Family Medicine Residency Program

University of Wyoming

Program Overview

Diverse Learning:

Our teaching faculty is composed of many disciplines besides Family Medicine physicians, including community physicians in most of the specialties, and other health care professionals. Residents enjoy a great deal of individual attention.

Unopposed Program:

Since we are the only program in Cheyenne, you do not have to compete with any other residents in any other specialty program. In fact residents are often on a first name basis with many of the community physicians.

Family Medicine:

This is the core of our training program. You will receive experience in the Family Medicine Center, an in-patient service at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, long-term care facilities, and patient home visits. You will provide care to clinic patients admitted to the hospital and patients who have no physician when we take unassigned backup call. Your experiences will include facets from each of the specialties discussed below. Our program's full-time faculty members provide most of the teaching support, but family physicians in private practice also participate. For a yearly breakdown of the rotations, see the Resident Rotation/Curriculum page.

Adult Medicine:

Eight months of in-patient Family Medicine experience and 4 1/2 months of electives are required through the three years of training. Educational experiences occur at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Veteran's Administration Medical Center and local physicians' offices. Cases range from general medical problems to critical care. Residents have the opportunity to work with subspecialists in the fields of rheumatology, pulmonology, neurology, nephrology, hematology/oncology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, cardiology, and allergy/immunology.

Care of Women:

Five months of obstetrical/women's health experience are required during the three years under the supervision of the program faculty and community physicians. Experience in labor management and delivery including vacuum extraction, forceps and operative obstetrics. During this time, residents will also participate in gynecologic surgeries. Residents who desire advanced training have the opportunity for additional experience in high risk and operative obstetrics. All residents will manage prenatal patients in the Family Medicine Center and follow them through delivery and postpartum care.  Residents have the opportunity to become proficient in colposcopy, LEEP, edometrial biopsy and IUD insertion.

Care of Infants, Children and Adolescents:

Residents have four months of required pediatric experience. First-year residents spend one month in Denver, CO doing in-patient pediatrics.  Second-year residents return to Denver for one month of Emergency Medicine in Pediatrics.  Additional out-patient pediatric experience includes one month in the second year and one month in the third year, and occurs with local physicians. Additional training in neonatology takes place during the required obstetrical rotations.

Care of the Surgical Patient

Residents have two required months of general surgery with full-time surgeons.  Residents have additional rotations in ENT,Dermatology and Orthopedics.  Our robust procedure training includes most primary care procedures, including endoscopy.  The busy surgical service ensures profiency in managing pre and post-operative patients, as well as assisting in multiple surgical procedures.  The general surgery faculty actively participates in the hospital's trauma service, which offers additional exposure to surgery.

Sports Medicine/Musculoskeletal Rotation

This rotation is designed to give you the skills for providing musculoskeletal care in a rural setting. Working in a rural community may involve care, from Little League players through the master's level players.  The Sports Medicine rotation is designed to give you "hands-on" skills and experience to use in your practice.  Residents rotate through a sports medicine clinic staffed by primary care sports medicine doctors.  Physical therapists are on site and actively involved in teaching.  Residents may participate in side-line coverage at local high school events, local rodeos and Tier 2 Junior Hockey games.

Electives

Electives during your second and third years allow you to match the curriculum and experiences with your practice interests/goals. Common electives include gastroenterology, anesthesiology, preventive medicine/wellness, infectious disease, allergy, endocrinology, hospice and pallative care, wound care, rheumatology, hematology, radiology, urology and out-patient procedures. Away electives allow residents to pursue individual interests, including international health.

Research

While research is not required, residents are encouraged to pursue scholarly activity during their training. Residents can assist with projects currently underway or they can develop their own project.