From The Huddle: Welcome 502 New Trainees

by amande | Jun 21, 2023 | Announcements, News, Sticky

As the new academic year begins, 502 new residents and fellows are joining UW Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs to further their medical and dental training.

Graduate medical education refers to the period of education in a particular specialty (residency) or subspecialty (fellowship) following medical or dental school. Here, trainees work in hundreds of different programs, from emergency medicine and surgery to lesser-known specialties such as nuclear medicine and headache medicine.

One in six physicians at UW Medicine is a resident or fellow, and over 100 graduating residents and fellows accept faculty roles within UW Medicine each year.

“It is always a pleasure to welcome new residents and fellows to our UW Medicine family. Every year, we look forward to training the next generation of exceptional physicians and to their many contributions to our patients — and to improving the health of all people,” says Byron Joyner, MD, vice dean for Graduate Medical Education and a Designated Institutional Official.

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From The Huddle: Get to Know Our Chief Residents and Fellows

by amande | Feb 8, 2023 | Announcements, News, Sticky

The chief residents and fellows at UW Medicine are key players in the clinical space through their guidance and leadership, but who are they?

The chief residents and fellows are trainees, usually senior, who serve as the leaders and representatives for the group of residents or fellows in their training program. Their roles and responsibilities can vary greatly depending on their program, but each chief resident and fellow is expected to be a model of professionalism, to communicate or liaise with a variety of stakeholders to represent their trainees’ needs or opinions, and to provide counsel to trainees about all matters — big or small.

These roles are essential at UW Medicine because these individuals represent the interests and opinions of a critical group of the workforce while also acting as subject matter experts. They answer questions that would otherwise go to faculty or administrative staff and bring knowledge and insight that might otherwise get lost when developing policies, practices and communications. Many chiefs eventually pursue faculty roles and become clinician educators within the system.

Serving as chief is also an opportunity for a trainee to expand their leadership skills and get insight into the complexities of how a training program is operated. The selection process varies depending on the program. Some programs hold faculty or peer elections, while others have faculty members select trainees based on written criteria. All chiefs are chosen for their leadership abilities, clinical or scholarly accomplishments, administrative or oversight abilities, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.  

To be a chief resident or fellow is a prestigious honor — one that can involve an additional year of training beyond the board eligibility and requires a large amount of attention. It denotes a respected leader.  

Get to know some of the chief residents and fellows >

From The Huddle: 3 Pieces of Advice from GME Trainees

by amande | Jun 24, 2022 | Announcements, News, Sticky

This year, UW Medicine Graduate Medical Education is welcoming 471 new trainees. Each year, UW Medicine sponsors over 1,500 residents and fellows, which means that about one in six physicians is a trainee — making up a significant part of our physician population.

“Our residents and fellows play an important role in caring for our patients at UW Medicine, from providing exceptional care to contributing to our research and education efforts,” says Tim Dellit, MD, chief medical officer for UW Medicine, executive vice dean for clinical affairs in the UW School of Medicine, and president of UW Physicians. “We are excited to welcome our incoming trainees.”

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