Millcreek Community Hospital Family Practice Residency Program

Program Director: Douglas B. Grisier, D.O.
Phone 814-456-1009
Fax 814-454-6051
Email: dgrisier@maerie.org

Mission

The mission of the Family Practice Residency is to provide the Osteopathic Family Practice Resident a training program which provides progressive primary responsibility for patient care in a family environment through a continuity of didactic and clinical experiences.

Program Overview

The Family Medicine Residency Program at Millcreek Community Hospital was the first post-Internship Program created at the hospital. Over the last twenty-five years, the program has successfully graduated dozens of competent Osteopathic Family Physicians practicing throughout the Northeastern United States and elsewhere. Many of our graduates are now participating in the training of local students and Residents.

There are two methods of entry into the program:

1. Completion of an AOA-approved Traditional Rotating Internship and apply as an OGME-2.

2. Select the Family Medicine Specialty Track Internship Pathway, then proceed to OGME-2 and 3.

All applicants must:

1. Be a graduate of an AOA-accredited College of Osteopathic Medicine
2. Complete an AOA-approved internship
3. Successfully pass Comlex-II
4. Be a member of the AOA and ACOFP
5. Hold a license to practice Osteopathic Medicine in the State of Pennsylvania

Continuity of Care Clinics

The Residency Program operates two Family Medicine Clinics for the training of our Residents, each with its own on-site Specialty Clinics for the further enhancement of the continuity learning experience. Each center is supervised by a board-certified osteopathic Family Physician. The outpatient experience includes longitudinal care of approximately 400 patients per Resident by the time the Resident graduates. The Resident will gain outstanding experience in the outpatient management of chronic illnesses, preventative care, and child and adolescent medicine. The Resident shall work a minimum of 312-half days in the continuity of care clinic with one half day during OGME-1, progressing to three half-days during OGME-2, and four half-days during the final year of Residency. The Resident will be assigned a panel of patients from the beginning and the patients will remain with the Resident for two or three full years depending on the entry pathway. The Family Medicine Centers have the highest patient volume per Resident out of any of the training programs.

• Plaza 18 Medical Center, 537 West 18th Street
  This state-of-the-art facility was completely renovated in 2005 and offers 18 exam rooms, video surveillance capability, classrooms and a resident office with internet access. Specialty clinics on site include Ophthalmology, Podiatry and Internal Med.
• Eastside Medical Center, 2625 Parade Street
  This two-story facility was renovated in 2000 and has served as a neighborhood Family Medicine center for 25 years. It has a well-established residency training patient base. Specialty clinics on site include OB/Gyn, Neurology, Orthopedics and Podiatry.

Hospital Rotation Curriculum

Core training sites are at Millcreek Community Hospital and The Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Additional assigned rotations to round-out the Family Medicine experience include geriatrics, dermatology, rehabilitation medicine and psychiatry. Sufficient elective experiences are available within the Health System.

The Family Medicine training program is thirty-six months in duration. The training consists of at least: 3 months of Emergency Medicine; 6 months of internal medicine (One month being Critical Care); 4 months of OB/Gyn; 4.5 months of pediatrics; 5 months of surgery; and electives in subspecialties.

The rotation schedule includes all ACOFP requirements. A sample curriculum includes the following:

Other electives that could be included are ENT, Family Practice, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, and Neuromuscular medicine.

The hospital values the participation of its Residents in hospital committee and departmental meetings. Such participation matures the Resident for active participation after graduation. The hospital’s daily education program beginning with morning report is to be attended by all Residents, along with journal club and noonday lectures.

The Resident will sit for three in-service exams (once a year) as well as the certification boards held during your last six months of Residency. This exam is offered every 6 months in conjunction with AOA and ACOFP conventions. A scholarly activity involving research must be completed prior to graduation. Further details regarding this may be found on the ACOFP’s website at www.acofp.org.

Message from Chief Resident, Kristen Nardozzi, D.O.:

I consider it a privilege to be named Chief Resident. I was not sure at first that I was going to be able to take on the role, but the other Residents and Interns in the program have made it easy for me. The program itself has provided me with a great learning experience and the continuity of care seen in the clinics as a second and third year Resident is amazing. I hope the program continues to grow and provide a strong background to Physicians wanting to practice Family Medicine.

For more information please contact the following Residents:

• Kristen Nardozzi, D.O., knardozzi@mch1.org
• Christine Welsh, D.O., cwelsh@mch1.org
  
• Marcus Carodiskey, D.O., mcarodiskey@mch1.org
• Kenneth Long, D.O., ken1557@hotmail.com
• Sean Kuczma, D.O., seankuczma@yahoo.com
• Jeffrey Gurtizen, D.O., jeffrey.gurtizen@lecom.edu
• Hilary Schmid, D.O., hilaryschmid@gmail.com

To apply to MCH's Internships, OGME1 Programs, log onto the ERAS Website: www.aamc.org/audienceeras.htm.

Students need to register with National Matching at: www.natmatch.com.

For More Information, Contact:
Marilyn Tracy,
Medical Education Coordinator
Medical Education
Millcreek Community Hospital
5515 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509
(814) 868-8217
mchmeded@mch1.org