A Message from the Program Director
The Department of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stands among the top academic departments of medicine in the country, providing teaching in preparation for careers in general as well as subspecialty Internal Medicine. We are similar in many ways to our peers, yet we believe there are several features of our department that are special and distinguishing. The first is resident autonomy. The majority of patients in the department are taken care of by residents with the PGY-1 resident serving as the primary care provider under the supervision of an attending physician.. The resident team is involved in every aspect of decision making. There is no division of patients into public and private sectors. The second distinguishing feature is the training environment. Our environment is best described as one of camaraderie and collegiality among faculty, residents, and students. Each ward team provides the opportunity for all members to participate in patient care in a supportive environment. Third is resident diversity. Our residency is comprised of people from diverse backgrounds who seek training for careers as generalists, subspecialists and researchers.   A flexible curriculum assures high quality preparation for careers in all of these areas. We believe a diverse group of residents greatly enhances the training experience. Finally, departmental policy.  Residents have the opportunity to meet monthly with the Chairman and Program Director to discuss their educational experience in the Department. All changes are made with the advice of this residents advisory group.  This assures residents a voice in the operation of the training program. 

These special features create an environment which promotes self-directed learning. We believe the skills acquired in this environment prepare residents for their entire professional career.

Lee R. Berkowitz, M.D.
 
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