Curriculum Details

All residents see continuity patients at one site, Kootenai Health Family Medicine Residency Clinic, located on the main Kootenai Health medical campus. From day one residents are assigned a panel of patients and be scheduled clinic time through all three years of training.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • Provide compassionate, evidence-based care for patients of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and life experiences.
  • Supportive, team-based learning environment including onsite social work, pharmacy, and psychiatry.
  • Strong in office POCUS training
  • Experience office procedures, practice management, and specialty clinics including geriatrics, women’s health, pediatrics, psychiatry, addiction medicine, orthopedics, and nutrition.

Obstetrical care is a foundational aspect of our residency training and will train under the guidance of Family Medicine OB faculty, community obstetricians, certified Nurse Midwives, and maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Through the Kootenai Health Birthing Center, residents are involved in all aspects of low and high-risk OB care, including opportunities to work in the NICU.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • 6 months of training on Labor and Delivery spread across three years of training, with increasing autonomy and leadership throughout residency.
  • Resident coverage of the OB ED with the OB hospitalists
  • Resident coverage of Labor and Delivery, with a complex OB population
  • Work with a variety of providers: Family Medicine OB faculty, community obstetricians, certified Nurse Midwives, and maternal-fetal medicine specialists
  • Overnight call coverage in the R2 and R3 years allowing increased autonomy and independence
  • Hands-on experience in multidisciplinary care for pregnant patients with substance use disorder
  • 80–100 vaginal deliveries and 20–30 c-section assists for residents in the OB Intensive Pathway
  • 30–60 vaginal deliveries and 10–30 c-section assists for non-OB pathway residents
  • Gynecologic procedural training in LARCs, MVA, EMB, and colposcopy

A strength of our “rural-ready” curriculum is our robust inpatient adult medicine experience that prepares residents to confidently manage the care of hospitalized adults across a wide range of medical conditions. Residents care for patients on the Family Medicine inpatient service throughout all three years of training, with progressive responsibility that culminates in serving as the senior resident team leader.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • 6 months of inpatient adult medicine spread across three years of training, with increasing autonomy and leadership throughout residency.
  • Care for a diverse patient population with a broad range of acute and chronic medical conditions.
  • Experience managing patients across multiple levels of care, including the medical floor, ICU, post-operative care, oncology, and end-of-life care.
  • 4 weeks dedicated to adult critical care training alongside intensivists to develop advanced clinical decision-making and procedural skills.
  • Close collaboration and teaching with specialists across multiple disciplines, including interventional cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, infectious disease, surgical subspecialties, and other consulting services.
  • Strong emphasis on evidence-based medicine, interdisciplinary teamwork, and preparation for independent practice in both community and rural settings.

Pediatric training is integrated throughout all three years of residency and includes experiences in newborn care, outpatient pediatrics, inpatient pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, and the NICU. Residents also provide ongoing care for children within their continuity clinic panels, developing skills in preventive care, acute illness management, and longitudinal family-centered care.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • Longitudinal pediatric experience throughout residency, including continuity clinic, emphasis on acute illness, preventive care, newborn care, and family-centered treatment.
  • High-volume newborn, NICU, inpatient, and emergency pediatric experiences with exposure to a broad range of common and complex pediatric conditions.
  • Dedicated pediatric hospitalists and community pediatricians committed to resident education.
  • Busy outpatient pediatric clinics with opportunities to work alongside pediatric specialists.
  • Optional rural pediatric rotations for residents interested in expanding their rural practice experience.

