This was recognized in 1995 when the RPSM became the first organization to receive the National Primary Care Achievement Award in Education, given by the Pew Charitable Trust in conjunction with the U.S. Public Health Service, the Primary Care Organization Network, and the Pew Commission on the Health Professions. Residents in all three disciplines work and learn together in a variety of clinical seminars and social medicine courses. Each discipline brings special strengths to these conjoint learning experiences. In addition to practicing in the outpatient and specialty clinics of the hospital, residents build their own practices in an ambulatory care setting in the community, away from the hospital. There, supervision is provided by full-time primary care attendings, each of whom has an appointment on the Montefiore staff.
Emphasis is placed on the relationship between primary and community health care.
Health Care Team Experience Residents are trained to be members of health care teams that include nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, nutritionists and psychologists. Team members share the responsibility for delivering and coordinating care to families who are, themselves, part of the health team. After the first several months of training, each resident joins with another in his or her track to share responsibility for one house staff position. Partners share responsibility for their continuity practices. Curriculum Few residency programs offer as much training in social medicine and community health.