THE WRIGHT CENTER FOR
GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION
INTERNAL MEDICINE
CONFERENCE CURRICULUM
2013 - 2014
501 Madison Avenue
Scranton, Pennsylvania 18510
Phone: 570.343.2383
Fax: 570.343.4800
www.thewrightcenter.org
The Wright Center views didactic conferences as an essential component of the educational experience.
Each academic year begins with an intensive series of daily lectures covering emergent situations Interns
are likely to encounter in Internal Medicine as well as commonly seen cases throughout the year. This
series is referred to as the Intern Survival Series and lasts about two (2) weeks. A group of lectures
coinciding with a uniquely designed didactic curriculum follow.
Lectures throughout the course of the academic year include Morning Reports, Inpatient/Outpatient
Didactic Sessions, Grand Rounds and Noon Conferences – all taking on a variety of formats, including
case presentations, ambulatory lectures, subspecialty lectures, morbidity and mortality conferences,
EKG and Radiology classes. Additionally, an evidence-based medicine Journal Club and RICU (Resident
Intensive Care Unit) course are scheduled once per month.
All Wright Center Residents are responsible for maintaining an 80% conference attendance rate, which
must be upheld throughout the academic year. For further information on conference policy, please see
the document Standard Operating Procedure for Conference Communication.
CONFERENCE STRUCTURE
MORNING REPORT: 7:30 – 8:30 AM, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Wednesday lectures are focused around subspecialties including Cardiology, Pulmonary, Nephrology
and Rheumatology case presentations and MKSAP review.
Thursday lectures are known as ICU Morning Report and are typically facilitated by Dr. Dzielak, Dr. Prior,
Dr. Kabak or Dr. Yeager – the Moses Taylor ICU Attendings. It focuses on an ICU case presentation by an
ICU resident, RICU lectures, Journal Club, Radiology or ABG classes.
GRAND ROUNDS / NOON CONFERENCE: 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Residents traditionally present at Grand Rounds in Regional Hospital of Scranton on the third (3rd)
Monday of each month and once per month on a Wednesday in Moses Taylor Hospital. These
educational conferences are staffed by faculty and subspecialists. The form varies from case
presentations and management to formal topical presentations.
TUMOR BOARD / INTERDISCIPLINARY ROUNDS: 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Tuesdays
Tumor Board occurs every second (2nd) and fourth (4th) Tuesday of the month at Geisinger – CMC.
Alternately, IDT Rounds are conducted the first (1st) Tuesday of each month and are staffed by faculty,
subspecialists, residents, nurses, case managers, physiotherapists and pharmacists.
DIDACTIC SESSIONS
OUTPATIENT DIDACTIC: 7:00 – 8:00 AM, Tuesdays
INPATIENT DIACTIC: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM, Thursdays
Revised: 7/23/13
Outpatient sessions are geared toward Residents posted in primary care rotations during a given block.
Session content includes ambulatory case presentations and lectures on topics including common
ambulatory conditions, root cause analyses and outpatient billing.
Inpatient sessions are geared toward Residents posted in service and elective rotations. Session content
includes case presentations by inpatient Residents and Attending topic presentations.
There are two additional didactic sessions for all Residents, outpatient and inpatient alike, on the first
Wednesday and third Friday of each month from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at Tobin Hall.
Primarily, the focus of these sessions encompass System-based Practice, Practice-based
Learning and topics such as transitions of care, billing, quality improvement, sleep deprivation,
safe care transition, pathology, EMR, population management, CQI process, and so forth. TWC’s
Clinical Quality Improvement Leader designs these sessions.
SENIOR PRESENTATIONS: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
PGY 3 Residents present their project work or specific topic including review of latest trials on the
subject within the last six months of their training. These conferences can be held at Regional Hospital of
Scranton, Moses Taylor Hospital or Geisinger - CMC. Dates will be announced by Richard May as they
are scheduled.
JOURNAL CLUB / RESEARCH CONFERENCE: Second Thursday of Month, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Journal Club is conducted within the structure of the Inpatient Didactic Session. Curricular components
include methods for analyzing, interpreting and presenting original data published in medical journals.
Drs. Robert Paulino and Sandhya Samavedam head TWC’s research efforts and provide valuable input
regarding research design and statistics during these sessions. Often, detailed discussion is initiated
surrounding a recently published study to enhance the research activities of the residents and better
understanding of research methods.
RAP SESSION: Last Friday of Block, 7:30 – 8:30 AM
Chief Residents facilitate discussion of any issues or concerns which may have arisen during the block.
MORBIDITY & MORTALITY CONFERENCES:
The Wright Center considers Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conferences to be powerful opportunities
for learning and reflection. Traditionally, M&M conferences provide a forum for faculty and trainees to
explore the management details of particular cases wherein morbidity or mortality resulted. In carefully
reviewing the records and specifics of care, we are able to revisit errors in order to gain insight in a
blameless environment focused only on patient safety and quality improvement. A minimum of two M
&M conferences are required every six (6) months.
Revised: 7/23/13
EXPECTED ATTENDANCE
DAY
MONDAY
CONFERENCE
Noon Conference
IN ATTENDANCE
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton-based Ambulatory rotations
TUESDAY
Outpatient Didactic
Wayne Clinic
Susquehanna Clinic
WCPC – MVP, Scranton & C/S
DPW
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton-based Ambulatory rotations
Tumor Board
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Morning Report
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton-based Ambulatory rotations
Grand Rounds
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton-based Ambulatory rotations
Interactive
Professionalism
All Service, Elective, Ambulatory & VA
rotations
ICU AM Report
MTH ICU
All Service & Elective rotations
Inpatient Didactic
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton Primary
Noon Conference
All Service and Elective rotations
Scranton-based Ambulatory rotations
VP Time Block
All Service, Elective, Ambulatory & VA
rotations
EXCUSED
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP &
C/S, Night Float, MTH ICU
All Service, ICU and
Elective rotations
VA rotations
Scranton Primary
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP &
C/S, Night Float, MTH ICU
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP,
Anesthesia , P & SM,
MTH ICU, RHS NF Senior
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP &
C/S, Night Float, Service D
Night Float
MVP Seniors
On Call
WCPC – MVP, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, Service D, VA
rotations, Anesthesia, P &
SM, RHS NF Senior
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP, C/S
& Scranton, Night Float
VA Rotations, Wayne
Clinic, Susquehanna
Clinic, WCPC – MVP &
C/S, Night Float, MTH ICU
Night Float
MVP Seniors
On Call
Revised: 7/23/13
CONFERENCE VENUES
DAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
MORNING REPORT
Tobin Hall
Geisinger – CMC
Moses Taylor Hospital
Tobin Hall
NOON CONFERENCE
Regional Hospital of Scranton
Geisinger – CMC
Moses Taylor Hospital
Moses Taylor Hospital
Regional Hospital of Scranton
EVENING DIDACTIC*
Tobin Hall
Tobin Hall
* When Applicable
Revised: 7/23/13