Categorical Residency

PGY1

Each PGY-1 spends several rotations on the inpatient wards at The Mount Sinai Hospital. The inpatient services encompass patients with gastrointestinal, cardiac, pulmonary, and oncologic diseases, as well as patients with HIV and advanced liver disease. Thus, in addition to learning general medicine, each inpatient rotation has specialized themes that present more intensive learning opportunities.

PGY1s spends two 2-week blocks in the MICU and CCU at The Mount Sinai Hospital where they care for the most critically ill patients under the supervision of an attending physician. They also spend one block in the Emergency Department where they work one-on-one with an attending physician in both the walk-in area and the main area of the ED. Many of the patients seen during this time are referred back to the PGY1s own clinic for continuity of care, allowing the trainee to build a practice rapidly. Each PGY1 also rotates through the Bronx VA and Elmhurst Hospital on the inpatient General Medicine Service.

All PGY-1s have six or seven two-week blocks of outpatient medicine based in the continuity of care practice in the Center for Advanced Medicine at The Mount Sinai Hospital. In addition, all PGY-1s are assigned three blocks of elective time and four weeks of vacation. The rotations are designed to provide exposure to a remarkably diverse patient population.

A typical PGY1 schedule is as follows:

PGY2

The PGY2 year represents a major transition for the house officer. During ward blocks, the PGY2 serves as team leader, taking more responsibility for patient care in a supportive setting. They rotate through the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), the inpatient floors of The Mount Sinai Hospital and do inpatient ward time at Elmhurst and the Bronx VA.

Trainees also have four elective blocks, six to seven two-week outpatient blocks and four weeks of vacation. One of the outpatient blocks is spent going on home visits as part of the popular and rewarding Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program, the nation’s largest academic home visit program.

A typical PGY2 schedule is as follows:

PGY3

The PGY-3 year is intended to further develop leadership skills and extend the resident's knowledge base, complete research projects, and focus on future career transitions. Residents spend three or four rotations on the inpatient wards at The Mount Sinai Hospital. In addition, they have blocks as the Medical Consult Resident and as the Medical Teaching Resident. They spend time at the Elmhurst Hospital Center as senior resident supervisors. They have six to seven two-week outpatient care rotations, multiple elective rotations and four weeks of vacation.

A typical PGY3 schedule is as follows:
 

The Health Care Leadership Track is designed for residents interested in becoming leaders in inpatient medicine as critical care attendings, hospitalists, cardiologists, ID/HIV attendings, geriatricians, or other subspecialists.

Due to increasing clinical distinctions and financial pressures, hospitals want physician leaders who have both clinical expertise and skills in improving hospital systems and processes. In response to these demands, many internists are now focusing their careers on inpatient activities.

This is one of the few programs in the country that offers Internal Medicine residents the opportunity to gain the skills and experience in:

• Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
• Hospital Leadership
• The Business of Medicine
• Hospital Efficiency and Utilization Management

The curriculum is integrated into the elective blocks of the second and third year of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and consists of a mix of didactics, clinical experiences, and direct involvement in hospital processes. All residents will develop and complete a longitudinal, mentored hospital leadership research project.

Applicants interested in the Health Care Leadership Track should apply to the Categorical Residency Program. Once enrolled at Mount Sinai, residents are encouraged to speak with Vinh Tung-Nguyen, MD, Director of the Health Care Leadership Track, about entering this program. Interested applicants should make note of their interest on their application, so appropriate interviews can be arranged.

The Medical Education Track is for residents interested in careers in medical education. Housestaff are invited to apply for the track at the end of their intern year and work through a two-year curriculum covering learning theory, curriculum design and implementation, feedback and evaluation, and medical education scholarship. The core sessions of the track occur outside of elective time, preserving the ability of track residents to pursue subspecialty clinical experiences. Residents in the Medical Education Track will help to create and implement a medical education project through the two years of the curriculum, with support and mentorship from the program. Projects developed through the track have included a professional skills curriculum for the residency, a pathophysiology-based monthly conference for the residents led by core faculty members, an enhanced ambulatory nutrition curriculum, and a peer-observation program aimed at improving teaching skills on resident-led rounds.

In addition to a focus on curricular design, the track will develop residents' skills as a medical educator, with additional teaching opportunities both at the residency and medical school level. Track residents are exposed to mentors and leaders in medical education throughout the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System.

