Our internal medicine curriculum places a strong emphasis on team-based care, includes direct involvement in systems-based care through multidisciplinary rounds and interaction with case management on all rotations, and involves daily tiered huddles to celebrate good catches, identify safety issues and determine daily readiness. Learn more about specific curriculum for each program year by expanding the box below.
About CoRE Curriculum
In addition to a block schedule, this program offers the Cornerstones of Resident Education (CoRE) – a three-year longitudinal curriculum that engages residents across all programs. Learn more
The general internal medicine physician is an essential part of the lifesaving treatment for the patients with who present with cardiovascular disease. The practicing internist must be able to stabilize and diagnose as well as treat the patients who present with a variety of symptoms from underlying cardiac disease including ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, electrical heart rhythm disorders, muscle failure, and much more.
During this one-month rotation, interns rotate on the general cardiology service working with upper-level residents, fellows, and cardiology attendings from the Georgia Heart Institute. Residents experience the fast-paced world of cardiology as they review indications for cardiac testing (stress testing, echocardiograms, EKGs) as well as interact with subspecialty service lines including electrophysiology (EP Cardiology), heart failure, and interventional cardiology. Because the Northeast Georgia health system is a leading heart hospital there are many studies that are being conducted. The resident is expected to find the rotation academically challenging and intellectually stimulating.
Residents receive a total of 6 months of elective time throughout 3 years of training. PGY-1 residents have 2 months of elective time to explore a wide variety of opportunities throughout internal medicine based on the individual resident’s areas of interest. Designed to provide flexibility and autonomy, our elective rotations empower residents to pursue specialized interests, whether it’s delving deeper into a particular subspecialty, honing skills, or engaging in research and scholarly activities.
During the PGY-1 year, residents will rotate on inpatient medicine service a total of 4 months, across both Gainesville and Braselton campuses. Inpatient medicine offers interns an opportunity to embark on an enriching journey through one of the cores of internal medicine. Designed to provide a robust foundation in acute care, this rotation offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse interns in the diagnosis and management of a diverse range of medical conditions. Under the guidance of our expert faculty, interns and senior residents encounter a dynamic spectrum of cases, from complex medical emergencies to chronic disease management. From deciphering puzzling diagnostic dilemmas to orchestrating comprehensive treatment plans, residents are empowered to take the lead in patient care alongside our interdisciplinary team.
The Gainesville and Braselton campuses offer different hospital structures and patient populations which serve to further enrich medical training.
The successful internist must achieve competence in the essential skills of stabilizing and intervening in the care of critically ill patients in the ICU. The PGY-1 year has a total of 2 months of ICU exposure. Our internal medicine teams rotate across Gainesville and Braselton ICU campuses.
Designed to immerse residents in the high-stakes world of acute illness management, this rotation offers a transformative experience that will sharpen your clinical skills, knowledge and confidence. Residents join our multidisciplinary teams consisting of critical care physicians, nursing, pharmacists and others. Residents under the guidance of senior residents and faculty have the opportunity to gain exposure to bedside procedures as well as point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Residents join the simulation lab for several sessions during this rotation to further craft and hone the same skills being developed at the bedside.
This one-month rotation is designed to give PGY-1 residents comprehensive knowledge and exposure to the complexities of kidney health and disease. In the mixed inpatient and outpatient rotation, residents will alternate clinical sites between outpatient visits and joining the busy inpatient consultation team. This rotation offers residents an opportunity to explore the intricate interplay between the kidneys and the rest of the body as residents dive into the management of electrolyte imbalances, acid-based disorders, and more.
The IM inpatient night float rotation is a valuable experience for residents to learn and experience assessment of undifferentiated patients through admissions and cross coverage of our busy inpatient medicine teams. Under the supervision of nocturnist faculty, the night float rotation allows resident teams diverse experiences at a time when the pulse of medicine beats strongest—under the cover of darkness. Residents cover admissions from the emergency department along with addressing issues of cross coverage for the inpatient medicine service. Residents spend one month as a PGY-1 on the night float service.
Embark on a fulfilling journey into the heart of patient-centered medicine with our primary care rotation, where residents learn to be the cornerstone of comprehensive healthcare for individuals and families. As a primary care provider, residents play a pivotal role in promoting health, preventing illness, and managing chronic conditions across the lifespan. During this one month rotation, residents develop a deeper understanding of the principles of primary care, including preventive medicine, health maintenance, and continuity of care. Residents rotate in the site of their continuity clinic providing residents a time to further develop their comfort in the primary care setting and best practices for outpatient management.
