Mission statement
To improve the health of the people of West Michigan through the education
of Internal Medicine and Internal Medicine/Pediatrics housestaff.
To provide high quality, compassionate, cost-conscious care to our patients and their families and to serve as advocates for their health.
To educate and inspire medical students in the discipline and
related sciences of Internal Medicine.
New Name
The name is new but our medicine residency program is among the oldest in the nation. For more than 75 years we have trained physicians in Grand Rapids and our Internal Medicine program arose over 50 years ago. Our affiliation with Michigan State University is over 25 years old: we are the major teaching site for the third and fourth year medical students.
Who We Want
We strive to attract intelligent, congenial, hard-working individuals committed to becoming excellent physicians. In return for that commitment, we provide a well-rounded education in a friendly, supportive teaching atmosphere. If you rise to the expectations of our program, you will become an excellent Internal Medicine specialist, ready for private practice or subspecialty fellowship. Our graduates continue to do well on the ABIM certifying examination and many earn competitive fellowships at major universities.
Your Education is Our Top Priority
Many programs must provide service and coverage for a set number of attending physicians but that is not true of our program. We adjust the number of attending physicians who are allowed to admit to the residents' teaching services to achieve an optimal number and mix of patients. Your monthly evaluation of our faculty helps us choose those attendings that provide the best educational experience for you. Most ward services admit both general internal medicine patients as well as subspecialty patients.
You must be a Teacher
Third and fourth year medical students assigned to our wards depend on you for an important part of their education. Patient education is an essential part of being an excellent physician. The teacher always learns more than the student does.
One-on-One Subspecialty Teaching
For each elective, you select the subspecialist who will mentor you based on your opinion of who is the best teacher. At their office and at the hospital you will evaluate the new patients referred for consultation and the follow-up patients. After you write the report, you present it to your instructor. Every subspecialty recognized by the ABIM is represented in considerable depth including cardiac electrophysiology as well as neurology, dermatology, sleep medicine, psychiatry, medical informatics and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Talk to a Resident or Student
You will get the clearest picture by coming here talking with our residents and medical students.
Use FREIDA
The Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database has many details about us.
Use ERAS
Apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service. Include your Dean's letter and three letters of recommendation from faculty who have worked with you in a clinical setting. If you have research experience, a letter from you mentor would be helpful.