Applicants interested in the Medical Education Track should apply to the Categorical Residency Program. Once enrolled at Mount Sinai, residents are encouraged to speak with Cary Blum, MD or Georgina Osorio, MD, MPH, Directors of the Medical Education Track, about entering this program. Interested applicants should make note of their interest on their application, so appropriate interviews can be arranged.

The Genomic Medicine Track is designed for residents wanting to deepen their knowledge of genomics and its applicability to patient care. As genomic research and technology continue to scale and permeate routine clinical care, internists have a critical role to play. The Genomic Medicine Track will enable residents to become genomics-ready, providing them with the necessary tools to identify and care for patients with, or at risk of, genetic conditions; incorporate appropriate genomic testing into clinical practice; and critically assess and communicate genomic test results.

This track is the first-of-its-kind to offer residents an opportunity to engage in topics ranging from cancer and cardiovascular genomics to direct-to-consumer genetic testing and polygenic risk. The track consists of a dedicated genomics curriculum, including expert faculty-led lectures and workshops in the second year. In addition, all residents will complete a mentored genomics-centered research project in their third year.

Applicants interested in the Genomic Medicine Track should apply to the Categorical Residency Program. Once enrolled at Mount Sinai, residents are encouraged to speak with Ayuko Iverson, MD about entering this program. Interested applicants should make note of their interest on their application, so appropriate interviews can be arranged.

Our Global Health Track is designed to prepare residents for the unique challenges and opportunities in the field of global health. It is an immersive and enriching experience that will equip residents with the skills and knowledge needed to address health disparities, navigate cross-cultural healthcare settings, and make a meaningful impact on global communities in need. 

The track offers opportunities for international rotations in partnership with institutions in Kenya and Nepal. In addition, track residents have the opportunity to attend regular seminars and workshops led by experts in global health, where residents can engage in discussions and expand their knowledge.

We believe that the Global Health Track will not only enrich the residency experience but also equip residents with skills that are increasingly relevant in our interconnected world. Whether residents plan to pursue a career in global health or simply wish to broaden their horizons, this track offers a valuable pathway to achieve their goals. 

Categorical

Supreet Singh, MD, PGY-3

I still remember the non-stop discussions about finding the “perfect” residency program during my last two years of medical school. My peers and I had fondly looked forward to all the traveling and happy hours that the interview season was supposed to bring. However, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic as the interviews became virtual, the thought of finding my home for the next three years through a video call seemed daunting. As all the Zoom interviews started to blend together, my interview at Mount Sinai was a rare experience that stood out. From the humility of the world class faculty to the camaraderie among residents, it seemed to exceed my expectations in every possible category. It was an experience where I could really feel the sincerity in all my interactions through a computer screen.

A year later, as I reflect back at my time at Mount Sinai, my impression has remained the same as it was on my interview day. The endless support from my colleagues (also some of my closest friends) and attendings has enabled me to maximize my education, wellness, and curiosity to become a better physician. The unique schedule of alternating golden and black weekends has allowed me to have a normal social life with family and friends despite all the time constraints imposed by being in residency. As someone with a strong interest in clinical research, the emphasis on evidence-based medicine has made me appreciate and understand the reasoning behind decisions we make regarding patient care on a daily basis. The endless learning opportunities, mentorship from the leading experts, and having the most fun and amazing coresidents truly makes Mount Sinai the best place to train, and a place that I am proud to call my home for the next two years.

Megan D’Andrea, MD, PGY-3 and Tatiana Requijo, MD, PGY-3

What are your backgrounds?

• Tatiana: from Queens NY (Fresh Meadows), went to college at Binghamton in NY, Med School at Cornell. Most likely to be found fangirling over the Empire State Building
• Megan: from Albany NY, went to college at Tufts in Boston, Med School at Sinai. Most likely to be found in the depths of Central Park.

What do you want to do in your professional life?

• Tatiana: I want to practice outpatient geriatrics!
• Megan: still figuring it out! Thinking primary care, hospitalist, or an outpatient specialty

Why do you love Mount Sinai?

• Our amazing co-residents!!!
• Working with diverse patient populations
• Incredible faculty who provide mentorship and education
• Golden weekends
• Elmhurst food

When you became friends, what did you do outside of work?

