FAQ

What is there to do in Bethlehem?

Bethlehem, the Christmas City, is located in the beautiful Lehigh Valley, about 90 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Manhattan. We have lots of great restaurants, shopping, theaters, and museums. If you enjoy outdoor activities, we have miles of bike and running trails and are only a short drive from the ski slopes of the Pocono Mountains. If you like sports, catch a game at our AAA baseball team, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs or our minor league hockey team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

What is it like to raise a family in Bethlehem?

Many of our residents start or grow their families during their three years with us. Bethlehem and the surrounding areas have affordable housing and great schools. There are lots of family-friendly activities in the Lehigh Valley, including the Crayola Crayon Factory, the Lehigh Valley Zoo, and dozens of parks. When you interview with us, bring your significant other to sample all that the Lehigh Valley has to offer!

How are the residents evaluated?

Our program uses periodic resident-self assessment and end of rotation evaluations completed by the supervising physician, standardized patient encounters, direct observation and chart review in the hospital and Family Medicine Center, simulations, biannual 360-evaluation by their patients and peers and an annual national intraining examination in order to provide a complete picture of our residents, their goals and their progress towards reaching those goals. These evaluations are reviewed with each resident during scheduled periodic evaluations with a faculty attending physician.

Is there a research requirement?

We believe in providing our residents with the fundamental skills of critically appraising the medical literature and applying research to their individual patients. We accomplish this through out quarterly journal clubs, our educational series at Family Medicine Academic Day, and the completion of a research project. In the past year, our residents published an article in American Family Physician and won first prize at the annual Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians Resident Research Day. In addition, our residents gain valuable experience doing annual quality improvement projects through the AAFP’s METRIC project.

What opportunities are there for osteopathic education?

Our program earned Osteopathic Recognition from the ACGME in 2016. Approximately half of our current residents are graduates of osteopathic schools. Per recent changes from the ACGME, residents in the osteopathic track take the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP) examination in their third year and are eligible to apply to ACGME-accredited fellowship programs. Osteopathic residents have ample opportunity to practice OMT on their personal patients in the Family Medicine Center.

Is your program dually accredited?

Yes! We are accredited by both the ACGME and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and in 2016 earned Osteopathic Recognition from the ACGME.  Approximately half of our current residents are graduates of osteopathic schools. Osteopathic residents who match to our program will fulfill the requirements for both the ACGME and the AOA in three years and sit for both board certification examinations. Osteopathic residents who graduate from our program are eligible to apply to ACGME-accredited fellowship programs. We are currently in the process of obtaining Osteopathic Recognition as the ACGME goes to a single accreditation system.

Does your program offer fellowship programs?

Yes! Our residency program sponsors a Sports Medicine Fellowship (since 2005), a Geriatrics Fellowship (since 2010) and a Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship (since 2010). Our fellowship directors (Drs. Vikram, Mira and Baxter) coordinate clinical and didactic education in these areas for our residents during all three years of training.

Are you a Patient Centered Medical Home?

Yes! In 2011, our residency program was awarded Level 1 certification as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This is a great honor made possible by the hard work and dedication of our residents, staff and faculty. We submitted our renewal to NCQA in conjunction with the 32 ambulatory practices of the Network and are confident of upgrading our status to Level 3.

Where are your graduates practicing? What are they doing?

Over the past five years, approximately half of our graduates are practicing within 50 miles of our residency program. Our graduates have chosen office practices, hospitalist practices, academic medicine, and fellowship programs in sports medicine, geriatrics, obstetrics, and hospice and palliative medicine. We will truly prepare you for anything in Family Medicine!

What do your graduates think about your program?

Since so many of our graduates are currently practicing in St. Luke’s University Health Network, they think that it is a great experience! Our graduates help to teach our current residents any many have referred family and friends to our practice and as applicants to our program. Once you are a part of our residency, we are always available to you - whether you are practicing in Bethlehem, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Texas, California, or Canada!