Becoming a Family Physician

Our goal, simply, is to enable you to receive in three short years the training you need to succesfully transition to your own Family Medicine practice. We do this by modeling a real-life practice environment in many ways, some obvious, some subtle.

The Nesset Family Medicine Center

The Nesset Center is a model training center, with a large and diverse patient population. This outstanding office-based clinical experience is designed to replicate an actual office environment. You will have your own pool of patients, and you will work closely with your nurses, front office personnel, and your resident colleagues. In addition, you will have your own shared office space and your own section of the family medicine center for seeing your patients.

Our faculty will work closely with you in hospital-based and office-based patient care. And, just as in real-life, you are available to "cover" your colleagues' patients, just as they will be available to "cover" yours. This framework teaches the natural team-building and cooperation skills that are vital in daily practice.

The Hospital Environment

The close proximity of the Nesset Center to Lutheran General Hospital (one block away) makes this model practice environment effective and convenient. Lutheran General Hospital is an outstanding practice facility, rated one of the top 100 hospitals in the country. The level of expertise of its attending staff, and their committment to teaching make the hospital experience a very strong component of our residency. You will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with these physicians, learning their styles and forming your own.

Take a Virtual Tour of the Hospital

Consistent with the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), our residency has implemented revised duty hours for our residents. What this means is a work schedule that allows regular time for rest. A summary of these changes looks like this:

• No post-call afternoon office hours (if you were in the hospital or came in from home.)
• One day off per week, with an average of four days off per block.
• Work hours capped at 80 hours per week. This is a maximum. A week's worth of work hours are often a lot less.
• An overall better quality of life without sacrificing clinical experience and a top-notch medical education!

Managed care in action

The Nesset Center actively serves a diverse range of patients, including managed care. The art of managed care is taught on a daily basis, so that you can learn the skills needed to provide outstanding patient care in this new environment. We teach reality and our aim is for you to succeed in your new practice.

PDA Project

Many of our faculty use pocket digital assistants and we have been impressed with their ability to help us organize and simplify our lives. Since July, 2000, we equip all our residents with HP IPAQ Organizers and incorporate their use into our residency program. 

Electronic Medical Record

The Nesset Family Medicine Center now uses the web-based TouchWorks electronic health record system. TouchWorks provides instant access to patient information and automates everyday clinical tasks such as prescribing medications and documenting patient visits, while connecting physicians electronically to laboratories and pharmacies. The Electronic Health Record will also assist in automatically tracks key patient outcomes, providing the information needed to improve the effectiveness of disease management, health maintenance, and care planning initiatives.

Special Settings

In addition to the Nesset Family Medicine office setting and the hospital environment, our residency program offers three unique practice settings not often found in other programs. These active programs provide a dynamic and practical experience into these fascinating areas of medical practice. Click on "Programs" to learn more.