The training program offers a number of strengths, which can best be summarized as the ABCs of the program:

A  Autonomy: At both Parkland Health and Hospital System and the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Paul University Hospital, the house staff has primary responsibility for all decisions regarding patient management.  With appropriate faculty guidance, the house staff decides who to admit to the hospital, how to proceed with their evaluation, and how to treat them.

B  Back-Up: At the same time, the house staff is strongly supported by expert faculty and fellows, all of whom are available and enthusiastic about providing service. Each ward team, for example, has access at all times to its attending physician as well as to a myriad of subspecialty consultants.

C  Camaraderie: The house staff, fellows, and faculty are supportive of one another, creating a collegial and friendly atmosphere.  In a word, the working atmosphere is constructive and conducive to learning the art and science of medicine.

D  Didactics: At Parkland Health and Hospital System and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Paul University Hospital, the house staff takes advantage of daily teaching conferences, given by prominent members of the faculty. On Monday through Friday, these are held during the noon hour, and on Saturday the conference is held in the morning.

E  Emergency Room: One of the notable strengths of the training program is the superb experience gained in the Parkland Hospital ER. The Medicine Emergency Room is large and busy. Working there, the house staff gain considerable experience in recognizing and effectively managing a variety of acute medical emergencies, as well as dealing with a large number of patients from the time of initial presentation.

F  Faculty: At each of the sponsoring hospitals, the Department Chair, the Vice Chairs, and numerous distinguished senior faculty are actively involved on a daily basis in house staff activities. The faculty commitment to the training program is extremely strong.  Only full-time faculty attend on the wards and in the units.

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