Dina F. Capalongo, D.O.
Chief, Division of General Internal Medicine
Program Director, Transitional First Year Residency

Crozer's Transitional First-Year Residency Program provides a well-rounded clinical and educational experience for new doctors embarking on their postdoctoral training. Based at the busy Crozer-Chester Medical Center, our program provides residents with a valuable introduction to clinical medicine in a variety of disciplines in both ambulatory and inpatient settings.

Our manageable size, atmosphere of collegiality, and diverse patient population combine to make our program distinctive. Because Crozer serves as both a primary-care facility locally and a tertiary-care center for the region, our residents have the opportunity to experience training in fundamental clinical skills in all disciplines as well as the higher technology, state-of-the-art services which are found at referral centers. Our regional cancer center, burn treatment center, neonatal ICU, and cardiac catheterization laboratory are some examples.

Each year, a class of 14 residents enters our program. The residency features a broad-based curriculum which is flexible enough to meet the needs of residents with diverse future career choices. The year is divided into 13 four-week blocks. Three of these may be selected among internal medicine. Two must be selected from Gynecology, Pediatrics or Surgery. The remaining blocks include ICU (medical), ambulatory care, emergency medicine, night float, and four electives.

Our didactic curriculum is strong across all disciplines. Teaching attending rounds occur five days per week on all services in each department. Morning Report is conducted four or five days a week, depending on the department, where prepared and unprepared cases from both the inpatient and outpatient setting are presented on a regular basis. All departments sponsor didactic series in a variety of formats covering pertinent topics. Morbidity and Mortality Conference and Journal Club occur at least monthly in all departments.

Throughout the program, our residents are exposed to the latest state-of-the-art information technology. Medical records, the laboratory, and radiology have recently moved to a Web-based reporting system which gives our residents access to detailed recent and past data on any patient who has been seen in our system from any Internet-connected computer. This capability tremendously facilitates patient care. A number of electronic educational resources are available, as well including MD Consult, Medline, and Ovid, among others.

Other highlights of our program include census and admission caps, a night-float service, a reasonable call schedule, and supportive faculty. All of our attending staff actively participate in medical education and also hold faculty appointments at a large academic medical center. All in all, our Transitional Residency offers a comprehensive clinical experience for first-year residents which leaves them well prepared for the next level of training.