Educational Programming

Inpatient Academic Half Day:

Occurring every Wednesday afternoon for 2.5 hours, all inpatient and elective residents are given protected educational time. These didactics employ a variety of teaching methods and conference types, including but not limited to: case-based learning in a traditional “morning report” format, MKSAP reviews (interactive review of board-relevant questions and material), Journal Clubs, Social Determinants of Health teachings, Root Cause Analysis case studies, clinical skills workshops, and engaging live lectures. This highly interactive curriculum is designed to cover one organ system per block, focusing on enhancing the residents’ clinical skills and preparation for their Board exams.

Ambulatory Academic Half Day:

This weekly conference is held exclusively for residents on ambulatory block, from all three sites. During the dedicated 2 ½ hours, the Program Directors and Ambulatory Chief Residents lead a variety of interactive workshops focused on topics specific to outpatient care. The Academic Half Day complements an online curriculum in ambulatory care medicine.

Board Review:

Weekly board review sessions are conducted with the housestaff during morning and/or noon conferences, and are woven into the curriculum over the 3 years of training, such that preparation for the Boards starts on July 1st of the intern year! These sessions are led by the Chief Medical Residents, utilizing select topics in sub-specialities and general internal medicine. Questions are selected from either MKSAP or ACP, and only the most board relevant questions are reviewed to ensure a more valuable teaching session with the residents. These sessions cover diagnosis, treatment, management, as well as pathophysiology.

In addition, a dedicated Board Review course runs in May-June every year with dedicated weekly sessions. It was developed and implemented in 2018 by our very own Dr. Matassa and has led to exceptional annual board pass rates since it began!

Clinical Pathological Case Conference:

This special department wide weekly conference was created by our Chief Medical Residents to allow residents who have distinguished themselves in their clinical performance to discuss a unique unknown case. Here the resident acts as the case "discussant" in reviewing the case and presenting a differential diagnosis. The presentation is followed by an exciting and insightful faculty discussion moderated by the Chair of Medicine. The pathology seen at NJMS is impressive and exciting. (See below table for more examples of our pathology)

Grand Rounds:

This weekly conference highlights a speaker with worldwide prominence in his/her field.

Patient Safety Conference:

This monthly conference is led by the Chair of the Department of Medicine who discusses medical errors, patient safety issues, and deaths in a case-based interactive format.