Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any other residency programs here?
CWFMR is an unopposed residency program – resources are therefore directed to the residency program and it’s support. We believe this allows our residents to receive true full-spectrum training.
What are some social events and activities in Yakima?
Yakima is an ideal location for those who enjoy outdoor activities, with very quick, traffic-free access to rock climbing, hikes, rafting, snow sports, and more. There are several festivals throughout the year in the city, including Fresh Hop Ale Fest, A Case of the Blues, and more.
What is the patient population?
Yakima has a population of about 250,000, a majority of which are either white or Hispanic, and is a medically underserved urban community. As a result residents are exposed to complex pathology while also making a real impact in patient’s lives.
Do you have a night float system?
A second-year resident works night shifts for two consecutive weeks at a time, while on their inpatient medicine rotation.
How many months of call do you have?
First year residents are assigned 1-2 weeks of clinic call per year. Second-year residents are assigned 2 weeks of clinic call per year. Third-year residents are assigned 3 weeks of clinic call per year.
Does the program provide handheld computers?
Yes! Every resident receives a laptop to be used during their residency. Laptops are capable of remote access to the EMR.
Is there an intern support group?
There is a biweekly residency support group held on Mondays. In addition, the residency purchased and implemented a longitudinal Wellness Curriculum that began with the 2020 academic year. Our Committee for Residents Experiencing Difficulty (Educational Advancement Committee (EAC)) manages and supports any resident who is struggling either emotionally or academically. Interns are paired with a mentor upon entering the program.
What kind of teaching and didactics do you receive?
Formal didactics take place every Wednesday from 1-5PM and cover a wide range of important Family Medicine topics. Some didactic time is used for workshops including casting, vaginal repair, & dermatology.
I am interested in research. Are there opportunities for me?
Yes, Community based primary care, (Community Medicine Rotation during R2) and Quality Assurance Rotation (3rd year) and the option to participate in longitudinal research projects and/or research electives led by Dr. Many.
How does obstetrics fit into your curriculum?
Our program places a strong emphasis on obstetrics. There is enough volume to get as many deliveries as you want. Residents have 8 weeks of obstetrics in their first and second years – this includes covering labor and delivery, ultrasound clinic (dating and fetal anatomy ultrasounds), and outpatient OB clinic. Residents are also assigned continuity patients early in their first year, who they will manage in their own clinic.
Having several FP-OB faculty in the residency clinic practice ensures you will have the opportunity to manage high risk, continuity patients as well.
What kind of procedures do you learn?
Residents at CWFM have the opportunity to do a wide array of procedures:
Ultrasounds: OB (1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester), POCUS, MSK; Joint injections; Trigger point injections; Prolotherapy; Trigger finger injections; Tendon sheath injections; Nerve blocks (carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve, occipital neuralgia etc.); Intralesional injections (psoriasis, etc.); Punch, shave, excisional biopsies; Skin lesion destruction; Subcutaneous mass removal; Epidermal inclusion cyst removal; Laceration repairs; Breast cyst aspiration; Colposcopy, cryo/LEEP; Bartholin gland marsupialization; Dilation and suction/curettage; Nexplanon; IUD placement; Vasectomy; Circumcisions ; Tubal ligations; Cesarean sections; Flexible sigmoidoscopy; Rubber band ligation of internal hemorrhoids; Hemorrhoidectomy (external); Spirometry ; ECG; X-ray; Casting/Splinting; Toe nail removal.
View Curriculum Here
Will I learn how to do C-sections?
Residents are first assists on every C-section while covering labor and delivery and are encouraged to participate to a greater degree if comfortable and interested in doing so. Several FM faculty are credentialed to perform C-sections at Local Community Hospital our local community hospital.
Will the residency help my significant other find employment?
They are more than happy to help!
Are meals covered?
While residents are on inpatient services, all meals are covered! There is also catered lunch every Wednesday for didactics.
Do residents and faculty socialize outside of work?
Residents and faculty frequently socialize outside of work – many of the local activities are done together. They also get together to play basketball weekly during the summer, go skiing together in the winter, and have BBQ’s to name a few.
