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OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE
The Department of Medicine provides comprehensive primary care
and specialty services in a model of community-based care. Led by
David Bor, MD, Chief of Medicine, the Department has a well-established
reputation for excellence in its clinical, academic, and research
programs.
The clinical offerings in Medicine are designed to meet the needs
of the community. Department services are available at more than
20 primary care sites and three hospital facilities. Patients and
staff benefit from the use of clinical computing through a state-of-the-art
electronic medical records system. Department faculty include both
practicing and consulting internists, and all full-time department
members have faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School.
The Department structure is one of medical divisions. These divisions
include: Cardiology; Geriatrics; Medical Education; Hematology/Oncology;
Neurology; Pulmonology; Social and Community Medicine, Occupational/
Environmental Medicine, Dermatology, Endocrinology, and Rheumatology.
Clinical specialties include a Multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS center
and Tuberculosis clinic.
The philosophy of the department - and of the Alliance as a whole
- is to create a community of caring. This caring extends to both
patients and residents. Training programs are solid academically
and clinically, yet offer a flexible environment that allows residents
to excel. In the words of Dr. David Bor, "Cambridge Health
Alliance is a premier training site because we offer an outstanding
experience, with community-based training in an integrated public
health care system, and tertiary care training opportunities at
other Harvard-affiliated institutions. Throughout this system our
diverse faculty and house staff are committed to improving the health
of the public, and this shared dedication, paired with an environment
of respectfulness, allows us to pursue true academic and clinical
excellence."
Innovations in Medical Education - The Integrated Core Clerkship
Cambridge Health Alliance is proud to be home to the Integrated
Clerkship, nationally recognized for its innovative approach to
the third year of medical education.
A group of twelve Harvard Medical students elect to spend their
entire third year with us in a single longitudinal educational experience
that integrates training in internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery,
ob-gyn, psychiatry, radiology, and neurology. The clerkship is designed
around student relationships with a carefully selected panel of
patients that they follow across the health care continuum throughout
the year. Students also build year-long relationships with faculty
in each of the disciplines and the student group gathers regularly
for core teaching that incorporates basic and clinical sciences
as well as social sciences and medical ethics.
In helping students develop deep knowledge of their patients, the
Integrated Clerkship seeks to counteract contemporary forces that
fragment medical care and medical education. The program design
allows students to understand the implications of suffering from
a chronic medical condition; to learn the natural history of an
acute illness and its trajectory of recovery; to appreciate the
complexities of navigating the health care system. Built on fundamental
principles of adult learning, the Integrated Clerkship has distinguished
itself in nurturing student curiosity and encouraging student responsibility
for self-directed learning. Faculty and residents within Cambridge
Health Alliance benefit immeasurably from the energy of innovation
unleashed by the Integrated Clerkship students.
The Integrated Clerkship was designed by two Cambridge Health Alliance
physician faculty members, Drs. David Hirsh and Barbara Ogur, both
of whom are members of the prestigious Academy at Harvard Medical
School.
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