Internal Medicine Residency Didactics

Our Internal Medicine Residency program is committed to providing residents with a robust, structured, and engaging educational experience. Didactics are designed to complement clinical training by strengthening medical knowledge, sharpening clinical reasoning, and preparing residents for board certification and lifelong learning.

Core Educational Activities

• Morning and Noon Conferences
• Board Review
• Intern Morning Report
• Friday Academic Half-Days
• Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Curriculum
• Journal Club
• Simulated Code Blue and Rapid Response Drills
• Medical Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conference
• Medical Grand Rounds

Morning and Noon Conferences

Morning (7:45 a.m.) and Noon (12:00 p.m.) conferences are held on weekdays, with the exception of residents on night shift, ED, ICU, or LSH rotations. Active participation is expected.

Morning Conferences: Presented twice weekly by ward teams (PGY-1 with PGY-2/3), focusing on evidence-based medicine. Sessions are supervised by faculty physicians or chief residents.

Noon Conferences: Typically led by faculty or house staff. Ambulatory-focused sessions are held on Fridays. In the first two months of the academic year, noon conferences serve as “Intern Boot Camp,” covering core topics facilitated by faculty, chiefs, and senior residents.

Board Review Sessions

Board review is held every other Tuesday at noon, led by the admitting residents. Sessions use the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP) from the American College of Physicians. Residents receive MKSAP books and question banks in their second year to support ABIM exam preparation.

Intern Morning Reports

It is held twice weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays) in the resident workroom. PGY-1 teams present recent cases, moderated by faculty or chief residents. The focus is on case-based learning and practical application.

Friday Academic Half-Days

During ambulatory blocks (4+2 schedule), residents attend structured academic half-days on Fridays. Sessions use the Physician Education and Assessment Center (PEAC) curriculum from Johns Hopkins. Residents complete pre-tests before and post-tests after each session to reinforce key learning points.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Curriculum

POCUS sessions are integrated into Friday academic half-days twice per month. These in-person, hands-on workshops are led by faculty trained in ultrasound and emphasize practical bedside application.

Journal Club

Each PGY-2 and PGY-3 resident leads one journal club session per year during noon conference. Residents meet with mentors beforehand to select appropriate articles and develop skills in critical appraisal, statistical interpretation, and applying findings to clinical practice.

Simulated Code Blue and Rapid Response Drills

Interprofessional mock scenarios are organized regularly by the hospital’s education committee. Residents, nurses, and staff practice code blue and rapid response situations. Each simulation is followed by a structured debrief to provide targeted feedback and improve teamwork and leadership skills.

Medical Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conferences

Each PGY-2 and PGY-3 resident presents one M&M conference annually. Residents review selected cases, identify medical or systems errors, and highlight opportunities for improvement. Sessions are developed in collaboration with core faculty and emphasize evidence-based learning and quality improvement.

Medical Grand Rounds

It is held every Wednesday at Boston Medical Center (Brighton campus) and broadcast to BMC South. Residents gather as a group to participate. Guest speakers from across institutions present on cutting-edge clinical, research, and academic topics.