Open AccessAn Ambulatory Clinical Teaching Unit: Filling the Outpatient Gap in Internal Medicine Residency Training
Author(s) -
Mohamed Panju,
Ali Fuad Kara,
Akbar Panju Mb,
Martha B. Fulford,
Paul O'Bryne Mb,
Shariq Haider
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
canadian journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2369-1778
pISSN - 1911-1606
DOI - 10.22374/cjgim.v11i3.148
Subject(s) - medicine , subspecialty , ambulatory , core competency , curriculum , multidisciplinary approach , ambulatory care , medical education , family medicine , psychology , health care , management , pedagogy , social science , sociology , economics , economic growth
The majority of time in a core General Internal Medicine (GIM) residency is spent focusing on inpatient medicine, with relatively little time devoted to ambulatory medicine. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has mandated an improvement in ambulatory exposure. Unfortunately, most ambulatory experiences tend to lack formal structure, a dedicated educational curriculum, and graduated learner-specific responsibilities. The recent Royal College recognition of GIM as a subspecialty places renewed emphasis on core IM training providing a more comprehensive exposure to outpatient medicine as management of patients with multiple complex conditions may be best managed by a general internist. In July 2015, McMaster University opened an outpatient medicine clinic which is designed to be an Ambulatory Clinical Teaching Unit (A-CTU). The A-CTU provides a structured clinical environment which is focused on the management of medically-complex patients. It uses a multidisciplinary model, graded learner levels of responsibility and a dedicated educational curriculum. The unique structure of the A-CTU allows for the assessment of milestones and EPAs (entrustable professional activities) pertaining to consultation skills and chronic disease management, in keeping with competence by design.