The Yale Department of Internal Medicine debuted the Distinction Pathways in 2016. Our Yale residents are skilled clinicians with passions and talents in many extracurricular areas as well. The Distinction Pathways were created to foster resident interest and development in medical education (Clinician Educator Distinction), global health (Global Health & Equity Distinction), research (Investigation Distinction), and quality improvement (Quality Improvement, Patient Safety & Leadership Distinction). Each distinction is marked by a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum to ensure a robust training experience. Residents interested in pursuing a distinction are encouraged to apply in the fall of their PGY-2 year.
The Clinician Educator Distinction provides an in-depth exposure to knowledge and experiences in medical education. As part of this pathway, residents participate in a rigorous curriculum of didactic sessions, practical workshops and teaching exercises, and a mentored scholarly project. To guide residents in each of these steps, participants are paired with a dedicated faculty advisor.
The mission of the Investigation Distinction is to foster and facilitate career development of our residents who are interested to be leaders in academic research.
The Global Health & Equity Distinction Pathway aims to provide internal medicine residents with the skills to understand health disparities and serve as advocates for patient/population health both domestically and abroad. Through a combination of immersive clinical experiences in resource limited settings, public health didactics, and scholarly endeavors, Yale residents will be informed leaders in ethical and professional healthcare.