Mission

To forge the future leaders of military medicine, the NCC TY Internship will provide a rigorous and well-rounded clinical foundation that trains interns to think critically, adapt rapidly to dynamic environments, and lead with confidence. By aligning with ACGME TY Program Requirements and integrating a targeted Military Unique Curriculum, we cultivate exceptionally prepared, agile physicians ready to excel in residency training or immediately as resilient Operational/General Medical Officers.

Vision

To be the premier Transitional Year Internship program in the Defense Health Agency, recognized for fostering an unparalleled clinical and educational internship experience that shapes the future leaders of military medicine.

Aims

• Deliver a customizable, multi-disciplinary curriculum to develop knowledgeable, compassionate physicians fully prepared for residency training or operational/general medical officer tours.
• Develop versatile, humanistic military medical leaders who can think quickly on their feet and adapt rapidly to dynamic, high-stakes environments and who will be prepared to take on increasing leadership in the military and medicine.
• Foster respectful training culture that empowers interns to collaborate effectively and lead within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Support longitudinal research and scholarly activity to foster intellectual curiosity and enhance the future of medicine.
• Cultivate personal and professional resilience through intern-driven wellness initiatives, dedicated faculty mentorship, and protected educational time and resources.
• Develop a culture of commitment to patient safety and quality improvement through the instruction of the required skills, tools and attitudes.
• Cultivate an enduring commitment to patient safety and quality improvement by equipping physicians with the skills, tools, and proactive attitudes required to advocate for safe and effective patient care.

• Morning report
• Morbidity and mortality conferences (M&Ms)
• Journal Club
• Grand rounds

Additional didactic content may be offered throughout the training year and consists of the following:

• Radiology
• Wellness 
• Teaching as residents
• CV workshops
• Community building and advocacy

TY Interns complete a total of 13 block rotations (4 weeks in length). Core rotations Include:

• Ambulatory Medicine (Ambulatory Medicine, Adolescent Medicine, or Family Medicine)
• Emergency Medicine
• Internal Medicine Wards
• Intensive Care Unit (Medical or Surgical)
• OBGYN
• Pediatrics
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physical Medicine, Sports Medicine, or Orthopedic Surgery)
• Psychiatry (Consult Liaison Service)
• Inpatient Cardiology
• Inpatient Choice (interns choose from Labor and Delivery, Trauma Surgery, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Pediatrics, Family Medicine)

Transitional Year Residents have four electives per academic year.  The following list is provided of potential rotations that may be considered:

Schedules are determined prior to the rotation beginning. For inpatient Internal Medicine rotations, schedules are posted on Amion.com

The TY Internship has a Jeopardy system in place to handle coverage for interns on inpatient rotations out sick or have an emergency situation. TY interns serve on Jeopardy several times per year for a week at a time depending on their assigned clinical rotation throughout the year.
  

• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, or Orthopedics – 1 Block (4 weeks)
• Psychiatry Consult Liaison Service – ½ Block (2 weeks)
• Operational Medicine Rotation if intern is not selected to go into a residency – ½ Block (2 weeks)
• TY interns who are selected to complete operational or general medical officer tours after completing the TY Internship have the opportunity to complete an Operational Medicine rotation prior to graduation to enhance their medical acumen prior to serving within the operational environment.
• Transitional Year Residents may attend the Combat Casualty Care Course in San Antonio, Texas. 

• TY Residents are required to maintain Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support or Advanced Cardiac Life Support while they are within residency training.
• TY Residents will be required to complete Combat Casualty Care Course in San Antonio, Texas or may be enrolled in a Tactical Combat Care Course and Advanced Trauma Life Support course at WRNMMC prior to reporting to an operational or overseas assignment.  

The Simulation Center at WRNMMC is utilized during our didactics and scheduled on a quarterly basis.

Here are a few opportunities (not all are listed) for leadership positions at the command and within the TY Internship Program. These positions are peer selected.

