Lakeland Regional Health Program

Transitional Year Residency Program Overview

The Lakeland Regional Health Transitional Year Residency Program is designed to offer residents a comprehensive, individualized training experience that lays a solid foundation of clinical knowledge and professional development. This one-year program is tailored to provide exposure to various medical specialties, preparing residents to excel in their subsequent residency training.

Mission Statement

The mission of the program is to prepare residents for their future medical careers by fostering clinical skills, professionalism, and mentorship in an environment that emphasizes compassionate patient care. This commitment is reflected in its rigorous educational structure within one of Florida's largest hospitals, featuring 910 beds and a diverse patient population.

Why Train at Lakeland Regional Health?

Located between Tampa and Orlando, Lakeland is one of the fastest-growing cities in Florida, bringing a unique array of clinical cases and pathologies. The program benefits from a low trainee competition environment, allowing personalized hands-on experiences in patient care and clinical procedures. Residents gain direct mentorship from experienced faculty across more than 35 specialties.

Curriculum Structure

The curriculum involves a block rotation strategy where each block is four weeks long. The essential rotations include:

• General Internal Medicine – 3 blocks
• Night Float – 1 block (two 2-week rotations)
• Medical Intensive Care Unit – 1 block
• Emergency Medicine – 2 blocks
• Trauma Surgery – 1 block
• General Surgery – 1 block
• Ambulatory Urgent Care – 1 block
• Ambulatory Primary Care (Family Medicine or Internal Medicine) – 1 block
• Electives – 10 Weeks

There is no 24-hour call requirement, and residents enjoy four weeks of vacation during the year.

Electives

Elective rotations provide opportunities for residents to pursue their specific career interests. The available electives include:

• Anesthesia
• Cardiology
• Critical Care Response Team
• Dermatology
• Gastroenterology
• Hematology/Oncology
• Infectious Disease
• Interventional Pain Management
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Nephrology
• Palliative Medicine
• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Pulmonology
• Psychiatry
• OB/GYN
• Radiology and Interventional Radiology
• Radiation Oncology
• Rheumatology
• Sports Medicine
• Urgent Care

Didactics Curriculum

The program emphasizes education and skills development through dedicated didactics time, amounting to 4-8 hours per week, tailored specifically for Transitional Year Residents. Monthly didactics feature skills essential to all physicians such as:

• Business of Medicine
• Physician Wellness & Well-being
• Leadership Skills
• Research Development
• Quality Improvement/Patient Safety

Support for Exam Preparation

Residents must take the USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Level 3 exam, with exam preparation integrated into the didactics. All residents receive reimbursement for exam registration and are allotted protected time off to take the exams. Additional educational resources such as subscriptions to UWorld, Decker Slides, and MKSAP are also provided.

Research Opportunities

The program supports residents' engagement in research and scholarly activities, with each resident expected to participate in at least one project during their training, culminating in a presentation at the annual Research Symposium.

Competitiveness and Applications

The Transitional Year Residency Program is considered competitive, welcoming both MD and DO graduates to apply. Applicants must submit various documents including a CV, medical school transcript, personal statement, and three letters of recommendation to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Importantly, the program does not sponsor visas, requiring applicants to already be authorized to work in the U.S.

Living in Lakeland

Lakeland, known for maintaining a small-town atmosphere amidst rapid growth, offers a vibrant lifestyle enriched by easy access to outdoor activities, cultural events, and a variety of culinary options. Its central location between Tampa and Orlando provides convenient access to major attractions and an active lifestyle.

Support for Residents

An impressive benefits package is provided to residents, which includes a competitive salary, meal subsidies for on-call days, an educational stipend for professional development, and access to facilities such as the LRH GME Fitness Center.