Opportunities

Centering Health

Our practice participates in group care using the Centering Healthcare model. Currently, our clinic has three different kinds of Centering groups, and residents participate with patients in all three. These include:

  1. Centering Pregnancy - patients in all stages of pregnancy receive their prenatal care and get education in a group setting. This provides both peer and physician support for women throughout their pregnancy and into the post-partum period.  
  2. Centering Parenting - patients participating in our CenteringParenting groups receive routine well-child care through age 2. Parents can connect with other families who have similarly-aged children to discuss common childhood issues. Parents are actively involved in their baby’s care, including tracking growth, immunizations, and oral health. 
  3. Healthy Habits - this griup is focused on patients who want to make a positive change in their lifestyle. It includes a health examination by a physician, followed by group exercise led by exercise physiology students at our own local university (CMU). Patients then prepare a healthy meal together while discussing nutrition basics.

Global Health

All residents at SMFMR are included in a set of didactic presentations on topics of global health such as the major international aid organizations, global burdens of disease, epidemiology, HIV, TB, and pre and post-travel recommendations. Several faculty members have extensive experience with international work in complex emergencies, military missions, and refugee care. Those with interest in additional training are encourage to participate in our partnership with the Lesotho-Boston Health Alliance program in Hlotse, Lesotho!

HIV

St. Mary’s Family Practice houses the Western Colorado HIV Specialty Care Clinic, established in 2000. The St. Mary’s Family Medicine Residency HIV and Viral Hepatitis Area of Concentration is a 24-month longitudinal experience which will train family medicine residents to provide comprehensive and high quality care to patients living with HIV and viral hepatitis; and become educators and leaders in the care of these patients in community-based settings. Participants will learn to manage all aspects of HIV care, including:

  • Antiretroviral management
  • Opportunistic infections
  • HIV-specific disease manifestations
  • HIV-related primary care as well the management of Hepatitis B and C without decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinom

Honors Program

We allow residents to pursue Areas of Concentration during their residency, giving them additional training in an area of their choice. Choosing an area of concentration allows a resident guidance and additional resources to focus on skill sets they might need in their future practice. Examples of recent areas of concentration for residents include:

  • Additional study in integrative medicine through the Andrew Weil Institute
  • Focusing on additional training in MAT, exercise stress tests, dermatology, and sideline sports medicine
  • A focus on C-section, colposcopy, and LEEP training

Obstetrics and Women's Health

Residents desiring to develop additional procedural and management skills in obstetrics and women’s health have this opportunity, under the guidance of our two Family Medicine/Obstetrics fellowship trained faculty. Opportunities include:

  • One on one on experience with labor and delivery
  • Provide prenatal care in our clinic
  • Provide care for high risk conditions, including preterm labor, abruptions, TOLACs, trauma, pre-eclampsia, and postpartum hemorrhage
  • Gain experience with vacuum deliveries, cesareans, and OB ultrasound
  • Perform contraceptive procedures at the Mesa County Health Department
  • Perform LEEPs and colposcopies in the St Mary FM Residency clinic
  • Receive certification as providers in Advanced Life Support in Obstetric
  • Participate in group prenatal visits through our Centering in Pregnancy program
  • Assist pregnant women with substance abuse disorders through their pregnancy
  • Participate in scheduled cesareans for additional surgical experience

Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic examination and treatment is taught to all residents during their time at St. Mary’s Family Residency. DO residents start with OMT clinics with an Osteopathic faculty and are then cleared to do some OMT in their continuity clinic. MD residents also rotate through OMT clinic with an emphasis on structural examination and how that can help with diagnosis, appropriate referrals and treatment.

Behavioral Medicine Resident Education

Students often choose family medicine as a residency based on their values and interest in providing cradle-to-grave, whole-person, and family oriented care. Our residency curriculum aligns with these core values and is reflected in our mission statement.

We know that major determinants of health in the US currently involve behavioral, relational, and lifestyle factors. Consequently, family medicine residency programs across the country are increasingly focusing attention on the development of competencies and skills related to caring for the whole patient –facilitating relationship and individual changes that lead to better overall health outcomes.

Training residents to meet the complex challenges presented by patients in primary care, including mood/anxiety disorders, addiction to substances/alcohol, and relational problems is a central focus of our curriculum. Our team includes two full-time behavioral medicine faculty, physician faculty trained in addiction medicine, pharmacy faculty, as well as doctoral level fellows in medical family therapy. Additionally, we have a team of other therapists, social workers, case managers, etc. that provide support to residents in our clinic.

All residents are exposed to a longitudinal curriculum, developing and refining skills and competencies over the three years through structured workshops, seminars, rotations, and didactic lectures (please see link for full description and detail of the curriculum by year). Throughout residency, trainees will be observed (directly through digital video capture), coached, and supported by our faculty to develop necessary skills for future practice of family medicine.