This rotation offers residents the opportunity to immerse themselves into a community outside of their continuity clinic site, and to see the practice of primary care from the views of a practicing internist in the community. Residents have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the vibrant tapestry of diverse communities and thereby learn to address the unique health needs and challenges facing individuals and communities. Residents will be placed in varied clinical sites including Cleveland, Dahlonega and Toccoa which all offer unique learning opportunities.
Residents receive a total of 6 months of elective time throughout 3 years of training. PGY-2 residents have 1 month of elective time to explore a wide variety of opportunities throughout internal medicine based on the individual resident’s areas of interest. Designed to provide flexibility and autonomy, our elective rotations empower residents to pursue specialized interests, whether it’s delving deeper into a particular subspecialty, honing skills, or engaging in research and scholarly activities.
Residents spend one month rotating on the busy emergency medicine service line offering residents the opportunity to hone skills in assessment of undifferentiated patients and guiding the initial resuscitation of critically ill patients. Residents will have shifts in both the Gainesville and Braselton ERs, which saw over 180,000 patients in 2023. As a Level 1 trauma center, NGHS Gainesville sees a wide variety of patient presentations and traumas, offering residents a great learning opportunity.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US, and hematologic abnormalities are frequent in medical patients. Internists must therefore be familiar with the diagnosis and care of hematologic and oncologic conditions. Through this rotation, residents will become familiar with common elements of hematology/oncology patients. Internists must be comfortable with prevention, screening, initial diagnostic evaluation and management, indications for prompt referral, and appropriate co-management of a plethora of hematologic and oncologic conditions. Residents will also gain knowledge regarding indications for transfusion of blood components, management of neutropenia and immunosuppression, care for treatment-related side effects and palliative care. The resident will evaluate outpatient continuity cancer patients, hospitalized hematology-oncology continuity patients, and hospitalized patients in need of hematology-oncology consultation.
Rotating on the inpatient infectious disease consult team, residents refine their approach to the intricate world of pathogens, antimicrobial agents, and management of various infectious conditions. Joining our infectious disease faculty, residents will be exposed to a wide variety of disease processes, management, and diagnostic workup as they address patient consults.
Inpatient internal medicine rotation is a necessary opportunity for residents to improve and build their foundation to become competent, compassionate, and well-rounded physicians. On the medical ward, residents will build their medical knowledge through the exposure to different pathologies and management of hospitalized patients. Residents will spend 2 months on inpatient medicine as PGY-2 residents.
The successful internist must achieve competence in the essential skills of stabilizing and intervening in the care of critically ill patients in the ICU. The PGY-2 year has 1 month of MICU exposure. Our internal medicine teams rotate across Gainesville and Braselton ICU campuses.
Designed to immerse residents in the high-stakes world of acute illness management, this rotation offers a transformative experience that will sharpen your clinical skills, knowledge and confidence. Residents join our multidisciplinary teams consisting of critical care physicians, nursing, pharmacists and others. Residents under the guidance of senior residents and faculty have the opportunity to gain exposure to bedside procedures as well as point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Residents join the simulation lab for several sessions during this rotation to further craft and hone the same skills being developed at the bedside.
The general internal medicine physician will be faced with numerous patients that present with neurologic complaints and conditions. It is the vision of this rotation to provide the resident physician with a variety of inpatient and outpatient acute and chronic neurologic conditions from which to learn and develop competency in the care of the neurologic patient.
The IM inpatient night float rotation is a valuable experience for residents to learn and experience assessment of undifferentiated patients through admissions and cross coverage of our busy inpatient medicine teams. Under the supervision of nocturnist faculty, the night float rotation allows resident teams diverse experiences at a time when the pulse of medicine beats strongest—under the cover of darkness. Residents cover admissions from the emergency department along with addressing issues of cross coverage for the inpatient medicine service. Residents spend one month as a PGY-1 on the night float service.
