will have the opportunity to attend each lecture without competing clinical responsibilities.  This series focuses on core internal medicine topics and subjects related to the ACGME core competencies, including ambulatory topics and allied specialty topics such as Dermatology, Ophthalmology, ENT, office GYN, and others. The conferences are presented by select faculty with expertise in the areas covered. This curriculum is supported and supplemented by an on-line curriculum featuring PowerPoint slides from current presentations. Additional conferences are offered during subspecialty inpatient months and elective rotations.

Medical Grand Rounds is held at noon on Wednesdays at University Hospital and is broadcast to other training sites. UCD faculty and guest speakers discuss a broad range of subjects from clinical practice to basic science.

Morbidity and Mortality conferences are held at noon on one to two Fridays per month at each institution. Topics are reviewed in a case-based format with invited faculty. A systems based approach with emphasis on quality improvement is employed.

Autopsy conference is held at noon one Friday per month at the VA in conjunction with the pathology department and includes review of pathology specimens with faculty.  Outcomes conferences are held monthly at each site to review all deaths, ICU transfers, other unexpected events, but also particularly excellent outcomes.

Intern Lecture Series - This group of lectures is repeated every year covering practical and important topics including procedures, cross-cover, acute MI, acute GI bleed, respiratory failure, and others. These lectures occur in small groups and are meant to be interactive and case-based.

rev 9/24/09