Mission

To have a well-balanced program in multiple clinical disciplines and to facilitate the choice of, and preparation for a specific specialty or for those seeking to become a general medical officer.

Vision

Ensures provision of safe and effective patient care. Develop Resident’s skills, knowledge, and attitude. Provides foundation for continued professional growth.

Aims

• Develop respectful, professional, and competent first-year physicians who can diagnose and treat acute, sub-acute and chronic illnesses.
• Develop competent physicians with enough experience and leadership to continue into a residency program or to become a General Medical Officer.
• Develop procedural skills that allow the physician to treat simple to moderately complex lacerations and injuries.
• Provide safe and effective healthcare that incorporates informed consent and comprehensive patient education.
• Provide a workplace that is inclusive and respects all members of the team regardless of race, gender, religion, or beliefs.
• Provide an education that balances work and life and encourages wellness.

Transitional Year Residents participate in all scheduled didactic activities while on rotations to include morning report, lectures, journal clubs, and M&M conferences. Additionally, monthly Transitional Year didactic meetings cover a range of educational topics such as simulation exercises, military unique topics, patient safety, medical ethics, and professional development.

The academic year is divided into 13 four-week block rotations. Although rotations vary by Resident interest, a typical year includes rotations in: General Surgery, Pediatrics/Adolescent Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, Family Medicine/Ambulatory Care Clinic, Otolaryngology and Inpatient Internal Medicine.

Three elective rotations can be chosen from the many specialties at Tripler Army Medical Center.  These include:

• Allergy & Immunology
• Anesthesiology
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Cardiology
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology
• Otolaryngology
• Gastroenterology
• Hematology & Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Interventional Radiology
• Nerurology
• Pain Medicine
• Pathology
• Plastic Surgery
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Preventive Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Aviation Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Pulmonology
• Radiation Oncology
• Radiology
• Rheumatology
• Sports Medicine
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit
• Urology

The call schedule is variable. Generally, call is taken during the inpatient rotations to include General Surgery, Internal Medicine Wards, Trauma Rotation, Intensive Care Medicine.

Transitional Year didactic meetings cover a range of educational topics such as simulation exercises, military unique topics, patient safety, medical ethics, and professional development. 

 All Transitional Year Residents will complete training in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Trauma Life Support, and the Combat Casualty Care Course (C4). 

Tripler has a simulation center which can be used by TY Residents to learn suturing, trauma management, and to advance their medical and surgical skills.

The Tripler TY program has built-in didactics to further each TY Resident's leadership abilities.

The Tripler TY program has no formal research publication requirement. A research rotation can be set up as a 4-week block. Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses and retrospective and prospective studies are all potential projects.

The Tripler TY program requires each TY Resident to perform an unofficial quality improvement/program improvement project. A 30-minute overview of the topic and project needs to be presented to the TY program about half-way through the TY academic year.

The Tripler TY program has built-in professional development lectures.

The Tripler Army Medical Center and Queens Medical Center. Both are located on the Island of Oahu.

Medical students do not rotate within the Transitional Year Residency program at Tripler Army Medical Center.  

Applicants are not required to interview with the Tripler Army Medical Center Transitional Year Residency Program. Rotations are not offered as medical students since there is no specific Transitional Residency rotation specific to our program.

The Tripler Army Medical Center Transitional Year Residents must take their USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Level 3 during the academic year. We recommend you take it before March.

Transitional Year Residents will have opportunities to teach medical students who are other clinical service rotations at Tripler Army Medical Center throughout the year.

Transitional Year Residents will have multiple opportunities to teach other TY Residents during the monthly TY meetings.

The Transitional Year Residency program utilizes specialty-trained physicians and subject matter experts within the various rotational sites to imbue the TYs with the most up-to-date knowledge and clinical acumen within each rotation specialty.  

Hawaii is a beautiful state. During your Transitional Year Residency you will not be on call during most of your rotations, which will allow you to enjoy your weekends. There are several historical sites you can visit such as Pearl Harbor. There are several recreational activities and hikes such as Koko Head, Diamond Head, Lighthouse and Kaena Point.