Transitional Year at Shattuck
Lemuel Shattuck Hospital
Clinical Training Program
Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
The Lemuel Shattuck Hospital (LSH) offers six PGY-1 positions in its one year Transitional Residency Program. This fully accredited program is jointly sponsored by the Tufts Medical Center’s Departments of Medicine and Neurology. Our close affiliation with Tufts University School of Medicine assures a high standard of quality medical education. Several features distinguish the Shattuck’s Transitional Residency Program from other such programs:
· A unique setting which combines academic medical education with care of a disenfranchised population
· A full-time attending staff who work closely with the House Staff
· An informal and humanistic atmosphere in which to learn medicine
· Ample elective time
Lemuel Shattuck Hospital
LSH is a major teaching affiliate of the Tufts University School of Medicine, and is the only teaching hospital operated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. It is dedicated to providing quality health care to the people of Boston without regard to social or financial status.
Acute inpatient medicine and a 6-bed Intensive Care Unit are the core of the hospital and the domain of the Transitional Residency Program. A rapidly growing array of affiliated inpatient services are staffed independently by Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and Attending Physicians. Examples include a Public Health Tuberculosis Treatment Unit, a Chronic Medical Care Unit for AIDS patients, and a Medical Behavioral unit. In addition, LSH houses a large outpatient medicine department with a full complement of subspecialty clinics. Newly-forged contracts with several community health centers give us the opportunity to extend more of our services to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Our staff, which is active in teaching, patient care and research, is dedicated to providing health care to those with the greatest need. All of our staff have faculty appointments at the Tufts University School of Medicine. All major subspecialties are represented.
One of the Shattuck’s greatest strengths as a teaching hospital is its diverse patient population. In addition to serving the local community, the Hospital is committed to bringing health care to Boston’s medically underserved groups such as the homeless and the uninsured. LSH also serves as the referral center for inmates of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, and is one of the principle health care sources for clients of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. With exposure to so many different types of patients, the Transitional Resident can expect to gain firsthand experience with an exciting variety of both common and unusual acute medical problems.
Lemuel Shattuck Hospital
A Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Public Health Hospital
Medical Education Department
170 Morton Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-522-8110 ext. 337/338
www.state.ma.us/dph/hosp/lsh.htm
Clinical Training Program
The Transitional Residency Program offers six months of inpatient Internal Medicine, one month of Neurology, one month of Ambulatory Care, and one month of Emergency Medicine at Tufts Medical Center. House staff are given two months of elective which may be
taken at any of Boston's teaching hospitals. There is also one month of vacation during the year. Considerable flexibility in scheduling electives and vacations is one of the major advantages of the Shattuck's Transitional Residency Program.
Senior staff advisors work closely with each Transitional Resident in arranging electives, pursuing career goals, and ensuring that the PGY-1 year runs smoothly. During the six months of inpatient Internal Medicine, each Transitional Resident is part of a team consisting of 3 other Transitional Residents, a Senior (PGY-3) Medical Resident from Tufts Medical Center and an LSH Attending. Occasionally, medical students from Tufts University School of Medicine and pharmacy students from Northeastern University join the team. Each Transitional Resident assumes primary responsibility for an average census of six patients, including ICU patients. Overnight call is every fourth night during the six months of ward medicine. Usually, there are 1-3 admissions per night on call. Supervision during call nights is provided by a PGY-3 or PGY-4 resident who evaluates each new admission with the Transitional Resident, and assists the Transitional Resident in managing other patients on the acute medical service.
As a public hospital, LSH offers a distinct educational advantage over private sector hospitals, where the relationship between private attendings and their patients may constrain the educational experience of the house staff. At LSH, the ward attending and house staff jointly evaluate and follow each patient, and clinical teaching is emphasized.
Structured educational activities on Internal Medicine include the following:
• Daily Radiology Rounds
• Daily Attending Rounds
• Weekly subspecialty conferences covering selected
· Topics in general/emergency medical care.
• Weekly Grand Rounds
• Weekly AIDS Conference
• Weekly Oncology Conference
• Monthly Morbidity & Mortality Conference
During the Ambulatory Care rotation, Transitional Residents participate in clinics in General Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Dermatology, ENT, Neurology and Rheumatology. They evaluate several patients per clinic session and present them to the clinic attending for review. While on Neurology, the Transitional Resident is taught and supervised by Tufts Medical Center Neurology residents and attendings. Residents participate in consultative evaluations throughout the hospital.
There is no night call during the Ambulatory Care and Neurology rotations. During the four weeks in the Emergency Room at Tufts Medical Center, Transitional Residents evaluate and treat acutely ill patients under the supervision of PGY-3 residents and Emergency Medicine attendings. Transitional Residents are on duty 6 days per week in 8-10 hour shifts.
Benefits
PGY-1 residents receive a competitive salary, four weeks of vacation, health insurance, malpractice liability insurance, and free parking. The most important benefit of our program is the fact that our graduates are consistently perceived as competent, well-trained physicians.
Frequently Asked Questions
• How do I apply to your program?
Through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Contact your school dean’s office or ECFMG for instructions regarding ERAS.
• What are the requirements to apply to the Residency Program?
o MD/DO/MBBS or equivalent Degree
o Passing scores on USMLE 1 & 2
o ECFMG Certificate (if applicable)
o US Citizen / Green Card / J1 Visa or work authorization
• Isn't the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital a chronic care hospital?
No, the Shattuck is a multilevel hospital which does provide specialty, rehabilitative and chronic care services. However, the Transitional Program is exclusively involved in acute medical care.
• Are there other housestaff at LSH besides the Transitional Residents?
Yes, there are residents and fellows training at the Shattuck in a variety of fields, including General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry, Neurology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases.
• What types of electives are available?
Interns can create their own clinical elective program, in conjunction with their advisors, by choosing from a wide variety of academic rotations in any Boston teaching hospital. Examples of electives that interns in recent years have taken include: ICU, CCU, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Cardiology, General Surgery and Pathology.
• What is it like taking care of prisoners as patients?
As a medically underserved group, prisoners appreciate the medical services provided by the Shattuck. Safety is not a problem, as the Department of Corrections provides adequate professional security personnel at all times.