Curriculum
PTHA Residents work at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital for most of their inpatient rotations, with some Emergency Medicine time spent at Good Samaritan Hospital nearby. We share rotation schedules and attendings with two other local residency programs—Tacoma Family Medicine and East Pierce Family Medicine. You will often work together with residents from these programs, and all three programs jointly contribute to weekly didactic sessions. All are part of the University of Washington WWAMI Family Medicine Residency Network, and have access to resources offered through that network (including UpToDate, DynaMed, UW Library, PubMed, and many more).
Native American Curriculum
Dr. Walt Hollow, past AAIP President and University of Washington Faculty offers extensive training in tribal cultures and customs, as well as education about practices of Traditional Indian Medicine. As a resident, you will have the opportunity to participate in these ancient traditions, including sweat lodge ceremonies, a traditional canoe journey, tribal gatherings and dances. You will also have the opportunity to learn about Native diets, local nutrition and herbal therapies.
Didactics
One half day each week is designated for residents to participate in didactics. Topics are presented by faculty members, residents and community-based sub-specialists.
OMM Workshops & Clinic
OMM hands-on workshops are conducted monthly. In addition to the workshops, OMM clinic days are held every Wednesday afternoon and are supervised by community OMM specialists. Residents are able to perform OMM daily for continuity of care patients.
Core Rotations
R1 Year
Orientation – 4 weeks (PTHA)
Family Medicine Inpatient – 8 weeks (Tacoma General Hospital)
Internal Medicine – 8 weeks (Tacoma General Hospital)
Obstetrics – 8 weeks (Auburn Medical Center, Tacoma General Hospital,)
Pediatrics – 4 weeks inpatient, 4 weeks outpatient (Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, PTHA)
Community Medicine – 4 weeks (PTHA)
Emergency Medicine – 4 weeks (Good Samaritan Hospital)
Dermatology – 2 weeks (PTHA or outside office)
Practice Management – 2 weeks (PTHA)
General Surgery – 4 weeks (Multicare Cedar Surgical Associates)
R2 Year
Internal Medicine – 4 weeks (Tacoma General Hospital)
Pediatrics - 4 weeks inpatient, 4 weeks outpatient (Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital)
Emergency Medicine – 4 weeks (Good Samaritan Hospital)
Practice Management – 2 weeks (PTHA)
Orthopedics – 4 weeks (Multicare Orthopedics and Sports Medicine)
GYN – 4 weeks (Community Health Care)
Night Float – 2 weeks + 4 weekends (Tacoma General Hospital)
Behavioral Health – 2 weeks (PTHA)
Indian Health Service Selective – 4 to 6 weeks
Electives – 8 weeks
R3 Year
Family Medicine Inpatient – 4 weeks (Tacoma General Hospital)
Pediatric Emergency Medicine – 4 weeks (Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital)
Practice Management – 2 weeks (PTHA)
OMM Sports Medicine – 4 weeks (PTHA, Multicare Orthopedics and Sports Medicine)
Night Float – 2 weeks + 4 weekends (Tacoma General Hospital)
Geriatrics – 4 weeks (PTHA)
Indian Health Service Selective – 4 weeks
Sub-specialties – 8 weeks
Electives – 12 weeks
Electives
Electives can be arranged at sites throughout Washington State if desired, but most rotations are facilitated in the South Sound area to keep your commute as pleasant as possible. The Greater Seattle region is known for its traffic in recent years, and rotations are planned with this in mind. It is a PTHA Residency Program requirement that residents live within a 30 minute driving radius of MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital—resident safety, wellness and quality of life are significantly impacted by long commutes in heavy traffic, and while Seattle, Kent, Renton, or Bellevue may appear close to Tacoma on a map, they are not as nearby as they seem!
Indian Health Services Rotations
Our residents have a unique opportunity to serve Native American health needs in rural locations, in some of the most beautiful parts of North America. PGY-2’s travel for 6 weeks to Dillingham, Alaska where they work closely with local physicians to deliver full-spectrum care to a wide variety of patients in a remote location. Residents report this is one of their favorite rotations, and they return to Tacoma feeling a renewed commitment to Native medicine.
PGY-3’s have the opportunity to spend 4 weeks at another IHS site, serving either rural or urban Native health needs. Our program partners frequently with the Seattle Indian Health Board in downtown Seattle, and residents have rotated at Neah Bay, Lummi Island, Cowlitz, Muckleshoot and other reservation sites in the state of Washington. Opportunities at out-of-state reservations may be specially arranged for interested trainees. Residents have traveled back to Dillingham Alaska, Juneau Alaska, Blackfeet Service Unit in Montana, NARA in Portland and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa in Michigan.