Through this unique rotation, PGY-3 residents are given a unique insight into the lifestyle and practice of a hospitalist. PGY-3 senior residents are paired with 1:1 with a NGHS hospitalist and their geographic service. They serve as the primary hospitalist for the majority of the census and are mentored on higher census management, care coordination, billing, quality metrics and many other topics that serve graduates well – whether pursuing a career in hospital medicine, primary care or a fellowship. Residents work in 7-day stretches with the same attending physician providing for mentorship and personal development. During other portions of the month, residents are placed in the outpatient clinic and provided with transitional care/hospital follow-ups which helps to reinforce the importance of care connection between inpatient medicine and primary care physicians.
This rotation exposes senior IM residents to the highly specialized and amazingly lifesaving world of intensive care cardiology. Cardiovascular disease is present along a wide spectrum from undetectable to acutely life-threatening. On this rotation, the resident will help manage the care of acutely ill cardiac patients with conditions including acute myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and unstable cardiac arrhythmias. This rotation will also expose the residents to therapies in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, principles of pacing, mechanical circulatory assist devices such as intra-aortic balloon pumps percutaneous and surgical left and right ventricular assist devices, and extracorporeal life support.
Residents receive a total of 6 months of elective time throughout 3 years of training. PGY-3 residents have 3 month of elective time to explore a wide variety of opportunities throughout internal medicine based on the individual resident’s areas of interest. Designed to provide flexibility and autonomy, our elective rotations empower residents to pursue specialized interests, whether it’s delving deeper into a particular subspecialty, honing skills, or engaging in research and scholarly activities.
Senior residents engage in this one month journey into the fascinating realm of hormones and metabolism, gaining insight into the diagnosis and management of a diverse array of endocrine disorders. From diabetes and thyroid disorders to adrenal and pituitary diseases, residents encounter a wide spectrum of conditions that impact virtually every aspect of health and well-being. Residents rotate in a thriving outpatient endocrinology clinic to explore these diverse pathologies.
Throughout this one month combination experience, residents gain the skills and knowledge related to care of the elderly, learning to address the unique healthcare needs and challenges of older adults. Residents participate in a combination of experiences including long-term care, rehab, hospice and geriatric urology that provide them with unique experiences for their future practice.
Inpatient internal medicine rotation is a necessary opportunity for residents to improve and build their foundation to become competent, compassionate, and well-rounded physicians. On the medical ward, residents will build their medical knowledge through the exposure to different pathologies and management of hospitalized patients. Residents will spend 1 month on inpatient medicine as PGY-3 residents.
The successful internist must achieve competence in the essential skills of stabilizing and intervening in the care of critically ill patients in the ICU. The PGY-3 year has 1 month of MICU exposure. Our internal medicine teams rotate across Gainesville and Braselton ICU campuses.
Designed to immerse residents in the high-stakes world of acute illness management, this rotation offers a transformative experience that will sharpen your clinical skills, knowledge and confidence. Residents join our multidisciplinary teams consisting of critical care physicians, nursing, pharmacists and others. Residents under the guidance of senior residents and faculty have the opportunity to gain exposure to bedside procedures as well as point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Residents join the simulation lab for several sessions during this rotation to further craft and hone the same skills being developed at the bedside.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US, and hematologic abnormalities are frequent in medical patients. Internists must therefore be familiar with the diagnosis and care of hematologic and oncologic conditions. Through this mandatory rotation, residents will become familiar with common elements of the history, physical, differential diagnosis, and evaluation of hematology/oncology patients. Internists must be comfortable with prevention, screening, initial diagnostic evaluation and management, indications for prompt referral, and appropriate co-management of a plethora of hematologic and oncologic conditions. They must also be knowledgeable regarding indications for transfusion of blood components, management of neutropenia and immunosuppression, care for treatment-related side effects and palliative care.
The resident will evaluate outpatient continuity cancer patients, hospitalized hematology-oncology continuity patients, and hospitalized patients in need of hematology-oncology consultation. All patients will be presented to the attending physician who will fully supervise the resident’s care decisions. With faculty guidance as necessary, the resident will construct a differential diagnosis and plan further diagnostic studies and treatment. Residents perform as consultants in both the inpatient and outpatient setting, with full supervision of the consultative plan by the attending physician.
Residents will also attend outpatient chemotherapy infusion center activities and assist with patient care activities but will NOT write chemotherapy orders.
From common disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis to rare conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus and vasculitis, residents encounter a wide variety of pathology during this one month outpatient rotation. Through patient encounters, musculoskeletal examinations, and interpretation of diagnostic tests such as imaging studies and serologic markers, residents develop the skills and expertise needed to diagnose and treat rheumatic disorders.