Community Medicine
Rotation in Community Medicine
In the final block of the PGY-1 year, residents participate in a month-long curriculum based at Highland Family Medicine (HFM) and in the community. The rotation is designed to explore social and economic determinants of health and to develop skills for community-level interventions. The month provides seminar discussions and group and individual project development. Areas covered in seminars include public health, social epidemiology, culture and health, medical economics/politics, and occupational health. Also, field trips to local non-profit sites provide firsthand experience in ongoing community efforts and resources to support our patients outside of the clinic setting. This block provides an important time to look at the social context in which medical care is delivered and health/illness is determined.
The month also provides a timely opportunity for residents ending their intern year to meet together as a group to reaffirm their commitment to Family Medicine and to re-establish their own sense of community after the varied demands of the first year. A group-generated project is completed within the month and presented to the entire department.
Residents may also take time during this month to identify an individual project in an area of interest that they wish to pursue longitudinally during their second and third years of residency. Protected time off from clinic or rotations is provided to residents who select a Focused Area of Interest (FAI) project.
Previous group projects have included:
- 2024: Community Literacy Access for Underserved Rochester Families
- 2023: 490 Urban Farm Community Garden
- 2022: Community Garden Care with Rochester Ecology Partners
- 2021: Construction and stocking of Neighborhood Library Boxes
- 2020: Narcan Training
- 2019: Partnership with Foodlink / Highland Family Medicine Community Garden
- 2018: Rochester City School #12 Community Garden
- 2017: Teen Health and Success Partnership
- 2016: Hoop Hoop Community Garden
- 2015: Clean Up Project in the South Wedge
- 2014: Rochester Roots Group Project
- 2013: Coat Drive to benefit Bethany House
Family Medicine Links to the Community
This special 2-week rotation in coordination with the Pediatrics Department occurs during the R-1 year. Residents work with medical and non-medical providers from a variety of community sites to provide health care and education for underserved families. The FMLC rotation enhances residents’ knowledge of community-based organizations that provide not only health care, but also advocacy, legal assistance, shelter, education, counseling, protection, food and clothing to their underserved patient population. It is an ideal hands-on mini-course in community resources for the health care provider.