Command House Staff Class Leadership Positions:

• House Staff Council
• Internship Class Leaders
• Flight Surgery or Dive Medical Officer Representative
• Antibiotic Stewardship Committee
• Blood Utilization Committee
• Cancer Committee
• CPR/RRT Committee
• Credentials Committee
• Executive Committee of the Medical Staff
• Infection Control Committee
• Medical Informatics Committee
• Medical Records Review Committee
• Medication Management Function Team
• Nutrition Support Committee
• Operative and Other Invasive Procedures Committee
• Pain Management Committee
• Patient Care Assessment Committee (Risk Management Committee)
• Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
• Product Evaluation and Standards Committee
• Quality Management Committee
• Reference Lab Utilization Committee

Transitional Year Leadership Positions:

• Class Leaders
• Program Evaluation Committee
• Social Activities and Wellness
• Community Building and Advocacy Committee Member
• Information Technology Support Chair
• Duty-Hours Subcommittee Representative
• House Staff Council Representative

Each TY intern will prepare and submit a Case Report to the National Capital Region Research & Innovation Month Competition or participate in an approved longitudinal research or scholarly activity project.

All TY interns prepare and present a Quality Improvement proposal to evaluate factors that may have contributed to an error or near miss during their TY internship while applying QI methodologies and concepts.

Unique opportunities are available for our TY Residents throughout the year to help them prepare them for their next assignment. Here are some examples:

• Military Officership Course Series
• Simulation Training for Operational Medicine Program
• Military Medicine Humanitarian Assistance Course
• Tropical Medicine Course
• Combat Casualty Care Course

• A.T. Augusta Military Medical Center (Fort Belvoir, Virginia)
• Inova Fairfax Civilian Hospital – (Fairfax, Virginia)
• Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center (Fort Meade, MD)
• Malcolm Grow Medical Center – MGMC (Joint Base Andrews, Maryland)
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center (Washington, D.C.)
• United States Naval Academy – USNA (Annapolis, Maryland)
• Veterans Administration Medical Center - VAMC (Washington, D.C.)

If you are interested in scheduling a medical student rotation at WRNMMC, please email: dha.ncr.walter-reed-med-ctr.mbx.ncc-wrnmmc-gme@health.mil

The TY Residency Program is happy to interview any current HSCP/HPSP/USU medical student who ranks the TY Residency as their top choice or if applying to a program that does not offer a PGY-1 training year.

To set up an interview, please email the TY Program at dha.ncr.walter-reed-med-ctr.list.ncc-ty@health.mil. Please include your most current CV and a personal statement as to why you wish to pursue this area of training.

There is no specific specialty board overseeing the TY Residency program. However, TY Residents are required to pass the COMLEX/USMLE Step 3 examination to obtain their unrestricted medical license after completion of their intern year. 

TY Residents will have numerous opportunities to teach medical students and ancillary support staff while on their assigned clinical rotations as well as opportunities to present scholarly activities to the TY class throughout the academic year. 

TY Residents may pursue becoming BLS and ALS/ACLS instructors. 

Our institution is staffed by board-certified specialist in over 60 ACGME accredited programs, providing a broad range of clinical experiences and diversity of patients to keep our interns stimulated and engaged.

• Our incoming Residents will be assigned a current TY Resident as their sponsor/mentor to help with answering questions and transitioning from medical school to their PGY-1 year of training.
• Our current TY Residents are assigned a TY Associate Program Director to act as their advisor within the program to help with mentorship, communication and military issues.

The health and well-being of our interns is of the highest importance, and we communicate, promote, and support the resources and programs available to our trainees. The NCC TY program mindfully works to create and support a family-like environment where all residents are empowered to take care of themselves throughout the rigors of the PGY-1 training year.

The TY Program also offers many opportunities to participate in wellness activities during didactics and social activities throughout the year – including holiday and match day celebrations, a Hail & Farewell party, and an annual off-site program retreat.