Morehouse School of Medicine Program

The Morehouse School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program commits to training skilled family physicians capable of delivering comprehensive, high-quality patient care, particularly focusing on underserved communities, including African American populations. The program equips residents with the competencies required for both acute and chronic health management, and emphasizes the importance of preventive medicine in addressing health disparities in the community 1.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum is designed to instill foundational medical knowledge, skill mastery, and the principles necessary for managing a diverse patient population. Specifically, the program aims to:

• Encourage a comprehensive understanding of family dynamics and the application of behavioral health principles.
• Foster inter-professional collaboration and effective communication within healthcare teams.
• Promote the significance of preventive health services and advocacy for ongoing patient education.
• Ensure that residents attain proficiency in the six core competencies identified by the ACGME: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice.

Residents participate in varied clinical rotations that include continuity clinics throughout their three years of training at the Morehouse Healthcare Comprehensive Family Healthcare Center, where they engage with patients consistently over time 1.

Rotations and Training Sites

The training structure comprises diverse settings, such as:

• Grady Memorial Hospital
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding
• Atlanta VA Healthcare System
• Grady East Point Neighborhood Clinic

These affiliations enable residents to encounter a wide array of patient encounters necessary for developing their clinical acumen across different age groups and medical contexts, including telemedicine formats 1.

Special Programs and Research

Unique to the Morehouse program is its participation in a Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum, preparing residents for certification in lifestyle medicine. Furthermore, the program emphasizes scholarly activities where residents engage in quality improvement projects, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at major conferences, reinforcing a commitment to academic excellence 1.

Educational Conferences and Didactics

Regular educational activities include:

• Weekly didactic sessions on Wednesdays covering essential topics in Family Medicine.
• Family Medicine Journal Clubs and Monthly In-Patient Case Reviews, fostering engagement with current medical literature and applied clinical knowledge.
• Board Preparation sessions where residents review critical content and practice exams to support board certification readiness.

These didactic elements are supplemented by faculty mentorship and tailored training sessions to address individual resident interests and developmental needs 1.

Visa Support and Competitiveness

The program supports J1 visa sponsorship, providing accessibility for international medical graduates. However, it does not sponsor H1B visas. The program is recognized for being approachable to both DO and IMG applicants, although it has a competitive selection process 1.

Application Requirements

Key application criteria include:

• A minimum of one year of U.S.-based clinical experience.
• Applicants must pass USMLE Step 1 before an interview is granted and must complete both Step 1 and Step 2 exams before ranking.
• For the COMLEX pathway, a preferred Level 1 score over 525 and Level 2 over 555 are expected.
• Graduates cannot have exceeded two attempts for either USMLE or COMLEX exams.
• Application must be completed through ERAS, with a deadline of November 30 1.

Salary and Benefits

Residents receive competitive compensation and benefits, which include stipends for educational resources, attendance at conferences, and wellness initiatives throughout the training process. The supportive environment at Morehouse School of Medicine focuses not only on academic excellence but also on resident well-being and personal development