What are the salary and benefits for the residents?
For more information on our salary and benefits please visit this page. https://www.cwfmr.org/resident-benefits/
Do residents have a voice in decision-making?
Residents are frequently asked for feedback and input and are assigned to a variety of external and internal committees each year. Chief Residents hold a Res-Res meeting every other month and liaison with residency and sponsoring institution leadership to communicate issues or questions that arise. Curriculums and rotations are routinely revised to improve resident learning, and resident feedback plays a crucial role in these decisions.
Are residents involved in teaching medical students?
Residents are very involved in teaching third and fourth-year medical students in all areas of family medicine – outpatient, inpatient, & obstetrics. Third-year clerkships are available for students from Pacific Northwest University & University of Washington, but fourth-year sub-I’s are open to all students. Please visit https://cwfmr.org/student-rotations/ to apply
Are residents allowed to do away electives?
Yes! Residents may use one of their third year electives to do an away rotation, which may also be international. Residents have done rotations in Guam, Malawi and India to name a few.
Frequently Asked Questions for CWFMR's Rural Program
What sets this program apart from other rural training programs?
Like other rural training programs we believe that residency training in a rural location is the best preparation for practicing medicine in a rural location. What sets us apart is that our Ellensburg rural site is located close enough to the core program in Yakima to make it possible to spend three years in the rural setting, including three years of continuity clinic instead of the two years at most traditional rural track programs. The Ellensburg residents are able to take advantage of the learning opportunities in Yakima throughout the three years. The ability to spend three years living in a rural setting means you have more time to get to know the community, and also more time to develop a continuity patient panel in your clinic. We are in the “Goldilocks” zone for rural training where our town is neither too big nor too small. Ellensburg is a town of 18,000 with a small (25 bed) critical access hospital. The town is large enough to support a wide range of medical services which allows half of the training to occur in Ellensburg while still being small enough to provide a rural experience. The critical access hospital in Ellensburg, Kittitas Valley Healthcare, has a particularly strong Quality department for a critical-access hospital, allowing our residents to participate in quality rounds, peer review committee, and lead inter-disciplinary M&M case presentations.
What are the differences between the training at the Ellensburg rural site and at the core program in Yakima?
The Ellensburg rural site makes it possible for residents to live and train in a rural setting. This means that Ellensburg residents have a smaller clinic as their continuity clinic and opportunities to bond closely with the other Ellensburg residents. Call in Ellensburg is for emergency C-section assist at KVH’s Family Birthing Place. Ellensburg residents will do two 24-hour call shifts, spread over two weekends in each outpatient block.
In Ellensburg residents have more opportunities for continuity care across locations (Emergency Department, inpatient service, Labor and Delivery, outpatient, SNF, home visits) than their Yakima counterparts. This is partly because Ellensburg residents rotate through every care setting in the community, and partly because Ellensburg is a smaller community with a greater chance to care for a patient in another setting. Ellensburg residents also have more travel time. With roughly half of the rotations taking place in Yakima you will commute daily on many of the Yakima rotations. The commute is 40 minutes and rarely affected by weather. On those rare occasions where weather is an issue there is an apartment available in Yakima for Ellensburg residents to use as a call room. The apartment is also available for residents on Yakima rotations who are fatigued and unsafe to drive home.
What procedure training do your residents receive?
On rotations residents receive training in procedures specific to the rotation. In your continuity clinic procedures performed on-site include: colposcopies, endometrial biopsies, IUD insertions, OB Ultrasounds, normal office surgical procedures and osteopathic manipulation therapy (for DO residents).
How much time is spent in Ellensburg versus Yakima?
Three years of continuity clinic take place in Ellensburg. This allows an opportunity to develop a relationship with your patients. Roughly half of the rotations each year take place in Ellensburg and half in Yakima. The two towns are located 35 miles apart and commuting takes 40 minutes each way. Mileage compensation is offered to Ellensburg residents when commuting back and forth from Ellensburg to Yakima for residency related duties.