Edited by: Julie Rosenbaum MD, Seonaid Hay MD, and Laura Whitman MD.
Return to Ambulatory Training
The Yale Office-Based Medicine Curriculum (previously known as the Yale Preclinic Conference Curriculum) is a case-based based syllabus that is intended for internal medicine residency ambulatory education. Originally developed in 1992, the curriculum is currently in use at approximately 50 residencies in the U.S.
The curriculum includes two complementary syllabi: 1) a Resident Guide composed of topical cases, questions, and bibliography of key references, and 2) a Preceptor Guide, which also includes suggested teaching points and answers to the questions. Each semester, approximately 24-25 chapters cover a range of subjects relevant to office-based practice from the spectrum of disciplines in internal medicine, as well as practice and policy aspects that are relevant to current practice. This essential subject matter is compiled in a 3-year syllabus of 144 chapters that serve as a comprehensive compendium of outpatient medical practice. Sections are updated every 6 months allowing us to address recent changes in recommendations regarding medical therapy or management and controversies as they unfold. The most common conditions that internists manage in the office (e.g., hypertension and diabetes mellitus) are addressed with a new twist and update every six months.
Each chapter is written by a faculty member of the Yale School of Medicine Section of General Internal Medicine who serves as a primary preceptor for ambulatory education for the internal medicine residents. The faculty member develops the cases by following a standard format and includes questions that are intended to challenge the residents’ knowledge and clinical decision-making. The cases are designed to go beyond simple recall and test residents’ analysis, synthesis, and application of new information. We believe that higher-order questions stimulate interest and can lead to deeper understanding and retention of material. Based upon his or her review of the current literature, the faculty member selects key references (usually one or two) that allow efficient review of a topic and guide the learner in answering the questions. The references are usually a key review article from such sources as the New England Journal of Medicine or JAMA, as well as a relevant randomized controlled trial when available, which are all available to our residents through our Yale School of Medicine electronic resources. The faculty member also develops answer guides with major teaching points based on the current state of medical evidence, practice guidelines, and his or her clinical expertise, which become the Preceptor Guide.
At our institution, the syllabus is used to provide a framework for 30 minute pre-clinic conference, although the chapters can be adapted for different formats, including independent learning. Each resident reads the cases and prepares for the conference by reading the principle references from each chapter. The faculty member who facilitates the conference also uses the articles and Preceptor Guide to prepare for the session. Answers are made available to the residents after the teaching session through a website during the week after each chapter is discussed. In addition to creating a terrific opportunity for your residents to interact with each other as they grapple with the cases and share insights and experiences, the faculty participants receive great faculty development by using this exercise to stay current with the latest literature, both as authors and facilitators.
When you order your version of the Yale Office-based Medicine Curriculum for your residency, you will be sent 1 CD (with a copy of both Preceptor Guide and Resident Guide) and one print version of the Preceptor version with the semester’s worth of chapters, including the relevant bibliographies containing the primary references that support the answers provided in the Preceptor Guide. You can also enroll to receive the entire 3-year cycle of chapters as they are released before the start of each academic medicine semester.
- Sample Chapter: Vaccines for the Primary Care Physician, by Michele Barry, Fall 2007 [PDF]
- Complete Table of Contents, Volume 1-6, Sixth Edition [Word document]
For pricing and further information: please contact denise.schock@yale.edu.