Vanderbilt Med-Peds Conference, Every Thursday, 12-1 p.m.
In addition to the plethora of wonderful internal medicine conferences and pediatric conferences offered at Vanderbilt, the Med-Peds residents have a weekly Med-Peds Conference. This conference is specifically designed for (and by) the Med-Peds house staff. The content and format of the Thursday conferences vary by the day of the month (see below) and lunch is provided. Attendance is required. In addition to learning, the conferences allow residents and faculty time to be together.
Med-Peds Conference Series
Clinical Masters Conference: This is a flagship conference for the Med-Peds group and one of the most popular conferences in the medical center. The Clinical Masters Conference was started as a resident initiative back in 1993. Speakers are selected from all the Vanderbilt faculty by the Med-Peds residents and are widely known for their teaching excellence and enthusiasm. Think of the conference as a sort of "brain biopsy" to learn how these clinical masters think through cases.
Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) Conference: The CAT Conference is an evidence-based medicine conference where upper-level Med-Peds residents (PGY2-4s) take turns critically appraising the evidence that exists for why we practice the way we do. Outpatient topics are encouraged, but any topics pertinent to the practice of Internal Medicine or Pediatrics is acceptable. Often these are questions we encounter in our Med-Peds continuity clinics where an updated review of the literature helps answer clinical care questions. The Med-Peds Chief and faculty serve as mentors for residents preparing for a CAT conference.
Residents as Teachers and Scholars (STAR) Conference: This conference began when our Med-Peds residents asked for more opportunities to teach and to have some support and mentoring for their teaching. Residents can present an interesting case, clinical vignettes, their community service initiatives, poster presentations, their research, or an academic review of a relevant topic. Residents are mentored in preparing goals and objectives for themselves as clinical teachers, in addition to the audience. The Med-Peds Chief and faculty serve as mentors for residents preparing for a STAR conference.
Quality Improvement (QI) & Patient Safety Conference: We foster competency in Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems Based Practice with a Med-Peds conference dedicated to quality and patient safety. We use several strategies and resources, including monitoring the quality of the care we provide in our outpatient Med-Peds clinic individually and as a group. We use evidence-based strategies and collaborate with institutional partners to improve processes and care delivery.