Behavioral health is fully integrated into our residency curriculum and is a core component of comprehensive family medicine. Residents learn to recognize, diagnose, and manage common behavioral and mental health conditions while working alongside an interdisciplinary team.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • Longitudinal behavioral health training is integrated throughout all three years of residency.
  • Collaboration with on-site behavioral health professionals and licensed clinical social workers through warm handoffs and team-based care.
  • One-on-one learning with dedicated psychiatry faculty to develop skills in the evaluation and management of common mental health conditions.
  • Experience caring for patients with depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other behavioral health concerns in the primary care setting.
  • Training in motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, behavioral change counseling, and integrated care models.
  • Regular psychiatry consultation clinics and case-based teaching to support resident learning and patient care.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • Two months of emergency medicine experience, including time in a rural ER
  • High-volume emergency department training with procedural experience and medical resuscitations.
  • Certification in ACLS, PALS, and NRP – ATLS optional with approval

Musculoskeletal medicine is an essential component of family medicine, and our longitudinal curriculum prepares residents to confidently diagnose and manage orthopedic and sports-related conditions in the primary care setting. Residents learn alongside Sports Medicine fellowship-trained Family Medicine faculty, orthopedic surgeons, and rehabilitation specialists throughout residency.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • Longitudinal musculoskeletal and sports medicine education integrated throughout all three years of residency.
  • Direct teaching and mentorship from Sports Medicine fellowship-trained Family Medicine faculty.
  • Comprehensive training in the evaluation and management of common musculoskeletal injuries and conditions.
  • Hands-on experience with fracture management, casting and splinting, joint and soft tissue injections, and interpretation of musculoskeletal imaging.
  • Robust point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum, including diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures.
  • Collaboration with orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and other rehabilitation professionals to develop individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans.
  • Opportunities for sports physicals, sideline and event coverage, and care of athletes of all ages and levels of competition.
  • A defined elective pathway for residents seeking advanced training in sports medicine, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and procedural skills, providing additional clinical experience and mentorship for those considering Sports Medicine fellowship or a procedure-focused family medicine practice.

POCUS is integrated into everyday patient care – not limited to workshops or isolated rotations. Residents develop ultrasound skills through repeated clinical use while receiving structured mentorship and feedback. Residents train throughout the health system with ultrasound access in the Family Medicine Clinic, Emergency Department, ICU, and Obstetric clinics. They gain experience on GE, Sonosite, Philips, Samsung, and Butterfly platforms.

A full complement of transducers supports musculoskeletal, vascular, cardiac, pulmonary, abdominal, soft tissue, and obstetric imaging. An endocavitary probe in the Family Medicine Clinic supports first-trimester dating ultrasound as part of comprehensive family medicine obstetric care.

Highlights of the curriculum:

  • All 7 core FM faculty credentialed and actively teaching POCUS, dedicated POCUS fellowship trained faculty (FPD)
  • Equipment: training on Butterfly handheld devices; cart-based ultrasound machines available for resident use between the ED, ICU, and OB clinics; endocavitary probe for early dating scans; curvilinear, high-frequency linear, and phased array probes
  • 2 week ED Ultrasound selective, with access to GE, Sonosite, Philips, Samsung, and Butterfly platforms
  • Potential to graduate with a minimum of 150 peer-reviewed scans for credentialing
  • Longitudinal curriculum following AAFP-recommended POCUS topics
  • Integrated throughout all three years of residency
  • Ultrasound incorporated into clinic, inpatient, ED, rural medicine, obstetrics, sports medicine, and procedures
  • Institution-wide culture of POCUS across Family Medicine, ED, ICU, and OB
  • Structured faculty quality review with individualized feedback
  • Optional POCUS Certificate after 150 peer-reviewed scans
  • Routine ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal procedures
  • Sporting event coverage

“Training at Kootenai has given me the skillset I need to use POCUS competently and confidently in my practice. The dedicated didactics from expert faculty, access to expert scan review, and the opportunity to log a large number of scans have been invaluable. Completing the longitudinal POCUS credentialing pathway has also been a significant asset as I pursue full-spectrum rural family medicine positions.”

Kevin Glover, MD  |  227 peer-reviewed scans and counting

Multidisciplinary POCUS Faculty

Residents are mentored by faculty who have developed advanced ultrasound skills through a dedicated POCUS fellowship, Sports Medicine fellowship, Rural Health fellowship, longitudinal ultrasound training programs, and ongoing clinical practice.