• We became friends during a block of nights we had together. You really get to know your nights crews - we bonded over midnight dinners, strolls through the empty halls, helping each other through tricky admissions, and sunrises on the roof.
• Outside of work, we like to spend time in Central Park (shoutout to our residency softball team, The Runs), enjoy post-work happy hours (shoutout Bar Goyana), split a bagel or two (shoutout Bagel Shop)

Why are our resident the best?

• Help each other whenever possible, whether it’s lending a hand for a tricky A-stick or covering a shift so one of us can attend a wedding
• we go the extra mile to make sure we support each other through good days and bad
• the seniors are great teachers and sources of support for the interns
• #wefindaway

Lodoe Sangmo, MD, PGY-3

My name is Lodoe Sangmo and I am currently a PGY-2 at the Internal Medicine program at Mount Sinai. As a medical student at Mount Sinai, I was exposed to all the incredible things that the Mount Sinai Internal Medicine program had to offer- a rigorous academic program with residents dedicated to patient care, the opportunity to serve a diverse patient population and mentorship opportunities from leaders within their respective medical sub-specialties. Furthermore, having grown up in India and Queens, New York, I know there’s no place like New York City to train! While rotating through the Manhattan campus, Elmhurst Hospital in Queens and the Bronx VA, we not only get exposure to a wide breadth of complex disease pathology but also traverse a multitude of languages, healthcare systems and levels of health literacy. While at Mount Sinai, I have also been able to find mentors and faculty who are like-minded and share my research interests in social determinants of health/refugee health. My incredible co-residents not only push me to become a better doctor, but also provide the support system that is so vital during residency. Overall, Mount Sinai encompasses everything I would want in an internal medicine residency program and I wouldn’t hesitate to choose it again!

Health Care Leadership Track

Sophia Golec, MD, PGY-3

I am originally from New York and attended Columbia University for my undergraduate degree, where I studied biology and anthropology. I then went to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine for medical school. I was excited to move back to New York City and start training at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but I knew that I wanted to take advantage of the abundant resources available at the residency to figure out my future path.

I chose to join the Healthcare Leadership Track in order to meet with the leaders at Mount Sinai who are involved with making change happen. During this Track, I have been able to interface with top hospital leadership who graciously make the time to speak with us. I have connected with numerous faculty members for personal discussions regarding their careers and their advice about my path. The lecture series have been illuminating about how healthcare is actually provided to patients in the United States. It has been exciting to learn alongside motivated peers. Through this program, I have been involved in quality improvement and research initiatives. One such project on analyzing the reasons behind increased length of stay was presented at multiple national conferences. I have grown as a leader and intend to use these skills as I embark on my future career as an academic clinician.

Medical Education Track

Robyn Jordan, MD, Chief Resident

I’m originally from Maryland and attended the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for medical school. When looking for a residency program, I knew I wanted a program with strong clinical training and a diverse patient population in a friendly and collegial atmosphere. I knew from my time as a medical student that Sinai residents were very well-trained in general and subspecialty medicine. Being in NYC, our patient population was the most ethnically, socioeconomically and religiously diverse of all the places I interviewed. The fact that I could find these aspects in an institution that also provided me with such caring and invested mentors, even as a medical student, encouraged me to stay at Sinai.

Within the internal medicine residency, I joined the medical education track. I had prior teaching experience from graduate school and medical school and had completed an elective on teaching adult learners as a medical student. The med ed track provided an opportunity to build on my previous skillset in a practical way. By developing a needs assessment, implementing a med ed intervention of my own design and measuring its efficacy, I’ve been able to practice the skillset that I will use in my future career. The fact that the track is led by one of the best educators in our program, Dr. Mayce Mansour, also didn’t hurt!

Genomic Medicine Track

Meghana Eswarappa, MD, Recent Graduate

Rotating on the internal medicine service was the highlight of my time as a medical student at Mount Sinai and set the bar for qualities that I was looking for in a residency program - a warm atmosphere, a diverse patient population in a bustling city, and a supportive program leadership who placed an emphasis on education. I remember working with residents whose knowledge, independence, and kindness I wanted to emulate. As a former resident, I am incredibly happy with my decision.  

In addition to discovering great mentors and academic projects to pursue subspecialty interests, I have had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Genomic Medicine Track. The track exposes us to genetics in the context of a wide variety of clinical fields and provides us with the opportunity to engage in projects to apply this knowledge to our individual areas of interest. Half-way into the year, I had learned many new skillsets relevant to my future care of patients.