About Us

 

Our Mission

         Established in 1976, this ACGME/AOA dually accredited program is an outstanding, university-affiliated, community-based residency program, which is unopposed.  At this 8-8-8 program, the faculty and staff are dedicated to our mission of training rural family physicians of the highest quality.

The Program

          This includes office-based procedures such as endoscopy, colposcopy with LEEP and cryosurgery, NST and obstetrical ultrasound, vasectomy, and exercise treadmill testing etc...  Exceptional hospital training occurs mainly at Wyoming Medical Center, but is complimented with rotations at Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City for pediatrics and Spokane for high risk and operative obstetrics, as well as a rural rotation at area hospitals in Wyoming.

          Through the University of Wyoming, the program is also affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine via the WWAMI Program, and the Kirksville and Des Moines Schools of Osteopathic Medicine.  

          Our residents receive training and certification in ACLS, ATLS, ALSO, NRS, FCLS, and PALS courses. They are welcomed into the offices of many of the local private community physicians to complete their outpatient specialty experiences.  While rotating with several of the WMC sub-specialists, they have the opportunity to travel to outlying communities for specialty clinics.

          The residents also take advantage of the many moonlighting opportunities across the state in several of Wyoming's rural emergency rooms.  In addition, there are opportunities to moonlight at the local community college and Urgent Care clinics..  This also helps the resident to expand their medical training and experience.

         

The Clinic

          In October of 2000, the UWFMRP became affiliated with the Community Health Center of Central Wyoming (CHCCW).  This collaboration has enriched the program with financial stability, addition of faculty positions, clinic remodeling and expansion, and extension of services for our underserved patient population.  The CHCCW clinic serves as the outpatient clinical site of the residency program, and its underserved patient population provides a wealth of educational experience and opportunity to our residents.  

          Our newly remodeled clinic has over thirty exam rooms with four procedure rooms and on-site pharmacy, laboratory, x-ray services, and medical library.  The clinic is currently undergoing another remodel project during the 2008 summer. This project will provide a new procedure center, updated educational space, and improved clinical flow and function. Also, EHR implementation will follow in 2009. The CHCCW has added several multidisciplinary services such as a faculty psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, nurse case manager, patient advocate, and patient educator. The CHC also has a dental clinic served by three staff dentists.

 

The Hospital

          The residents receive extensive hospital experience at Wyoming Medical Center, our affiliated teaching hospital, which is located only three blocks away from the residency program.   Routine and high risk deliveries as well as operative obstetrics such as vacuum/forceps delivery and C-sections define the obstetrical experience. As a Level II trauma center with Life Flight service to most of Wyoming, the residents have great, hands-on experiences in the emergency room that prepare them to work in the emergency rooms of the frontier west. Finally, one of our greatest assets is our unopposed access to nearly 40 sub-specialists who are greatly involved with our program. 

 

 

Recreation

          Wyoming offers many opportunities where our residents often spend their time off enjoying the Great Wyoming Outdoors.  Fly fishing, backpacking, camping, hiking, hunting, skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and rock climbing opportunities are endless and close by.  Each year, interns are welcomed into the program with an annual camping trip to the beautiful Big Horn Mountains.  Residents are also active in local softball, volleyball and basketball recreational leagues.  Numerous informal gatherings occur throughout the year. Most recently, residents have spear-headed Global Medicine dinners featuring international cuisine and guest speakers.

 

 

Our Graduates

We have been very successful in our goal of training rural family physicians!  70% of our graduates routinely are practicing in small towns throughout the Rocky Mountain West, many of them in the state of Wyoming.