Expanding Primary Care Experiences With Novel Rotations for Residents at a VA Medical Center

The number of graduating primary care physicians will not meet the demands of the growing and aging US population. In 2011, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Academic Affiliations established 5 Centers of Excellence in Primary Care Education (CoEPCE) to transform primary care training.

We created an innovative training model with immersive primary care experiences to foster careers in primary care for residents.

As a CoEPCE, the Seattle VA partnered with the University of Washington internal medicine residency program to form a Center of Excellence (CoE) pathway with increased outpatient training time. The CoEPCE created a longitudinal curriculum of continuity clinic immersion and new thematically based rotations (eg, Homeless Health) for CoE residents. These rotations expanded primary care experiences and allowed for in-depth opportunities to care for the unique needs of veterans. Resident feedback was solicited through program evaluations, and career choices were tracked.

Eighty-five of 102 (83%) possible rotation evaluations from 2014 to 2017 were reviewed. Residents reported that CoEPCE rotations had a positive effect on their care of patients and career choice, and provided opportunities to interface with faculty role models. Seventy-five percent of Seattle VA CoE residents selected primary care careers compared to 36% of historical controls.

The CoEPCE rotation curriculum offers in-depth primary care training and may contribute to trainees maintaining interest in primary care careers.