The first year of residency consists primarily of rotations at Avera McKennan and Sanford Health hospitals, supplemented by one half-day per week at the Center for Family Medicine. During clinic time, you'll begin to build a practice. You'll also care for a panel of OB patients one half-day per week at one of the sponsoring hospitals.
Below you'll find a first year resident's requirements, a sample rotation schedule, and all stipends, activities, and benefits information.
First year resident
First year residents have a 53-week contract to accommodate orientation time, and a week of “time back” is given.
For first-year residents.
PS — South Dakota has no state income tax
Toward relocation expenses for first-year residents
Total educational allowance for all three years. Any unused amount can be carried over to the next year. The educational expense money allotted may be used either for meeting costs or for educational books or materials. The ATLS, ALSO, NRP and PALS courses are provided.
You will be provided a free lunch at noon conferences Monday through Thursday, and when on call at the hospitals.
You will receive a full three weeks of vacation during your first year. First-year residents have a 53-week contract to accommodate orientation and a week of “time back” is given.
In addition to the required rotations, you’ll attend a daily noon conference which includes our in-house curriculum covering various disciplines, complemented by other scheduled conferences and journal clubs. These meetings ensure broad exposure to the wide variety of problems encountered in family medicine and give exposure to those conditions which are not so common.
First-year residents will manage a once-weekly clinic for uninsured and low-income women. You will take primary responsibility for continuity in patients’ prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care. You’ll also provide hospital care for the infant and often continue to follow them in the clinic throughout the remainder of residency. This clinic provides an excellent opportunity to manage routine pregnancies, as well as complex pregnancy conditions through collaboration with our OB-GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine colleagues. Past residents have averaged 13 continuity deliveries during their first year (55 total deliveries on average)! After this experience, you’ll feel much more confident managing OB patients, and you’ll be prepared should you wish to make obstetrics part of your future practice.
First-year residents will enjoy a retreat weekend with funding supplied by the program. As a group, you will select an area resort hotel for a three-day weekend of fun and relaxation.