RESIDENT PRACTICES IN THE FAMILY PRACTICE CENTER
The Family Practice Center (FPC) operates in two adjacent buildings across the street from
Sutter Medical Center. It occupies 18,500 square feet containing 38 examination rooms, offices
for faculty and a large learning center. The offices are equipped to accommodate cameras for
video taping resident-patient interactions and an educational computer network running
Microsoft Office, including Internet access. The network extends to hospital sites frequented
by residents.
The Family Practice Center creates an environment that provides the residents with a longitudinal
experience in a family medicine setting that prepares them for practice after residency.
Each resident is the primary provider for a panel of patients for all three years of residency.
The residents organize themselves to cover each other while away. While here they admit
their acutely ill patients and follow them with the inpatient teams.
Each resident has one to two Family Practice Center office sessions per week during the first
year and three during the second and third years. In addition, all residents will have focused
experiences in the Family Practice Center taught by family physicians in colposcopy and other
procedures, family planning, antenatal care, and diabetes. There are also group visits in
diabetes and wellness.
Several faculty family physicians see patients along side the residents.
A family physician attends during all Family Practice Center office sessions, with one preceptor
for each three to four residents. In addition, one-to-one “in the room” precepting occurs
throughout the three years with family physicians and psychologists. Videotaping of resident/
patient encounters is a regular part of the teaching program. Psychologist and family medicine
faculty are available to review these sessions with the resident throughout the three years.
Residents work closely with one of the faculty family physicians to assure a strong foundation
of outpatient attitudes, knowledge, and skills that will serve them during their three
years with the program and thereafter.
SPECIALTY CLINICS IN THE FAMILY PRACTICE CENTER
 The Family Practice Center offers multiple specialty care options for our patients. These
clinics are staffed by residents and attended by both family doctors and specialists alike.
The following are examples of clinics available to our patients: colposcopy, diabetes,
diabetes education, family planning, obstetrical care including ultrasound, procedures,
dermatology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics,
podiatry, psychiatry, and psychology. The frequency of clinics depends on patient demand
and resident availability.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
The behavioral science curriculum currently consists of four weeks of required rotation
activities divided between the first and second years as well as longitudinal experiences
scheduled throughout the three years of residency. The rotation includes training activities
in the following areas: assessment and diagnosis of psychological and psychiatric disorders
with a particular focus on anxiety, depression and other mood disorders; psychopharmacology;
office counseling; behavioral medicine; child development; psychological disorders
of childhood/adolescence; parenting; family systems; crisis intervention; family violence;
chronic pain and substance abuse; community resources; and videotape training on patientcentered
interviewing skills and the physician/patient relationship.
Longitudinal components include opportunities to learn in several modalities. During
the second and third years, residents participate in twice a month Balint training. Videotape
review occurs during all three years of training. Behavioral science faculty work with
residents in the Family Practice Center throughout the residency.  In this setting, residents
receive consultation or participate in co-counseling sessions. The focus is on both the healing
possibilities of the physician/patient relationship and the best ways to understand and
help patients with complicated psychological problems. Additional co-counseling sessions
or consultation with one of the behavioral science faculty can also be arranged. Conferences
and brief seminars addressing a core set of behavioral science topics are also held throughout
the three years. The behavioral science faculty is involved in cross-cultural elements of our
teaching program. The residency serves diverse ethnic populations and strives to understand
and respond to each group’s needs. Each class of residents meets weekly in a supportive,
confidential, resident-centered personal and professional development group.
LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Management of Health Systems and Community Medicine have been combined into a
3-year progressive experience of 10 weeks duration called “Leadership Medicine.” The
integration of these two areas is designed to emphasize the integration of community
service and professional practice. In particular, residents are asked to reflect on the challenges
of practice economics and their mission-driven goals and ideals. The Leadership and Professional
Development Curriculum allows our exceptional residents to flourish with the skills
they bring to the residency. The longitudinal experience pushes residents to develop leadership
skills within the community and within medical systems. Leadership Medicine is
divided as follows:
First year residents spend one month in “Introduction to Community-oriented Practice”.
This includes introduction and utilization of community resources, office economics, coding
and billing, productivity, and new technologies (including Electronic Health Record). Residents
receive initial training/opportunities in community needs assessment and leadership. They
identify a population or community need for development into a three year Leadership
Service Project.
Second year residents spend two weeks in “Community Outreach and Involvement”.
Residents practice outreach and education in the community, including experiences in schools
for teen parents, day centers for homeless women, and the Diabetes Bridge Clinic. They are
given additional time to develop and work on their Leadership Service Project. The residents
explore different practice settings and clarify career goals (e.g. HMO, Private practice, cash
practice, house calls, and osteopathic practice). They participate in a quality improvement
project for the Family Practice Center, and continue to receive feedback on their performance
in the Family Practice Center. Each resident completes a patient education project.
Third year residents spend one month in “Preparing for Practice and Leadership Beyond
Residency”. Residents prepare for their next career step, whether considering jobs,
fellowships or further degrees. They will be asked to explore and clarify their goals, develop
a CV, learn about contract negotiation, interviewing, maintenance of certification, and malpractice.
Residents have opportunities to discuss work in community clinics and continue
learning through service in the community. Senior residents further develop their leadership
skills by beginning to precept junior residents in the Family Practice Center, and by completing
and presenting their community-oriented project.
All residents will learn very basic budgeting skills. Those who think they may be interested
in a small or solo practice will be given further mentorship on preparing a business plan and
budget. Basic fundraising skills are taught.
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