FAQs

1. How are residents evaluated and what does feedback look like?

Residents are given monthly performance evaluations for each rotation. Additionally, residents are given immediate feedback on clinical skills, history taking and physical exam skills, patient rapport and diagnostic and decision-making skills. Evaluations from co-residents are de-identified and compiled together prior to becoming available to the evaluated resident. Each resident also has bi-annual check-ins with the Program Director which allows for additional personal feedback. 

2. Are residents charged for parking?

Residents have free, designated, covered parking at all rotation sites. All parking garages are directly adjacent to the clinical sites via sky bridge, walkway, or direct attachment.

3. How much call do you take as a resident?

Due to the structure of our Night Float system, residents in our program do not have any designated call shifts. Our Night Float team covers overnight call for admitted patients, as well as the Internal Medicine Clinic after-hours line from 8p-6a. Senior residents do assist with call for the Internal Medicine Clinic after-hours line during their clinic week; this call is taken completely from home, and is primarily focused on triaging after-hours concerns. Senior residents will typically have 1-2 on-call sessions per clinic week, usually a 6a-8a period and 5p-8p period. 

4. Will I be working any 24-hour shifts?

No, there are no 24-hour continuous shifts required. The longest shift our residents work is 12 hours.

5. What EMR do residents utilize?

The clinic at OU uses outpatient Epic. At Saint Francis and Hillcrest you will also use Epic. Rotations at Ascension Saint John will use Cerner.

6. Are any meals / food provided to residents?

At all hospital sites, residents receive a food card with a monthly spending allowance that can be utilized in the cafeteria (and the in-hospital Starbucks at St. Francis and Ascension St. John). The amount of the monthly food allowance varies between the hospitals. At St. Francis, soft drinks and drip coffee are free to residents during cafeteria hours. In the resident longitudinal clinic, lunch is provided Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday during Clinical Noon Conference.

7. Do most of your graduates choose to specialize or practice general internal medicine?

The percentage of graduates who pursue sub-specialities varies greatly from year-to-year. The most popular sub-specialities among our graduates in recent years include Nephrology, Pulm-Crit, Cardiology, and Gastroenterology. Please see the “Our People” page for further details. We pride ourselves on producing well-rounded graduates who are prepared for both general practice and/or subspecialty training.No, all applicants are subject to the same requirements.

8. Are graduates prepared to take the Internal Medicine Board Exam?

Our Academic Afternoon curriculum is designed to ensure that graduates are well-prepared for the ABIM exam. Our curriculum is designed such that the entirety of MKSAP is covered each academic year. The program tracks internal metrics from the In-service Training Exam (ITE) to ensure residents are on track to pass the ABIM examination. Our three-year average ABIM pass rate is 97%, with 100% pass rates for both the 2023 and 2024 academic years.

9. Is there an education or conference stipend/allowance?

Our program is incredibly proud of our research presence, with multiple residents publishing in peer-reviewed publications and presenting at national conferences each year. Fees for research activity performed with the Department of Internal Medicine are reimbursed to the resident by the department - this includes abstract submission fees, publishing fees for accepted manuscripts, etc. The department will also fund resident conference fees, travel, lodging, and meals for approved professional conferences.

10. What learning resources are provided to residents?

All residents are provided access to MKSAP, the primary learning resource for the American Board of Internal Medicine; with this account also comes free access to DynaMed. Additionally, UWorld is provided for third-year residents. UpToDate and Lexidrug, as well as countless other informational databases, are provided by the University of Oklahoma.

11. What is the structure of your didactics?

The program has a dedicated time every Wednesday called “Academic Afternoon” which occurs from 1pm to 5pm and is typically housed at the Learning Center on the OU-Tulsa campus. All residents with few exceptions (such as ICU and nights) are required to attend during this protected time. Additionally, residents on the general internal medicine wards attend Noon Conference on weekdays which varies in format and acts as a supplemental curriculum to the weekly Academic Afternoon.

12. How do days off on wards work?

Residents will get a total of 5 days off for 4-week inpatient wards rotation. You can choose your days off during the rotation and typically days off are discussed with the co-residents on your team to ensure adequate coverage.

