Curriculum

 

Goals & Objectives

The Internal Medicine Residency Program at San Antonio Regional Hospital is designed to prepare physicians who are clinically skilled, academically driven, and deeply compassionate. Graduates of our program are dedicated to advancing health equity, meeting community needs, and reducing physician shortages in the Inland Empire. Our curriculum is structured around four key pillars: Ambulatory Care, Academics, Procedures, and Family-Centered Care.

Ambulatory Care

  • Outpatient medicine is a central focus throughout the residency experience.
  • Dedicated continuity clinic every year (10 weeks per PGY) provides ongoing exposure to ambulatory internal medicine and management of chronic disease.
  • Residents develop longitudinal relationships with their own patient panels, emphasizing continuity of care and preventive services.
  • Elective blocks allow for additional ambulatory subspecialty experiences such as endocrinology and rheumatology.

  • Integrated care across outpatient and inpatient settings promotes a well-rounded view of patient management across time.

Academics

  • We emphasize structured learning across all stages of training with a foundation in evidence-based medicine and critical thinking.
  • Daily noon conferences reinforce foundational knowledge and introduce current internal medicine practices.
  • Rotations across a diverse range of specialties including cardiology, neurology, nephrology, and hematology/oncology support a comprehensive academic base.
  • Behavioral medicine and geriatrics rotations equip residents with essential communication and psychosocial assessment skills.
  • Dedicated elective time (14+ weeks) encourages scholarly development in areas of personal interest, including QI, teaching, or research.

  • Residents are encouraged to present at local and regional meetings with support for academic pursuits.

Procedures

  • Procedure training is embedded within inpatient and ICU rotations to ensure practical, hands-on experience.
  • MICU rotations in all three years provide structured training in bedside procedures such as central lines, ABGs, and basic airway management.
  • Inpatient medicine rotations offer opportunities to perform and assist in common internal medicine procedures under supervision.
  • Subspecialty rotations (e.g., cardiology, nephrology, infectious diseases) expose residents to both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures relevant to each field.
  • Simulation-based procedural skills training is available through scheduled workshops and faculty-guided practice.

  • Elective time may be used to pursue focused procedural development in areas such as gastroenterology, rheumatology, or pulmonology.

Family-Centered Care

  • We train our residents to provide holistic care that recognizes the role of family, culture, and psychosocial factors in health outcomes.
  • Geriatrics and continuity clinic rotations emphasize communication with caregivers and multi-disciplinary coordination for complex patients.
  • Residents learn to incorporate social history, living circumstances, and family support systems into care planning and discharge processes.
  • Participation in family meetings and care conferences is integrated into inpatient rotations.
  • Emphasis on empathetic communication, cultural sensitivity, and shared decision-making is threaded throughout the curriculum.
  • Residents are encouraged to view the patient not only as an individual, but within their broader life context, building trust and better outcomes.

 

Curriculum with Goals & Objectives (PGY-Stratified) Downloads


Curriculum at a Glance (2026 - 2027)

To ensure a comprehensive and well-rounded education, residents rotate through multiple clinical and non-clinical sites. These diverse settings allow exposure to a broad patient population and a variety of healthcare systems. Links take you to Curriculum with Goals & Objectives (PGY-Stratified) .pdf documents.
For a more comprehensive view, download the 2026-2027 - Plus One Block Schedule, Updated 9-2026

CourseTypePGY-1PGY-2PGY-3
CardiologyInpt/Outpt2 weeks —2 weeks
Continuity Clinic Outpatient10 weeks8 weeks9 weeks
ElectiveInpt/Outpt4 weeks10 weeks9 weeks
ER Inpatient —2 weeks2 weeks
EndocrinologyOutpatient2 weeks2 weeks2 weeks
GI Inpatient2 weeks — —
Heme-Onc Inpatient —2 weeks  —
ID Inpatient2 weeks2 weeks2 weeks
IM Wards Inpatient18 weeks14 weeks12 weeks
ICUInpatient4 weeks (consecutive)4 weeks (consecutive)4 weeks (consecutive)
Nephrology Inpt/Outpt — —2 weeks
Neurology Inpatient2 weeks — —
Night Float Inpatient2 Weeks (consecutive)4 Weeks (consecutive)4 Weeks (segmented - 2wk consecutive at a time)
PulmonaryInpt/Outpt — — —
Rheumatology Inpt/Outpt — — —
Vacation 4 weeks4 weeks4 weeks
Total 52 weeks52 weeks52 weeks
Over 14 weeks of Elective time available


Legend
Site: TBD
Rotations:   Wards= Inpatient General Medicine (4wks)  Wards A2=Inpatient General Medicine (2wks)     Clinic = Continuity Clinic       Cardio= Cardiology   ICU= Intensive Care Unit     GI= Gastroenterology           
ID = Infectious Disaeses      Neph = Nephrology       Hem= Hematology      Onc= Oncology  Neuro= Neurology     Pulm= Pulmonary    EM= Emergency Medicine     NF= Night Float     Geri= Geriatrics (P)    Endo= Endocrinology     Rheum= Rheumatology  Research & QIPS (P)    Palliative Care (P)    Womens Health (P)     Anesthesiology (P)

 

Notes:

1. Vacation Time: There will be 3-4 weeks of vacation per PGY year.  Vacation should be taken during elective or subspecialty rotations and not more than 2 weeks at a time.  Vacation will not be considered during ICU and ER rotations. continuity clinic weeks, and night float rotations.  Vacation for a maximum of 1 week will be considered during wards only if it is an emergency or non-emergency situations like birth of a child or getting married. 

2. Selectives:
Requirements (PGY2-3): Residents should prioritize completion of the required Internal Medicine subspecialty elective experiences (Selectives) before scheduling additional elective rotations.
Minimum Required Exposure: (2 weeks each) for PGY2-3:  Pulmonary Medicine,  Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology, Women's Health (Pending) and  Geriatrics (Pending).

Electives Pending: Anesthesiology, Geriatrics, Palliative Care, Patient Safety (QIPS) x1month minimum, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine(OMM), Research & Quality Improvement, and Women's Health.

3. Residents will have the opportunity for experience in non-internal medicine sub-specialties.

 

Questions about the SARH Residency Program?

Call Eric D. Dickerson, BSHM, Opti West GME Program Coordinator

 +1 909.694.1088