Choosing the right family medicine residency program is a pivotal step in your medical career. For those seeking a robust, community-focused yet academically rigorous program, Texas Tech Family Medicine Residency Program in Amarillo stands out. Established in 1972, it’s among the pioneering residency programs at Texas Tech University Health Science Center (TTUHSC). We seamlessly blend the extensive resources and research opportunities of a leading university with the welcoming atmosphere and close-knit community feel that Amarillo is known for. At TTUHSC, you’ll gain access to cutting-edge technologies, diverse research avenues, and invaluable training from clinical faculty across various subspecialties, all within a healthcare environment that serves not only the Texas Panhandle but also neighboring communities across four states.
Our unopposed residency at Baptist St. Anthony’s Hospital offers a unique advantage: unparalleled access to a large and varied patient population. This means you’ll encounter a full spectrum of ages, cultures, and medical conditions, providing you with comprehensive clinical experience without the competition from other residency programs.
Program Aims: Shaping Future Leaders in Family Medicine
The core mission of our Texas Tech Family Medicine Residency Program is to cultivate highly competent and compassionate family physicians. We achieve this through a comprehensive curriculum designed to:
- Provide Comprehensive Training: Our program delivers in-depth training in all facets of family medicine. Residents benefit from extensive outpatient and inpatient services, exposing them to diverse patient populations and a wide array of medical cases. We emphasize patient-centered care, evidence-based medicine, and collaborative practice, fostering the development of empathetic and proficient healthcare providers. Our commitment to excellence, innovation, and community engagement ensures our graduates are well-prepared to positively impact the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
- Develop Inpatient Expertise: Through our demanding inpatient program, residents acquire essential hands-on experience across various hospital settings. This immersive experience allows them to hone the critical skills and in-depth knowledge necessary for success in the dynamic field of medicine.
- Foster Community Engagement: We believe in the importance of community integration. Our residents actively participate in a range of medical and non-medical events throughout Amarillo, enabling them to make significant contributions to the health and well-being of the local community and develop a sense of social responsibility.
- Instill Core Values: Our comprehensive training program is designed to instill fundamental values of diversity, humility, honesty, and resilience in our residents. We aim to equip them not only with medical expertise but also with the leadership qualities and adaptability needed to become influential figures and agents of positive change within the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.
Curriculum Overview: A Progressive Training Journey
Our Texas Tech Family Medicine residency curriculum is structured to provide a progressive and well-rounded educational experience across three years (PGY-1, PGY-2, PGY-3).
PGY-1: Foundations in Inpatient Care
The first year of your residency (PGY-1) begins with an immersive 4-week orientation within our Family Medicine department. The initial focus is on building a strong foundation in core inpatient care areas. Seven months of rotations are strategically placed within other academic departments at TTUHSC. This unique approach allows our residents to gain firsthand perspectives from residents in other specialties, as they share the same responsibilities as their first-year peers in those disciplines. The remaining five months are based at Baptist St. Anthony (BSA) Health System, our primary teaching hospital. During this time, residents refine their inpatient and emergency room (ER) skills while becoming acclimated to our community hospital environment.
PGY-2: Expanding Clinical Skills and Critical Care Exposure
Your second year (PGY-2) expands your clinical expertise with extensive inpatient and outpatient care experiences. You will collaborate with a diverse group of community physicians, broadening your exposure to different practice styles and patient populations. Crucially, PGY-2 also introduces you to the intensive care unit (ICU) environment and critical care medicine, providing essential training in managing acutely ill patients.
PGY-3: Independent Practice and Elective Opportunities
The final year of residency (PGY-3) is designed to prepare you for independent practice. A significant component of the PGY-3 year is 16 weeks of elective rotations, allowing for personalized learning and exploration of specific areas of interest within family medicine. Alongside electives, you will continue to develop your skills in inpatient and outpatient settings, and gain valuable insights into practice management, ensuring you are well-equipped to navigate the business aspects of running a successful family medicine practice. PGY-3 is the culmination of your residency, solidifying your readiness to practice independently as a board-certified family physician.
Obstetrics Training: Comprehensive Maternity Care Experience
For residents interested in maternity care, our program offers robust obstetrics experience. Residents follow continuity obstetrical patients throughout their prenatal care journey, delivery at Northwest Texas Hospital (NWTH), and postpartum care. We also partner with a community organization to provide prenatal services to low-income women, who also deliver at NWTH. This partnership expands obstetrical experience, particularly for residents with a strong interest in incorporating maternity care into their future practices.
Dedicated Didactics and Procedure Clinic
One afternoon each week is dedicated to a structured year-long curriculum encompassing Core Topics in Family Medicine, Morbidity and Mortality conferences, Journal Club discussions, and Board Review sessions to ensure comprehensive knowledge acquisition and board preparedness. Furthermore, we offer a weekly procedure clinic staffed by both residents and faculty. This clinic provides hands-on experience in performing outpatient procedures commonly encountered in family medicine practice, enhancing procedural skills and confidence.
Benefits of Choosing Texas Tech Family Medicine Residency
We understand that residency is a demanding but incredibly rewarding journey. At Texas Tech Family Medicine in Amarillo, we are committed to supporting your individual goals and ensuring you meet all program requirements.
Our faculty is deeply dedicated to teaching and mentoring residents, nurturing them into well-rounded and compassionate family medicine physicians. We offer a program that is both rigorous and flexible, providing progressive responsibility within a supportive and welcoming environment. These defining features of the TTUHSC Family Medicine residency in Amarillo create an optimal training experience.
Departmental Benefits: Investing in Your Future
- Professional Organizations: The Department covers your membership dues for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Texas Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP). Active participation in these organizations is strongly encouraged, fostering professional development and networking opportunities.
- Paid Vacation Time Off: PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents receive 15 days of paid vacation, while PGY-3 residents receive 20 days, ensuring adequate time for personal well-being and rejuvenation. Time off is subject to Program Director approval and service coordination.
- Books & Membership Dues/CME: PGY-1 residents receive a $500 allowance for books and membership dues (book selections require Program Director approval). PGY-2 residents receive $500 for Continuing Medical Education (CME), and PGY-3 residents receive $750. For PGY-3 residents interested in board review, the department arranges a board review course prior to graduation in lieu of other CME during the third year (mandatory for residents scoring below a certain threshold on in-training exams).
- Moonlighting: Moonlighting opportunities within the Amarillo area are available to PGY-II and PGY-III residents, providing supplemental income and further clinical experience. Program Director approval is required for moonlighting participation, and it’s important to note that professional liability insurance is not provided by TTUHSC for moonlighting activities.
For comprehensive information regarding institutional benefits, including leave policies and medical malpractice insurance, please visit the Graduate Medical Education page.
We invite you to learn more about Texas Tech Family Medicine Residency Program in Amarillo. Contact our department at 806-414-9493 or via email at [email protected] to begin your journey towards a fulfilling career in family medicine.
