The Broward Health Family Medicine Residency Program, in affiliation with Nova Southeastern University, is committed to train knowledgeable family physicians capable of providing compassionate, comprehensive, and culturally-competent health care in a complex medical environment.

Our curriculum emphasizes the life-long acquisition of medical knowledge, the development of interpersonal and professional skills, and the value of the bedside manner. In contrast to most other family medicine program programs, ours challenges each resident with managing a large patient census at a large community-based hospital as well as their own patient panels in an academic outpatient clinic.

Under the guidance of our experienced attending physicians and faculty, our residents’ fund of knowledge is cultivated via exposure to diverse pathology, the most recent updates in technology, and hands-on training. Our graduates have gone on to fellowships, academia, and practice in the inpatient and outpatient settings. They truly are prepared to practice and lead as family physicians and primary care providers in any clinical setting in the nation.

View  Curriculum

Rotation Descriptions

Family Medicine Inpatient

The FM inpatient service provides care for patients from the Sanford L. Ziff Clinic and local Broward community who require hospitalization. This service is composed of two first-year residents and two senior residents who are supervised by Family Medicine attendings. While on FM inpatient service, residents have the opportunity to participate in morning report, attend noon-time CME didactics and interact with a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare providers. This service provides an opportunity for residents to care for a diverse patient population with a wide array of medical conditions.  With the team structure residents develop leadership skills, gain confidence in patient care management and have the opportunity to teach medical students.

Family Medicine Ambulatory Care Clinic

The NSU Sanford L. Ziff Clinic is the ambulatory site for the residents’ continuity of care experience. The residents longitudinally provide preventive care, primary acute and chronic care, with gradual autonomy under the supervision of a group of well-trained family physicians. The residents provide care to patients who are diverse in age, ethnicity, and pathology. Over the 3-year period residents build their confidence and develop great doctor-patient relationships.

Community Health

Residents have the opportunity to rotate with Broward Health affiliated physicians at their health care clinic or pursue additional electives allowing exposure to the healthcare needs of underserved population. Residents have the ability to enhance their primary care disease management skills in this outpatient setting while also obtaining cultural competency skills.

Cardiology

During this month, residents work with a cardiology group to provide inpatient cardiac care. They are responsible for cardiac consults, orders, and medical management. This includes management of arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema, code situations, hypotension, and complications of anticoagulation/thrombolytic therapy.

Dermatology

Residents work with a Dermatologist in the private practice setting, but also assist with consults in the hospital and can participate in a monthly clinic within the hospital outpatient clinic for the underserved population. This rotation allows residents to strengthen their confidence and skills in diagnosing and managing a variety of skin conditions. They also obtain experience performing skin biopsies, cryotherapy, and other dermatologic procedures.

Emergency Medicine

Our EM department at BHMC is a Level 1 Trauma Center and exposes our residents to a large volume of patients and exposure to emergency situations in all levels of acuity. The residents gain an exciting hands-on opportunity to care for adults and pediatric patients.  With BHMC being a safety net hospital, residents are exposed to a fast paced environment with a variety of medical conditions, levels of acuity, opportunity to be involved in procedures, as well as contributing to patient and family care needs. Senior residents also have the opportunity to rotate at the Broward Health Coral Spring ER.

General Surgery

Residents on the general surgery rotations work with a private surgical group of physicians, at Coral Springs Medical Center. They provide care to patients both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. The residents learn common surgical procedures, indications for referral, as well as perioperative and postoperative management.

Palliative Medicine

During the palliative medicine rotation, residents have the opportunity to work with a Palliative Medicine/Pain Specialist at Broward Heath and see patients both in an outpatient and inpatient setting. They also can see patients in a local assisted living facility.

Inpatient Pediatrics

Residents work with the Pediatrics Department at Broward Health Coral Springs to develop skills to care for acutely ill children in a hospital setting. On this rotation they participate in daily teaching rounds, where cases are discussed in entirety to provide complete medical care to Broward Health’s youngest patients.  During their 3 years at Broward, they also have an opportunity to master their skills in the care of healthy newborn infants in the newborn nursery.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

On this rotation, residents work closely with board certified OB/GYN physicians in the inpatient and outpatient settings. Residents are exposed to the full scope of OB/GYN. The residents work in the GYN clinic learning how to manage general GYN complaints and have a chance to participate in various GYN procedures. They work closely with the OB/GYN attendings to learn about prenatal and postpartum care and learn to triage and manage high-risk patients. Residents gain experience caring for laboring mothers, performing deliveries and assisting in OB/GYN surgeries and procedures.

Sports Medicine

During these rotations residents are exposed to common musculoskeletal conditions that are seen in the outpatient sports medicine clinics. These rotations help residents gain confidence in performing musculoskeletal examinations, sports physicals, and injections.

Electives

These rotations allow residents the flexibility of choosing rotations that will enhance their medical training and strengthen their skills as they pursue their own professional interests. Residents can choose from established electives or work with the program director to seek an elective in their own area of interest.

Selective Medicine

For these rotations, residents select from a list of Medicine services offered throughout BHMC. The medicine selection list includes; Allergy & Immunology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Hematology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Neurology, Oncology, Pulmonology, and Rheumatology.

Psychiatry

Residents spend 4 weeks during the first year on this inpatient psychiatry rotation learning to evaluate, triage, and manage various mental health conditions. They evaluate patients through the ER as well as patients that are voluntarily and involuntarily admitted directly to the psychiatry department inpatient service. Residents are also exposed to consults in the inpatient setting dealing with matters such as determination of capacity to make decision, difficulty coping with a diagnosis, altered mental status, and other topics relevant to the specialty.

How Much Clinic Experience Do the Residents Get at their Family Medicine Residency Clinic?

The Family Medicine Residency Clinic is located at the Ziff Building located at the campus of Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. PGY1s spend 1-2 days a week during most of their rotations at the clinic. PGY2s and PGY3s currently spent almost two out of their four weeks, typically alternating weeks, for most of their rotations at the Family Medicine Clinic. During their Inpatient Family Medicine Rotation, the residents typically spend two days during that four week block at the clinic. PGY2s currently have one whole block (four weeks) of clinic whereas PGY3s have two whole blocks of clinic. The residents get a well rounded and extensive clinic experience.

What is the Family Medicine Clinic Experience Like for Residents?

PGY1s spend the first six months of residency seeing patients at the Family Medicine clinic with senior residents, typically PGY3s, and learn to use the electronic health system. Starting in January of their PGY1 year, residents see patients scheduled under their own names and develop a continuity patient panel. They get to work with medical students and precept to academic Family Medicine attendings. Residents get to see some common but also some unique pathology that may not be seen at other clinics. Some patients specifically come to our clinic, even if they don’t live close by, so that they can be seen by residents.

How Does the Inpatient Family Medicine Service Operate?

The Inpatient Family Medicine Service is truly a resident run service. The Inpatient Family Medicine Service consists of two interns (PGY1s) and two seniors residents. The residents have the opportunity to interact with other residents, specialists, NPs, and PAs. The Inpatient Medicine Attendings consist of Family Medicine Faculty who typically alternate on a weekly basis. The residents have about 10-11 four week blocks of inpatient medicine during their three years of residency. Residents get to see some common but also some unique pathology that may not be seen at other hospitals.

What is the Typical Census for the Inpatient Family Medicine Service?

The census can fluctuate but typically averages around 4-8 patients.