UMMC Morning Report

The premier teaching conference of our residency program is morning report, held each weekday morning at both UMMC and the VA. Led by either a faculty member or a chief resident and attended by all of the house medicine teams as well as other residents who are not occupied with clinical duties, morning report is an opportunity for daily growth of medical knowledge, communication skills, and the thought process involved in critical decision making.

Presentations of patients admitted during the month offer the opportunity to use history, physical exam and laboratory and imaging data to develop an appropriate problem list and differential diagnosis; to explore the pathophysiology of common and unusual disease processes; and to enhance high value, cost-conscious patient management skills. The faculty on service, attending physicians involved in the educational programs, subspecialty fellows and faculty, and the former chairman of the department have a regular presence at the conference and provide real time feedback to the residents on their presentation skills and patient management.

Our chief residents and faculty spend time daily preparing the conference and solicit feedback from the residents and the fourth-year medical students on a routine basis to maintain the best possible environment and format for learning. Additionally, as the year progresses, the focus shifts appropriately to ensure that necessary skills are developed for the challenges each resident will face the following year with a new level of responsibility.