Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome to the Boston University Internal Medicine Residency Program at Boston Medical Center! I am thrilled that you are interested in our program and hope the information you find here will help you begin to understand what our program has to offer.

We have a rich tradition of training well-rounded physicians who are able to think critically, act collaboratively, and thrive in a challenging, fast-paced environment. Our motto, “Excellent patient care. Learn every day. Teach every day. Have fun,” encompasses the goals we strive for within our program. We are proud to advance the long-standing social mission of Boston Medical Center — to serve the people of this city with the most exceptional care, without exception.

If you asked our residents to name the strongest characteristic of our program, you would hear one overwhelmingly popular response: diversity. This answer certainly refers to the diversity of our patient population and the breadth of medical conditions we see, both of which are key features of our program. Importantly, it also reflects  our strong focus on recruiting and supporting a diverse group of house officers who mirror our patient populations and enrich resident learning. Additionally, our diverse methods of training balance real world clinical experiences with protected, interactive teaching spaces, such as academic half day, which includes simulation based learning for procedural and communications skills. Our approach to teaching reflects our belief that residents are partners in the innovation and evolution of the resident experience. The many resident-led committees drive and affect our work in aspects of inpatient and outpatient operations, curricula, recruitment, and more.

We recognize that every resident has unique interests and career goals, and our training program enables residents to individualize their learning experience within the parameters stipulated by the ACGME. Through implementing innovative training models, we are able to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing world of medical education. For over a decade, we have used an integrated 3+1 scheduling model, which has created a focused inpatient experience for the residents, while providing broad exposure to both continuity clinic and ambulatory subspecialty medicine. Residents can engage in specialty based continuity clinics or specific continuity clinics such as our refugee clinic. Our longstanding Primary Care Training Program track  trains future primary care doctors to care for urban underserved patient populations. In their second year, regardless of their track, all residents can apply to participate in one of six individualized pathways: Health Equity; HIV Medicine; Medical Educator; Patient Safety/Quality Improvement; Clinical Informatics; and the Framingham Heart Study. We also utilize the wealth of knowledge in our department’s faculty, creating specific mentorship experiences and giving residents the opportunity to develop research projects tailored to their long-term career goals.

Lastly, I would like to highlight the strong sense of camaraderie that exists at every level of our program. This is perhaps the most important quality of any training program. From faculty and fellows to administrators and ancillary staff, our residents have a well-established network of people to turn to for support and guidance. Outside of the medical center, our residents enjoy spending time together in historical Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods. We greatly appreciate your interest in our program, and as you explore our website, I hope you discover, and are inspired by, the unique qualities of this training program that inspire us every day.

Sincerely,

Craig Noronha, MD
Program Director