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Preventive Medicine Residency Columbia - Curriculum

Preventive medicine educational experiences

Residents concurrently participate in academic, clinical and practicum rotation experiences throughout the two-year program, during their second and third residency years. Each resident will plan with the program director a personalized curriculum based on academic needs, professional goals, and the fulfillment of ACGME and program requirements. 

Academic component

Preventive Medicine residents are required to complete a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) or equivalent degree before residency graduation. Residents who already have a MPH or equivalent degree may be required to complete additional rotations and additional courses to meet the specific ACGME requirements. MPH studies are completed at the University of South Carolina (USC) Arnold School of Public Health. The MPH program includes the core courses of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) Track, or the Biostatistics-Epidemiology Track. Tuition costs are covered by the residency program.

Completion of research or scholarly activity is required by the end of residency. Residents have the opportunity to conduct research with the help of a faculty adviser on an independent project or as a part of ongoing project to fulfill this requirement.

Weekly preventive medicine didactic seminars. Seminar sessions cover various topics related to the practical application and current topics in preventive medicine and public health. Didactic sessions also include journal clubs and board review sessions.

Inter-professional conferences, didactic sessions, and grand round lectures offered by other clinical specialties and academic departments throughout Prisma Health and USC are available for attendance.

Practicum and clinical component

Our curriculum entails required preventive medicine practicum rotations and activities with the availability of elective rotations as well. The practicum experiences are designed to afford residents the opportunity to apply and reinforce the concepts learned from the academic component of the curriculum. Practicum rotations are completed in various settings such as hospitals, managed care organizations, state and local health departments, and community-based organizations. Each resident must complete rotation time at a governmental public health agency and participate in a clinical quality/patient safety assessment and improvement activity.

Our residents rotate through the South Carolina Department of Public Health, gaining exposure to the state, regional, and local public health agency setting. Residents are also encouraged to seek out projects and elective rotation opportunities that will further develop progress towards individual preventive medicine skill development and knowledge base.

Residents are required to complete at least 40 days each year in a direct patient care setting. Clinical activities may take place at various sites of Prisma Health affiliated clinics or at other locations with one of our community-based partners such as the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center, Tandom Health and Eau Claire Cooperative Health Centers.

Example Rotation Schedules

Junior Year (PGY2)

  • Primary Care - Urban: 1 month
  • Primary Care - Rural: 2 months
  • Infectious Disease/Refugee Health (Out-patient): 1 month
  • Addiction Medicine/Palliative Care (In-patient): 1 month
  • Lifestyle Medicine: 2 months
  • SC Dept of Public Health: 3 months
  • Occupational Medicine/Employee Health: 1 months
  • Elective: 1 month

Senior Year (PGY3)

  • Primary Care - Rural: 2 months
  • Infectious Disease/Refugee Health/Travel Medicine (Out-patient): 1 month
  • Lifestyle Medicine: 2 months
  • SC Dept of Public Health: 3 months
  • Occupational Medicine/Employee Health: 1 months
  • Population Health: 1 month
  • Elective: 2 month

Elective options

  • Additional months of core rotations
  • Community medicine
  • Away Electives (require program director approval and often a separate application)
    • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
    • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
    • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 
    • Office of Disease Preventive and Health Promotion (ODPHP)
    • Global Health
    • ABC News

Applicants with prior primary care training

Rotations in your primary specialty(see list below) can be arranged to ensure you maintain your skills while completing your preventive medicine residency.

  • Internal Medicine
  • Obestrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics

Example resident weekly schedule during MPH classes

  • Monday/Tuesday: Time on rotation
  • Wednesday Morning: Preventive Medicine Didactics
  • Wednesday Afternoon: MPH courses
  • Thursday Morning: MPH course
  • Thursday Afternoon: Research, Quality Improvement, Population Health
  • Friday: MPH courses

Example resident weekly schedule when not in MPH classes

  • Monday/Tuesday: Time on rotation
  • Wednesday Morning: Preventive Medicine Didactics
  • Wednesday Afternoon: Time on rotation
  • Thursday Morning: Time on rotation
  • Thursday Afternoon: Research, Quality Improvement, Population Health
  • Friday: Time on rotation