13. Are there opportunities for moonlighting for senior residents?

Yes. Residents that are in their PGY2 or PGY3 year who are in good standing are permitted to participate in external moonlighting at the discretion of the program director and subject to compliance with ACGME requirements. Residents will be required to ensure the hosting site offers malpractice insurance or secure their own malpractice insurance at their own expense and secure their own separate non-academic DEA license.

14. Do residents get any teaching opportunities?

Our residency program is affiliated with the OU-TU School of Community Medicine, the 4-year Community Medicine track houses within the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine; this allows us to work with rotating MS3 and PA-2 students on their Internal Medicine clerkships year-round. We pride ourselves on providing a supportive and constructive learning environment for medical and PA students who rotate with us. Residents are integral to supplementing student education, both through informal instruction and brief clinical “chalk talks” and through formal didactics led by residents on the general medicine wards (daily Noon Conference). Senior residents also get the opportunity to act as clinical preceptors 1-2 times yearly in the completely student-run medical clinic, the Bedlam Clinic. There are also opportunities to assist leading pre-clinical students in skills workshops, such as procedure clinics.

15. How many patients will I see in the clinic?

During your “+1” clinic week you will work 6-7 half-days in a continuity clinic. Interns are expected to see up to 5 patients per half day, PGY-2 residents will see up to 6 per half day, and PGY-3 residents will see up to 7 per half day. During your first clinic week as a PGY-1, you will have a reduced schedule (typically 2-3 patients per half day) to allow you to become familiar with the clinic workflow.

16. How many patients will I see on the general medicine wards?

Per ACGME regulations, first year residents are responsible for the continued care of no more than 10 patients while on the general medicine wards, and are limited to a maximum of 5 new admissions in a 24-hour period. FIrst-year residents typically begin with a reduced patient load during their first week, then build up to a full patient panel as they become more comfortable with the workflow.

17. How much vacation time do residents receive?

Residents receive 15 days of paid time off per academic year (July 1 - June 30). Residents are encouraged to use all of their vacation days each year, as they do not roll-over from year to year. In addition to PTO, residents have designated Sick Days, Conference Time off, Maternity/Paternity leave, and Bereavement leave that may be utilized.

18. How do residents stay physically active?

All residents have access to the OU-Tulsa fitness center as well as discounted memberships available at the St. Francis Health Zone fitness facility. Tulsa is an active city with opportunities for outdoor physical activity, including well-maintained parks, riverside running trails, and hiking.

19. What do residents do for fun in Tulsa?

Tulsa is a hidden gem of a city, with a little something for everyone. Fans of the outdoors can explore Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area, Riverside hiking and running trails, The Gathering Place, and Tulsa Wave Park at Zink Lake. There are a variety of championship-length golf courses, including Southern Hills Country Club, home of the 2022 PGA Championship. Fans of live music will enjoy the legendary Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa Theater, and BOK Center – in addition to several small venues with lively crowds celebrating local talents, such as The Vanguard, The Hunt Club, and Mercury Lounge. There is no shortage of delicious, local, restaurant options located in the neighborhoods of Brookside, Cherry Street, Utica Square, The Blue Dome District, and Tulsa Arts District. Multiple lakes are located less than 90 minutes from Tulsa proper, allowing for relaxation, water sports, and fishing. Tulsa has an active performing arts scene, including a Symphony, Ballet, and the Tulsa PAC theater which hosts a variety of traveling broadway shows every year.

20. Where do most residents live?

Tulsa has the benefit of being a moderately-sized city with little traffic. Our main rotation sites are centrally located, making for an easy commute regardless of your living location. For these reasons, residents choose to live in a variety of different areas of the city – from South Tulsa / Bixby, to midtown and downtown, to suburbs north of the city such as Owasso. Many residents rent homes or apartments in the midtown area; several residents choose to purchase a home in whatever area best suits their needs and the needs of their families.

21. Are there any mental health resources available to residents?

Residency can be a difficult time, regardless of your chosen specialty or where you choose to practice. We pride ourselves on maintaining a culture of support among residents and faculty, and allowing for work-life balance such that residents are able to prioritize their own well-being whenever possible. However, when extra support is needed, we are fortunate to have access to therapy sessions with an on-campus licensed social worker who has experience working with resident physicians. Additional well-being resources can be found at: https://www.ou.edu/tulsa/residency/Wellness-and-inclusion.