Emergency Medicine POCUS

Will Johnjulio, MD completed dedicated POCUS fellowship training, directs the ED Ultrasound Selective, and helped expand POCUS throughout Kootenai Health.

Sports Medicine / MSK

John Mitchell, MD completed Sports Medicine fellowship training with extensive MSK ultrasound experience and has taught MSK ultrasound and guided injections at conferences.

Rural Medicine

Brooke Potratz, MD completed a Rural Health fellowship incorporating POCUS into ED and rural practice. Crystal Pyrak, MD routinely uses POCUS at Marimn Health.

Obstetric Ultrasound

Melissa Roop, MD is credentialed in first-trimester dating ultrasound. Crystal Pyrak, MD and Becca Siemers, MD are on the OB ultrasound credentialing pathway.

Family Medicine Integration

Matt Bean, MD, Crystal Pyrak, MD, and Becca Siemers, MD completed longitudinal advanced ultrasound training.

Quality Review

Submitted scans receive structured faculty review and individualized feedback to refine acquisition, interpretation, and clinical decision-making.

Clinical Resources

Residents train throughout the health system with ultrasound access in the Family Medicine Clinic, Emergency Department, ICU, and Obstetric clinics. They gain experience on GE, Sonosite, Philips, Samsung, and Butterfly platforms.

Tuesday Afternoon Didactic Learning

Protected time for resident learning (didactics) occurs every Tuesday afternoon. Didactics are presented by faculty, residents, and community physicians. Our approach is evidence- and case-based, interactive, and dynamic. Afternoons include theme days centered around core clinical topics, procedural workshops, seven simulation sessions, and a variety of other topics pertinent to Family Medicine training. Resident support groups, class meetings with the program director, wellness activities, quarterly advisor meetings and resident-faculty meetings are also held on Tuesday afternoons.

Scholarly Activity: Grand Rounds and Quality Improvement

In their R2 year residents will identify and begin work on a quality improvement project that is presented prior to graduation in the R3 year. In the R3 year residents give a formal Grand Rounds presentation, often covering clinical cases, recent research, or new treatment guidelines.

Examples of Grand Rounds topics

  • “IUD Updates: Pain Control and Trouble Shooting”
  • “Outpatient Management of Alcohol Use Disorder”
  • Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care
  • “PCOS and Long-Term Health Considerations”
  • “Testosterone Therapy Overview”

Examples of Quality Improvement projects

  • Implementing Ambience AI Scribe
  • Wellbeing Opt-Out Career Coaching Program for Residents
  • Introducing Mamava Pods into the Hospital for Breastfeeding Support
  • Improving Newborn Patient Scheduling
  • Grant: Fresh Fruits & Vegetables for Patients
  • Curriculum Development: Endoscopy Training for FM Residents
  • Implementation of Botox Treatment for Migraines

The KHFMR curriculum contains up to 6 months of electives, allowing residents to customize their educational experience. Electives are included in each year of residency. Residents may select one of the existing electives or work with their faculty advisor to develop their own. Away electives are allowed, and we frequently customize or develop new elective experiences based on resident interest. One month is a Rural Elective, and residents work with faculty to select a location that best fits their training needs.

Examples of common resident electives include:

  • Addiction Awareness
  • Advanced Psychiatric Care
  • Care at the End of Life
  • Derm and Cosmetic Surgery
  • Hospitalist Medicine
  • Independent Research
  • Infection Control
  • Inpatient Procedures (R3)
  • It’s Gyn Time
  • MAT Matters
  • Overcoming Difficult Behavioral Health
  • Pediatric Sports Medicine
  • Perfecting POCUS
  • Pharm Chaos
  • Prenatal Care 2.0
  • Residents as Teachers
  • Short Rural Tour
  • Sports Medicine
  • Stroke Alert
  • The Difficult Airway
  • Trauma Trauma Trauma
  • Understanding Wound Care
  • Urgent Fun!
  • Womb Service