Resident Education in a Community Site (RECS)

Why have community-based clinics vs a resident clinic?

Our program has been providing a unique longitudinal clinic experience for over 20 years with the goal of preparing our residents to practice general pediatrics in the communities where their patients live.  This allows our residents to practice in settings of their choice which reflect their career interests. Our residents have opportunities to work in urban, suburban, and rural settings.  In addition, our residents experience how pediatricians practice in office-based practices.

Each intern is paired with a community general pediatrician, and they work together weekly for three years. This provides the resident with an opportunity to learn ambulatory pediatrics from a pediatrician who makes a voluntary commitment to mentor the resident throughout their training. Our residents tell us how beneficial it is to have a preceptor who is also a mentor, even if they are not planning to go into primary care. 

We try to place our residents in practices close to their homes.  This allows the resident to spend the entire day in their continuity clinic without traveling to the hospital when residents are rotations besides the ICUs and the inpatient floor teams.

“By having the same preceptor for all three years, you build incredible relationships,” said Dr. Remien, a 2023 graduate who is currently in a Critical Care Fellowship. “You talk about everything from finances and ethics to the art of medicine. It’s great to see them on a weekly basis.”

McInturf, Elizabeth, a 2023 graduate who is currently an ambulatory pediatrician, noted, “My preceptor is a good teacher because she is extraordinary passionate about her role a primary care pediatrician and wanted to ensure that I would be too. She incorporated her passion in her teaching in every way and fostered that in me as well.”