Tacoma Family Medicine

What is the curriculum of the fellowship?

The Fellowship consists of six months of intensive training in high risk and operative obstetrics and six months of electives. Fellows are encouraged to spend one elective month in a rural practice.

The OB curriculum emphasizes the recognition, management and stabilization/transport of high-risk obstetrical patients. It also emphasizes the development of procedural skills including (but not limited to) forceps and vacuum assisted deliveries, operative obstetrics (C-sections), and sterilization procedures.

The Elective curriculum consists of six-months (spread throughout year in one month increments). Elective rotations are available in almost any pediatric, medical, or surgical subspecialty and are tailored by the fellow in order to augment individual strengths, address weaknesses, or develop new skills. A list of electives taken by our past graduates is available for your review.

One month of elective time can be spent at a rural practice site working closely with a successful rural family physician. This rotation emphasizes the development of special practice management skills that are needed for practice in a rural setting.

Finally, every fellow is expected to develop and complete a rural health project during the year. Each project will be presented at the end of the year.

As a reminder, we are not an obstetrics fellowship and should not be confused with those programs.

How long has the program been in operation?

The Fellowship Program has been successfully in operation for 20 years and will start its 22nd class of fellows on August 1, 2010. The TFM residency program has been in existence since 1979.

What are the OB Facilities like in the hospital?

The OB rotations are at Tacoma General Hospital (TGH). The L&D suite has 13 birthing rooms complete with jacuzzis, state-of-the-art equipment and a full compliment of OB nursing staff. The L&D suite also has 4 triage exam rooms and has immediate access to 3 operating rooms adjacent to L&D.

Our OB faculty provide in-house coverage 24 hours a day. OB anesthesia is also available 24 hours a day. The OB faculty are the primary teachers of our fellows.

TGH serves as the referral center for the Southwest region of Washington State with a 10-bed perinatal special care unit and 3 Perinatologists, who are active teachers of our residents and fellows.

TGH has a 46 bed NICU, fully staffed and coordinated by Neonatologists. This entire complement of services makes this facility an excellent training ground for obstetrics.

What Family Practice experiences will the fellows have?

The fellows will function as junior family practice faculty and help precept the residents in the family medicine clinic two to four half days per month during their elective months. This will encourage the development of teaching skills and also serve to keep family practice skills up-to-date.  We have chosen not to have a dedicated fellows family medicine clinic to preserve elective time for development of additional skills.

Fellows may choose a rural family medicine elective for intensive hands-on experience in full spectrum practice.

Fellows may seek moonlighting opportunities outside expected fellowship work hours for additonal acute care or emergency medicine experience.

What is the call system?

Fellows are only on call when they are on the OB rotation. There is no OB call during elective months unless there is a need for emergency coverage for another fellow. Call is every fourth night and is 24 hour in-house call. The fellows are off the day post call. There is an OB attending in-house at all times for back-up.

What about salary and benefits?

Fellows are commensurate with the R5 level in the University of Washington’s system (currently $53,328, adjusted annually). Malpractice insurance is provided by Multicare on an occurrence basis.

In addition, TFM offers three weeks of vacation, one week of CME with a CME stipend, health and dental insurance for the fellow and his/her family, stipends for meals when on call and other standard benefits for MultiCare employees.

Is an interview required?

The interview plays an integral part in our selection process. Interviews are granted by invitation only. The interviews usually begin in September and continue through December.  This may vary by year, so later inquiries ore welcome.  The interview will consist of a full day spent in interviews with our family medicine and obstetric faculty and our fellows and residents, lunch with the program director, and a tour of our facilities. Your significant other is certainly welcome (and encouraged) to join you during the interview process.

Will my travel expenses for an interview be reimbursed?

Unfortunately, we do not have funding to reimburse our candidates.

Does the fellowship use the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)?

No, as this is a post-residency program.  Positions are offered by the program director on a rolling basis.

Does the fellowship offer a “Certificate of Added Qualification”?

No. At this time, the ABFM only offers certificates in geriatrics, adolescent, and sports medicine.

Can I get any prescribed or elective CME credits for being in this program?

Yes. The AAFP certifies the fellowship for 150 hours of prescribed CME credits for our fellows upon program completion.

Does the fellowship support J1 visas?

No. Our sponsor, Multicare, does not currently support J1 visas.