Pathways

In an effort to individualize each resident's training in internal medicine, voluntary Resident Pathways were developed to further cultivate the professional experience. At Advocate Christ Medical Center, we have four available pathways:
  • Medical Education
  • Leadership in General Internal Medicine
  • Quality Improvement/Patient Safety
  • Research
Residents have the opportunity to join one or multiple pathways, if they so choose, to further enrich their residency experience. Each pathway is led by a chief resident and faculty advisor to facilitate specific activities, didactics, and projects. Additionally, by joining the pathways, residents receive practical knowledge related to their respective post-residency career plans. Below, you will find some general information about each of the four pathways!

Medical Education Pathway

Primary Goal: To begin the life-long journey towards effective teaching and education

PGY-1

PGY-2

PGY-3
Workshops and Discussion Sessions:
  • The Clinical Coach and The Attending's Role in Setting Expectations
  • Build a Foundation and Empower Teaching with Retrieval Practice
  • Strategies for Succeeding as an Inpatient Attending Physician and Teaching Clinical Reasoning on the Inpatient Service
  • Energize Learning with Spacing and Interleaving & Engage Students with Feedback Driven Metacognition
  • Feedback, Evaluation, and Remediation on the Inpatient Service
  • Presentation Basics & Effective Public Speaking
  • Small & Large Group Teaching
  • Social Media and Technology in Medical Education
Action Plan:
  • Attend workshops and discussion sessions
  • Read assigned chapters and articles
Action Plan:
  • Lead medical student lecture during DACR rotation
Action Plan:
  • Present a medical student grand rounds
  • Facilitate a sim lab session

Leadership in General Internal Medicine Pathway

Primary Goal: Implement a QI-based, systems-based, or institution-based initiative 
Secondary Goal: Attending a leadership conference (e.g. ACP Leadership Day, ACP Illinois Scientific Meeting)

PGY-1

Lectures:
  • Be an Effective Leader
  • Health Literacy
  • Insurance Education
  • Power of Resilience
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Women in Medicine
  • Intro to Job Models
  • Crucial Conversations
Workshops:
  • Inpatient/Outpatient procedure sim lab
  • Crucial Conversations sim lab
Action Plan:
  • Join 1-2 hospital-wide committees

PGY-2

Lectures:
  • Billing and Compensation Models
  • Malpractice
  • Applying to Jobs
  • Contract Negotiation
Action Plan:
  • 2 week healthcare admin elective
Capstone Project:
  • Identify a project of interest
  • Create a proposal and implement project

PGY-3

Lectures:
  • Effective Interviewing
Action Plan:
  • Conduct an interview in sim lab
Capstone Project:
  • Publish or present capstone project

Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Pathway

Primary Goal: Present QI-based project as a first resident author at a national conference
Secondary Goal: Submit a manuscript to a journal early in PGY-3 year​

PGY-1

Lectures:
  • Intro to QI, High Value Care, and Patient Safety
  • Anatomy of a Mistake
  • QI Methodology
  • Lean & Six Sigma in Healthcare
  • Statistical Methods in QI
Action Plan:
  • IHI Modules
Capstone Project:
  • Create a self-lead project proposal

PGY-2

Lectures:
  • Overcoming Common Hindrances to QI Implementation
  • Reviewing Project Proposals
Action Plan:
  • Join 1-2 hospital-wide committees
Capstone Project:
  • Implement QI project
  • Data collection
  • Present abstract at regional or national conference

PGY-3

Lectures:
  • Effective Interviewing
Action Plan:
  • Work with Dr Krikorian to present at hospital-wide safety huddle
Capstone Project:
  • Publish QI project

Research Pathway

Primary Goal: Present IRB-approved original research as a first resident author at a national conference
Secondary Goal: Submit a manuscript to a journal early in PGY-3 year​

PGY-1

Lectures:
  • Intro to Research
  • How to Develop a Research Question
  • Study Design
  • Writing an IRB
  • Intro to RedCap
​Scholarly Project:
  • Identify project interest
  • Create and submit an IRB

PGY-2

Lectures:
  • Exporting Data from RedCap
  • Data Cleaning/Management 
    ​(with statistician)
​Scholarly Project:
  • Data collection & analysis
  • Present abstract at regional or national conference
  • Present at Advocate Research Day

PGY-3

Lectures:
  • Manuscript Workshop
​Scholarly Project:
  • Manuscript write-up and submission for publication to peer-reviewed journal

General Internal Medicine

The General Internal Medicine Pathway provides career enhancing experiences beyond traditional residency training with special emphasis on general internal medicine, both in the outpatient and inpatient setting. Residents who participate in this pathway receive hands on skills in procedural workshops, early access to ACP lobbying day in Washington, DC, dedicated didactics, exclusive access to selected electives (ie. dermatology, urgent care), carry out a Capstone Project, and a certificate of completion at graduation.

Medical Education

The Medical Education Pathway is a longitudinal, interactive program designed for residents pursuing a career in academic medicine as well as those applying for fellowship. Fellows are often called upon to teach residents and medical students and deliver presentations that include grand rounds and national conferences. Participants have the opportunity to attend workshops including: small group teaching, bedside teaching, formal lecturing/public speaking, breaking down/teaching evidence based medicine, giving feedback, and innovative teaching methods. It concludes with a scholarly activity and a certificate upon graduation. 

Quality Improvement &
​Patient Safety

The Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Pathway is a comprehensive three-year curriculum that combines didactic lectures, workshops as well as experiential learning. Residents are exposed to the rationale and methodology behind quality improvement and the pillars of patient safety. The aim is to build unique skills enabling residents to work effectively within complicated healthcare systems and promote a lifelong career focused on extraordinary clinical care.