General Practice Residency Program in Dentistry
General Information

Background

May 1, 1999 marked the opening of the new Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a technically advanced state of the art 894 bed medical complex situated on the lakeside in downtown Chicago. Along with its Prentice Women's Hospital and Stone Institute of Psychiatry, the hospital encompasses more than 3 million square feet of medical building space. Virtually every medical specialty is represented by the over 1,600 physicians on the medical staff of Northwestern Memorial which serves as the primary teaching hospital for Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine.

The one-year residency program began in July 1980 and offers two positions each year. The training program is based in Northwestern Dental Center, a custom built 16 operatory facility located on the second floor of the Galter Pavilion in Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The Dental Service does not rely on outside funding, and it is financially self-supporting on a fee for service basis.

Objectives

The objectives of the residency program at Northwestern Memorial are to provide the recent graduate the opportunity to become experienced in the practice of clinical dentistry and to work with a wide range of medically compromised patients. Emphasis is placed on the vital role of interdisciplinary communication and the "team approach" in providing optimal comprehensive patient care.

At Northwestern Memorial, all patient referrals to the Hospital Dental Service arise initially as a result of inpatient consultation requests from physicians throughout all departments in the hospital. The training program focuses on several key areas as outlined below:

1. Provision of comprehensive and complete inpatient and outpatient dental care within the hospital setting.
2. Management and staffing of a 24 hour, seven day a week, oral and dental emergency service through the hospital Emergency Department.
3. Selected off-service rotations, including experience in Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Internal Medicine.
4. Hospital administration protocols and procedures as they affect the practice of Dentistry in the hospital.
5. Clinical and didactic training in relevant dental and medical specialty areas using the resources of Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine.
6. Active participation in department presentations and journal club meetings, as well as involvement in medical and dental Hospital teaching rounds.
7. Active participation in the Scientific Program of the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting is mandatory, and the presentation of a table clinic at this meeting is expected.

Hours

Monday thru Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Residency Appointment and Stipend

House staff appointments, stipends, and support are administered by the Office of Graduate Medical Education of Northwestern University. The current stipend at the first year level of training is $51,987. In addition to the stipend, trainees will be provided the following support:

• individual membership in the house staff group health insurance plan (dependent coverage available for a small co-payment charge)
• twenty-one calendar days of annual vacation - a suitable number of uniforms - professional liability insurance covering training assignments
• sick leave and short term disability insurance
• term life insurance and accidental death in amount of $20,000
• long term disability
• psychiatric outpatient insurance for a period of six months

Licensure

All eligible house staff must have a valid Illinois license. It is the responsibility of each resident to obtain or renew his/her full or temporary license.

Professional Liability Insurance

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University is self-insured for professional liability risk. It provides for the defense in court of any house staff member who is named as a defendant. The insurance also will pay for any damages that are awarded against a house staff member.

Rent and Housing

Affordable accommodations are located in the immediate area surrounding the medical campus. Distance from the hospital must not exceed a fifteen minute commute.

Conclusion

The prestigious position which Northwestern Memorial Hospital enjoys as a comprehensive, progressive, and popular major Medical Center in the Metropolitan Chicago area ensures that a wealth of clinical material is available to enrich the residency program. The experience, which an interested professional can gain from a year spent in the stimulating environment of this institution, is second to none.

It is envisioned that after a year of service at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the dental resident will be in a very strong position to pick the career of his/her choice in Dentistry. With the strong position background acquired, this person will be a highly desirable dental professional who is ideally placed to become a leader in the profession.