Yearly Schedule
 "I chose Northwestern because of the residents that I had the chance to interact with during the application process -- smart, hard-working, kind, and fun-loving physicians that I knew I would enjoy having as peers and mentors for the next three years."
- Purvi Shah, MD
Vanderbilt University
School of Medicine

Each year of the curriculum is divided into 13 rotations of 4 weeks. During the first year, trainees rotate through the general medicine wards at NMH and at the West Side VA. Trainees have an ambulatory medicine rotation, 2 weeks of night float at NMH and 3 rotations on medical subspecialty inpatient units (Cardiology, Hematology-Oncology, Hepatology) and one or two subspecialty consultation electives.  Three weeks of vacation are scheduled during outpatient, consult and nightfloat blocks.

Sample Intern Schedule, Year 1

Block

1

2

3

4

5

6

MICU NMH

NMH Wards

Outpatient Medicine / Vacation

Oncology Wards

Endocrine Consult

Hepatology service

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Vacation / Night Float

VA Wards

VA Wards

NMH Wards

Pulmonary Consults/Vacation

NMH Wards

Cardiology service


During the 26 rotations of the second and third years each resident assumes additional responsibility functioning as a supervising resident on the general medicine, subspecialty and critical care rotations. The resident also assumes primary responsibility for ambulatory patients during several outpatient rotations (3-4 rotations divided between the NMH emergency room and the VA ambulatory care areas). In addition, there are 10 elective rotations, which are selected from a list that includes research, ambulatory block medicine subspecialty electives, palliative care, women's health, and sports medicine.  Residents are scheduled for 4 weeks of per year.

Sample Resident Schedule, Year 2

Block

1

2

3

4

5

6

Outpatient Medicine VA

NMH Wards

MICU VA

Research/Vacation

Research

Hepatology service

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Rheumatology Consult NMH/VA

Ambulatory Block/Vacation

Ambulatory Block

ER NMH

Nephrology Consult VA/Vacation

VA Wards

NMH Wards

Sample Resident Schedule, Year 3

Block

1

2

3

4

5

6

Gastroenterology
Consult/Vacation

Hematology/Oncology service

NMH Wards

MICU NMH

ER NMH

Geriatrics / Neurology

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Pulmonary Consult/Vacation

VA ER

Medicine Consults / Procedure Service

HIV Medicine

Allergy Consult/Vacation

NMH Wards

Cardiology Service

Residents are on call every 5th night on the General Medicine Wards at NMH. At VA-Westside, teams are on an 8 day call schedule which includes overnight call and short call responsibilities. On ICU rotations call is every 4th night for interns and every 4th night for residents.  During consult months, residents do not have call responsibilities.  There is a night float team at NMH every night from 7:30pm to 7:30am.  This team is composed of two interns who cross-cover patients already in the hospital and one resident who admits new patients.  Each resident spends 2 weeks on night float each year.