Overview

The Transitional Year Residency at Cape Fear Valley Health follows a thirteen-block schedule, with each block lasting four weeks. The curriculum combines core rotations, including one selective rotation, with elective experiences that allow residents to explore individual interests and align their training with future specialty goals.

Throughout the year, residents work alongside categorical residents in internal medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry, as well as cardiology fellows and specialty faculty, gaining experience in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. The curriculum also includes educational conferences, simulation-based training, research, scholarly activity, board preparation, and community service, and many opportunities for professional growth.

Core Rotations (Weeks)

  • Internal Medicine Wards - 12
  • Block-Nights - 4
  • Ambulatory care - 4
  • Cardiology - 4
  • Infectious Disease - 4
  • Pediatrics - 4
  • Psychiatry - 4
  • Emergency Medicine - 4

Selective Rotation

One rotation in General Surgery, ICU, or Internal Medicine - 4

Electives

Two electives tailored to career interests (inpatient or outpatient, depending on specialty) - 8

Available Electives

  • Anesthesiology
  • Cardiology
  • Dermatology
  • Emergency Medicine **
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • ICU (Critical Care) **
  • Infectious Disease **
  • Neurology
  • OB/GYN
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Palliative Care
  • PMR (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
  • Psychiatry **
  • Pulmonology
  • Radiology
  • Rheumatology
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Urology

** Core rotations can be taken as an elective

Rotation Schedule

Click here to view the Transition Year rotation schedule.
View

Time Off

Residents are provided with 28 days of paid time off (PTO) during the academic year.

Educational Conferences

  • Transitional Year Didactics: Held once a month on the first Monday from 1–3 PM, these sessions include expert guest lectures, resident-led presentations and Step 3 Board Review Preparation.
  • Graduate Medical Education (GME) Didactics: All residents across the Cape Fear Valley GME programs participate in GME didactics twice a month on Fridays from 12–2 PM, which foster professional development.
  • Specialty-Specific Didactics: While on rotations, residents participate in that specialty’s didactics alongside categorical residents:
    • Emergency Medicine: Wednesdays, 8 AM – 1 PM
    • Internal Medicine: Morning Report (Mondays, 12:15–1:15 PM); Didactics (Thursdays, 1–4 PM)
    • Family Medicine (SR-AHEC): Fridays, 12–4 PM
    • Cardiology: Wednesdays, 12 PM
    • General Surgery: Fridays, 6–10 AM
    • OB/GYN: Fridays, 2–5 PM
  • Hospital-Wide Conferences: Residents also benefit from Cape Fear Valley’s academic environment, including Grand Rounds and Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) conferences.

Board Review

Residents are provided AMBOSS access for Step 3 Board Review Preparation throughout the year.

High-Fidelity Simulation

Residents participate in simulation-based training at the Cape Fear Valley Simulation Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to provide safe, hands-on learning. These sessions help residents strengthen clinical decision-making, communication, and emergency response skills through realistic scenarios.

The Simulation Center features:

  • SimMan® 3G
  • Pediatric HAL®
  • Trauma HAL®
  • VICTORIA® Birthing Simulator
  • SUPER TORY® Neonatal Simulator
  • The Angio Mentor for vascular and catheter-based procedures
  • Ultrasound Mentor for bedside ultrasound interpretation and ultrasound-guided procedures such as vascular access, paracentesis, and thoracentesis. 
  • Additional task trainers reinforce airway management, central line placement, lumbar puncture

Research & Scholarly Activities

  • GME Research Group: Meets monthly and provides practical training in research and scholarly activity.
  • Transitional Year Quality Improvement (QI) Project: All TY residents participate in a group QI project during the academic year.
    • Examples of past projects include:
      • Developing a migraine order set
      • Enhancing heart failure patient education and self-care behaviors
      • Assessing & improving providers’ comfort and knowledge in caring for needs of the LGBTQ population
      • Developing an order set for sickle cell crisis patients
  • Poster Presentation: Each resident completes at least one poster presentation during the year. Projects may take the form of a case report, case series, systematic review, or meta-analysis.
  • Conference Presentations: Residents have opportunities to present their research at institutional, regional and national conferences.

Community Service

  • Residents may participate in the Health Equity and Community Engagement Initiative, which meets monthly via WebEx and connects them with community outreach activities, local events, and service opportunities. These experiences help residents engage meaningfully within the community.