Photo By Rebecca Perron | 170616-N-GM597-024 Portsmouth, Va. (June 16, 2017) The Internal Medicine Residency...... read more read more
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s Internal Medicine Residency Class of 2017 graduated seven residents June 16 after they completed a three-year program that included the first year as an intern. They will support the fleet in an operational billet, staff internist billet, or begin a fellowship.
The residency program gives physicians a broad experience in internal medicine and the internal medicine sub-specialties. They have opportunities to explore subspecialties based on their interests, and care for patients in an inpatient ward and outpatient clinical setting. During the course of the program, they are trained by about 40 to 50 faculty members from many different subspecialties.
“You are well equipped and ready. You’ve been taught to think critically, so use your heads – it’s the best tool you will ever have,” said Capt. James Radike, the keynote speaker during the graduation ceremony. “The next three years out of your residency are critical for consolidating your learning. Ask questions, take the tough patients, and read, read, read. I cannot think of any other professional more rewarding and enjoyable. You’ll take care of some terrific people.”
Internist can be primary care physicians and also serve as a specialist to physicians in the Family Practice Program. Internal Medicine includes about a dozen subspecialties, from nephrology, cardiology and pulmonary to allergy, immunology and oncology.
“Internists are doctors for adults and provide care for the total scope of a disease,” said Capt. Joseph Sposato, the residency program’s director. “They have specialized training in more advanced disease processes, like the advanced management of diabetes, hypertension, coronary disease, heart failure and kidney diseases.
At the beginning of the three-year program, each resident is assigned 120 to 150 patients who will be under their care for the duration of their residency.
“They ensure their patients have their health maintenance up to date, have access to acute care appointments and receive results of lab work, so that primary physician role is cemented from day one,” Sposato said. “The continuity is unique here in the sense that we have matched patient, resident and attending physician, and so by working in teams, the patients will see the same resident as their primary physician, who is then supervised by the same attending throughout their residency.”
Sposato said the structure of NMCP’s residency program is a very deliberate balance of inpatient and outpatient care experiences. He also believes what sets the Internal Medicine residency at Portsmouth apart from the other training sites are the people.
“There are more investitures, in my opinion, in the way that our faculty interacts with the residents,” Sposato said. “The faculty works directly with the residents, so that supervisory, collaborative relationship is fostered better.”
Resident Lt. Laura Barrett said she was thankful for the unique setting that NMCP’s residency program offers.
“We have physicians at different ranks and with different experiences,” she said. “This gives us mentorship that can help guide us. We get to know them and I find that very helpful, which is important in this learning environment.”
The graduation is the pinnacle that Barrett has worked toward for 23 years. She decided to become a doctor because she was attracted to math and science early, and then was inspired to join the Navy by her husband, who is also active duty.
“I want to take care of those who take care of our country,” said Barrett, whose next assignment is Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in northern Virginia. “I chose Internal Medicine because there are so many opportunities within it, whether it’s a fellowship or finding your niche in clinic. The long-term relationships that we get with our patients – this week I’m almost in tears as I say goodbye to the patients I have taken care of for three years and prepare to transfer their care to an incoming resident.”
Barrett said she is looking forward to continuing to grow since medicine is a lifelong learning opportunity and may consider a cardiology or oncology fellowship in the future.
For fellow resident Lt. Edward Wiemholt, the graduation marks a point where he feels like he has really accomplished something.
“It’s been a lot completing high school through medical school. It is exciting thinking about being able to spread our wings and be on our own,” said Wiemholt, who will be stationed at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for 18 months.
Wiemholt grew up planning to serve in the military and was intrigued by the opportunity to travel the world and take care of service members on the front lines.
“I chose Internal Medicine because I like the idea of developing relationships with patients, getting to know them in a primary care-type setting, but also taking care of acute needs in a hospital, and being versatile and being able to practice medicine in a clinic, a hospital or in a forward-deployed setting,” Wiemholt said.
The highlight of his residency experience was the opportunity to travel to Thailand for a month to assist with malaria research.
“It’s cool to see how widespread Navy Medicine is,” Wiemholt said. “This was in conjunction with Army research as well. To see the different branches of service and countries coming together to accomplish the goal of eradicating malaria in Southeast Asia, to experience Navy Medicine and its outreach on a global level is what I joined for.
“This is a career, something we love,” he added. “It’s our passion and something we take pride in.”
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2017 16:03 |
| Story ID: | 238559 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 422 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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