Yes, you can choose to spend elective time with Dr. Boesch on a POCUS elective and develop your POCUS skills for 2-4 weeks. The multiple POCUS ultrasound machines in the MICU and ED can be used by any providers, so you can also practice your POCUS skills during inpatient rotations with some of our POCUS-trained residents and faculty, in order to answer clinical questions such as volume status in a patient with septic shock or CHF exacerbation or to guide the safe performance of bedside procedures. Some of our most POCUS-impassioned residents even choose to buy their own portable ultrasound probes which are cellphone-compatible so they can scan on their own devices whenever they like.

Yes, our residents have plenty of opportunities to select research mentors here at Highland or at nearby institutions including UCSF and pursue research projects during elective time.

Yes, all residents have plenty of opportunities to develop their teaching skills in the following ways: On inpatient teams, as we always have a MS3 and MS4 on wards and on most of the subspecialty services. Interns are expected to teach and review the notes of MS3s and senior residents on wards are expected to teach the sub-intern and interns. During Academic Half Day, as all categorical and primary care residents receive Dr. Flattery’s Resident as Teacher curriculum and get to practice teaching skills and receive feedback from peers during workshops.

Yes, all residents have the opportunity to develop their QI project during their R2 year. All R2s work on a group project with other residents in their cohort during protected time during Academic Half Day and identify a quality gap, conduct a process analysis, implement a small PDSA cycle, and present their projects at the Highland Quality and Safety Forum at the end of the year as well as regional conferences. Past projects have included improving provider compliance with goal directed medical therapy for CHF patients and creating a central line checklist. Our residents attend monthly M&M conferences where they learn about QI terminology and do a group root cause analysis of adverse events.

Yes, our primary care and categorical residents have the option of rotating at clinics such as the Bridge Buprenorphine Clinic or Human Rights Clinic. We can also support you if you are interested in pursuing advocacy work.

Unfortunately, due to the depth of content and robust curriculum of each pathway, it is not possible to complete more than one pathway. However, residents have multiple opportunities to get exposure to content represented in each of the pathways in other parts of the general curriculum. In addition, the Associate Program Directors work closely with each resident to tailor the flexible parts of the curriculum to increase exposure to areas of interest and help residents prepare for their future career goals.