Family Practice

Family Practice is slow to become popular in Boston; however, it is thriving on the West Coast. My advice is to decide on your principal location and start researching programs as early as possible. Use the summer between first and second year to spend some time with family docs associated with a prospective residency - Dr. Shaw is a good source of information. Set up your fourth year schedule to include one or two months at potential programs. Aside from electives, most residencies will encourage spending a week or even a day with a resident for real exposure to their curriculum. This is time well spent. You will come to know first hand what life would be like in a certain program and whether or not it meets your expectations and needs. It also affords you the opportunity to become a familiar name and face for the people involved in the selection process. Relax and be yourself in any and all encounters-family practitioners are some of the most down-to-earth people in medicine. Good luck!