Marshall University Family Medicine Residency

Program Description

Marshall University Family Medicine Residency continues our tradition of excellent preparation of young family physicians with a history of curriculum innovation allowing a strong traditional track as well as defined areas of concentration in International Health, Wilderness Medicine, Rural Medicine and Health Policy. In 1977, Marshall University and the West Virginia Board of Governors established the Marshall University Medical School. Its small size and community integrated structure have helped make the school uncommonly responsive to the region’s educational and health-care needs. The residency's required and elective rotations are arranged around the Huntington, WV area. A resident’s continuity practice is located at the Marshall University Family Medicine Center with additional OB continuity in local area faculty offices. A second FMC is located in an FQHC in Hamlin, WV. There is the opportunity to have one office session per week in a local underserved urban clinic or rural practice site. Although most residents follow the traditional track with its inherent flexibility, a number of specially focused tracks are available to competitive applicants. The International Health Track opened in 1985 and was the first in a Family Medicine Residency. Sponsored elective time and memberships include: 1) a PGY1 rotation in Community Health Assessment located on Roatan, 2) Membership in American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and attendance at one of their conferences, 3) a PGY2 Tropical Medicine didactic rotation, 4) two-month clinical experience in third-world country with covered airfare and lodging, 5) monthly informal educational gatherings. A Rural Residency Track was initiated in 1994 and continues to have enhancements with internet conferencing connectivity and developing rural rotations. Lincoln Primary Care Center in Hamlin, WV, a FQHC, is the continuity center for the Rural Residency. The practice type and location allow for enhanced procedural opportunities. The Wilderness Medicine Track was initiated in 1999 and was the first in a Family Medicine Residency. Electives may occur in all three years and have included locations such as the base camp of Mt. Everest, Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro and Colorado River. Sponsored membership and attendance of the scientific meeting of the Wilderness Medicine Society is included. 2009 marked the inaugural implementation our Health Policy Track. Residents in this track will find extraordinary opportunities to experience the intricacies of health policy development, implementation, and oversight through a variety of scholarly academic and field methods. Residents will observe and participate in the legislative process and health administrative agencies at the state and potentially national levels. These unique learning opportunities will be scheduled as both longitudinal and block rotation experiences. The curriculum is flexibly designed to take advantage of shifting trends in health policy issues and the unique interests and talents of the resident participant. Over the years, Marshall has carefully but steadily implemented curricular changes designed to produce highly qualified physicians entering the primary care specialties. Not surprisingly, Marshall consistently has been honored through the Family Medicine Percentage Awards program of the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 19 of the last 24 award years, Marshall has received multiple bronze level, three silver level, and 5 “Top 10 Awards” for placing medical students into Family Medicine residencies.

Community Setting

Rural

Urban

Top 3 Program Strengths

No strengths provided

Primary Admitting Hospital

Cabell Huntington Hospital

Length of Program

3 Years

Clinic Funding

No federal or government clinic funding

Positions

Has Residential Organization

No