ABSTRACT
Introduction Each medical graduate comes into residency with different knowledge bases, clinical experiences, fears, attitudes and, most obviously, strengths and weak nesses. A primary emphasis of undergraduate medical education is on mountains of memorization: anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, signs, symptoms and diagnoses, along with manual techniques of physical and laboratory examina tions. Although problem-based learning (PBL) and clinical rotations offer some hands-on application, students have little primary responsibility. Residency provides the opportunity to fine-tune the graduate's knowledge and techniques within the context of a variety of patient care possibilities. Thus, in educational terms, residency is the application, and most importantly, the problem-solving part of previous undergraduate medical learning. Perhaps the prime benefit of residency is the guided tour that experienced physicians provide in the applica tion of medical knowledge during the numerous rotations - when, where, why and how with the young and old, male and female, a variety of presenta tions, differing circumstances and concurrent diseases. Specifically, learning the 'in-the-trenches' techniques that experienced physicians offer of the knowledge, application and problem solving in your specialty is the goal for residents rotating through your office.
