Curriculum
Welcome to Valley Health's Internal Medicine Program
Become a Compassionate, Skilled, and Community-Minded Physician
Our structured three-year training model starts with foundational learning and culminates in confident, independent practice. Throughout your journey, you will be supported by a dedicated team of faculty and interprofessional mentors.
Hands-On Experience and Structured Learning
Our curriculum combines hands-on inpatient and outpatient experiences with structured didactics and longitudinal learning. You will be well prepared for independent practice, competitive fellowships, and leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings.
The application opens September 2025, sign up below to stay informed.
Curriculum Overview
Our curriculum follows a “Learner–>Manager–>Leader” model.
- PGY-1 (Learner): Emphasis on core clinical skills, inpatient medicine, and foundational ambulatory care.
- PGY-2 (Manager): Increased autonomy, subspecialty exposure, and leadership in patient care.
- PGY-3 (Leader): Focus on teaching, advanced clinical reasoning, and preparation for independent practice or fellowship.
Residents rotate through a variety of settings across the Shenandoah Valley, including Winchester Medical Center and affiliated community-based clinics.
Tandem Block Schedule
The tandem block schedule is a distinctive feature of the Valley Health Internal Medicine Residency Program. It is designed to optimize both continuity of care and resident well-being by alternating inpatient and ambulatory experiences in a structured, predictable rhythm.
We use a 26-block, 2-week rotation model to optimize continuity and wellness. Each year includes:
- Inpatient Medicine
- ICU
- Subspecialty Rotations (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Infectious Disease, etc.)
- Ambulatory Blocks
- Night Medicine
- Electives and Scholarship Time
- Community Health Rotation
- Quality, Safety, and Well-being Leadership
“The tandem block schedule is more than a logistical innovation, it’s a commitment to our residents’ growth and well-being. It allows for deep engagement in both inpatient and outpatient medicine while preserving the relationships that matter most: with patients, with preceptors, and with each other.” — Dr. Stephanie Call, MD, MSPH, Program Director
Each 8-week block is divided into two-week segments, allowing residents to rotate between inpatient and ambulatory settings without overlapping responsibilities. This structure ensures:
- High continuity in continuity clinic (residents see their own patients every two weeks)
- Reduced burnout and duty hour violations
- Improved team dynamics and supervision
- Enhanced learning through focused, immersive experiences
PGY-1 (Learner Phase)
| Rotation | Weeks | Location |
|---|---|---|
| General Medicine Inpatient | 12 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Ambulatory (General) | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| ICU | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Ambulatory – Neurology | 2 | Winchester Neurology Consultants |
| Cardiology | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Emergency Medicine | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Night Medicine | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Infectious Disease Consults | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Ambulatory – Hematology/Oncology | 4 | Shenandoah Oncology |
| Ambulatory – Sports Medicine | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Ambulatory – Geriatrics | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Quality Improvement | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Ambulatory (Rural) | 2 | Multiple Sites |
| Vacation | 4 | N/A |
PGY-2 (Manager Phase)
| Rotation | Weeks | Location |
|---|---|---|
| General Medicine (Manager) | 8 | Winchester Medical Center |
| ICU | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Pulmonary | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Cardiology/CICU | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Endocrinology | 4 | Valley Health Multispecialty Clinic |
| Rheumatology | 4 | Valley Health Multispecialty Clinic |
| Nephrology | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Community Health | 4 | Community Health Sites |
| Quality/Safety/Wellbeing (QSW) | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Elective/Scholarship | 8 | Various |
| Vacation | 4 | N/A |
PGY-3 (Leader Phase)
| Rotation | Weeks | Location |
|---|---|---|
| General Medicine (Leader) | 8 | Winchester Medical Center |
| ICU | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Night Medicine | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| GI | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Palliative Care | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Addiction Medicine | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Infectious Disease | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Med Consults | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Procedures | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Transition to Practice | 4 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Quality/Safety/Wellbeing (QSW) | 2 | Winchester Medical Center |
| Elective/Scholarship | 8 | Various |
| Vacation | 4 | N/A |
Electives
Residents can tailor their training with electives in:
- Cardiology (ambulatory, consult, cardiac testing)
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology/Hepatology (ambulatory, consult, diagnostic)
- Geriatrics (ambulatory, nursing facility, home visits)
- Health Administration
- Hematology (ambulatory, consult, inpatient)
- HIV Ambulatory
- Infectious Diseases (ambulatory, consult)
- Information Technology
- International Health
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Nephrology (ambulatory, consult, dialysis)
- Neurology (ambulatory, consult, inpatient)
- Ophthalmology
- Otolaryngology
- Palliative Care/Hospice
- Psychiatry (ambulatory, consult, inpatient)
- Quality Improvement
- Radiology
- Rehab Medicine
- Scholarship/Research
- Rheumatology
- Rural Health
- Sports Medicine/Non-operative Orthopedics
- University Away Electives (any specialty)
- Other (by request and design)
Longitudinal Experiences
Our curriculum fosters deep, sustained learning through experiences that span all three years of training, promoting continuity, leadership, and professional identity formation.
Continuity Clinic
Residents care for their own panel of patients at the Valley Health Transitions Clinic, serving historically marginalized populations. Each resident is paired with a “practice partner” to ensure seamless continuity of care and shared responsibility, supported by a consistent interprofessional team.
Community Health & Advocacy
PGY-2 residents complete a dedicated Community Health Rotation, engaging in rural and underserved settings, public health, policy leaders, and a longitudinal community improvement project.
Scholarship & Research
Residents participate in a progressive scholarship curriculum:
- PGY-1: Clinical question development, medical writing, presentation skills
- PGY-2: Research design, quality improvement methodology, mentorship pairing
- PGY-3: Completion and dissemination of a scholarly project, with opportunities to present at regional and national conferences
Leadership Development
Residents serve in leadership roles, including committee participation, quality and safety leadership, peer mentorship, and teaching responsibilities.
Lifestyle Medicine Track
An optional track includes certification opportunities, focused didactics, experiential learning, and integration into continuity clinic and wellness curriculum.
Didactics & Learning Environment
We create a vibrant, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating learning environment with interactive, evidence-based, and resident-driven didactics.
Weekly Academic Half-Day
Protected time every Tuesday afternoon for core didactics, including board review, case-based learning, subspecialty topics, ethics, professionalism, and health systems science.
Daily Morning Report
A dynamic, case-based conference led by residents and faculty, emphasizing clinical reasoning, diagnostic strategy, and evidence-based management.
Monthly Morbidity, Mortality, and Improvement (MMI) Conference
A systems-focused conference integrating quality improvement, patient safety, and reflective practice, with resident-led case presentations and root cause analyses.
Journal Club & Evidence-Based Medicine
Weekly sessions structured around the JAMA Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature, with residents critically appraising and applying evidence to real patient cases.
Simulation & Procedural Training
Residents participate in high-fidelity and low-fidelity simulation experiences, including code blue and rapid response scenarios, communication skills, procedural skills, and interprofessional team training.
Wellness Curriculum
A longitudinal, evidence-based curriculum focused on resilience, burnout prevention, narrative medicine, mindfulness, stress management, peer support, and coaching.
Business & Practice of Medicine Series
Monthly sessions covering billing, documentation, contract negotiation, health policy, advocacy, and practice management.
Join Our Residency Interest List
- Get updates on our accreditation.
- Be the first to know when the application opens.
