Family Medicine Residency

Houston Methodist’s community-based family medicine residency is steeped in the tradition of caring for the family, including all ages, ethnicities and walks of life. Along with a dedication to our patients, mutual respect and strong partnerships exist between the residents and the faculty, which enables residents to help direct their education and prepare for their individual professional goals, while maintaining a healthy quality of life.

Program Overview

The Family Medicine Residency Program at Houston Methodist provides a well-rounded experience for its residents, with excellent training in inpatient care (including ICU management) obstetrics-gynecology (OB-GYN) and continuity clinic experience. Inpatient pediatric rotations are performed at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, one of the foremost children's hospitals in the country.

Graduates of our residency program are practicing in numerous and varied practice settings around Texas and across the country. We have successfully placed numerous graduates in fellowship programs in geriatrics, sports medicine, preventative medicine and bariatrics. After graduation, residents have also opened up solo private practices or joined group private practices, faculty, hospitalist practices, ER physician practices, etc. Houston Methodist is dedicated to helping our residents achieve their professional goals, however they define them.

Program Highlights

To further the depth of education for its residents, Houston Methodist boasts a strong didactic curriculum. Lectures include morning reports, Wednesday didactic lectures, board review and monthly journal clubs, which are led by faculty, visiting lecturers and residents. These lectures have improved our residents' performances on the national boards and allowed them to develop their confidence in leading medical discussions. Highlights of our family medicine residency are listed below:

Community-Based Program with a University-Based Learning Experience: Houston Methodist is a world-renowned healthcare center in the heart of the Texas Medical Center. We offer small class sizes and a high faculty-to-resident ratio, with direct full-time residency faculty supervision in all areas.
Excellent Clinical Teaching Sites: Our facilities enable residents to use electronic medical records (EMRs) and Wi-Fi-enabled tablet PCs.
Wide Variety of Clinical Exposure: The continuity clinic offers residents a wide variety of patients, including OB-GYN, infants and geriatrics. Many of our clinic patients are underserved and have complex medical conditions. Being in the Texas Medical Center ensures a diverse patient body from within our community and around the world. Residents are exposed to many procedures, such as joint injections, circumcisions, colposcopy, endometrial biopsy, cryosurgery, radio frequency ablations, skin procedures, flexible sigmoidoscopy, osteopathic manipulative treatments, laceration repair and more.
State-of-the-Art Training Facility: Methodist Hospital allows our residents access to the inanimate and animate skills labs at the Houston Methodist Institute for Innovation, Technology & Education (MITIE), where under supervision by faculty and using the latest technology, residents can learn and fine-tune various procedural skills.
Commitment to Evidence-Based Medicine: Our residents learn how to find proper evidence to guide their patient care through resource refinement and efficiency.
Management Practice Curriculum: Our residents have exposure to the core essentials they need to succeed professionally. During this rotation and the longitudinal curriculum, our residents learn how to manage a practice, meet with financial advisors, meet with vice presidents of organizations, etc.
Research: Quality improvement projects and scholarly activity are a core part of the residency.
Professional Growth: As a physician, you will always be a leader of the community. Our program serves to foster that interest and desire in our physicians by providing opportunities to serve in leadership roles on various committees.

Eligibility and Application

Our Program

is 8-8-8.

will only accept applications through ERAS.

will offer no positions outside of the match.

will consider applicants from international medical schools on the Texas Medical Board’s 'Substantial Equivalence List'

does not sponsor any VISAS, but considers all applicants who are legally authorized to work in the US.

does not offer any observership opportunities.

Houston Methodist is committed to improving the health of our patients, employees, and communities around us. As a health care provider, it’s our responsibility to promote a healthier environment for our employees.

Responsibility

Drug and Tobacco Screening- Job seekers will be tested for nicotine and drug usage during the post-offer physical. If a job seeker tests positive for nicotine use, including nicotine gum and patches, the offer will be rescinded, and individuals will be given the opportunity to participate in a free Houston Methodist-provided tobacco cessation program. Job seekers wishing to reapply after testing positive for nicotine may do so 90 days after the date the initial offer was rescinded. If the job seeker tests positive for drug use, the offer will be rescinded. Job seekers wishing to reapply after the drug screening is positive may do so one year after the date the initial offer was rescinded.
Background Check - Prior to employment start date, job seekers must complete a criminal background check.

Applicant:

must be ECFMG certified at the time that the application is submitted to ERAS.

must have graduated within the last three (3) years, unless practicing as a licensed physician in the United States.

cannot have more than one USMLE and/or COMLEX failure on score transcript

must be able to pass all three steps within seven (7) years.

must have at least six (6) months of hands-on US clinical primary care experience within the last two (2) years.

must submit their application prior to the Nov. 30 deadline.

Application deadline is November 30.

Curriculum

Required Rotations

PGY-1

Rotation	Duration	Location
Inpatient Adult Medicine	12 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Inpatient Pediatrics	4 weeks	Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital
Obstetrics	4 weeks	St. Joseph Medical Center
Obstetrics	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Emergency Medicine	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital
Intensive Care [CCU]	4 weeks
Surgery [Acute Surgical Care]	4 weeks
Outpatient Pediatrics	4 weeks	Airline Children's Clinic
Newborn Nursery/Neonatal ICU	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Radiology/IR	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Orientation to Family Medicine	4 weeks

PGY-2

Rotation	Duration	Location
Inpatient Adult Medicine	8 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Outpatient Gynecology	4 weeks	HACS Clinic
Orthopedics	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital
Sports Medicine	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
Cardiology	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital
Community Medicine	2 weeks
Children's Assessment Center [child abuse assessments]	2 weeks
Outpatient Pediatrics	4 weeks
Rural Medicine	4 weeks
Pulmonology	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Geriatrics	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital
Palliative Care	4 weeks	Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston Hospice
Elective	4 weeks

PGY-3

Rotation	Duration	Location
Inpatient Adult Medicine	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Practice Management	4 weeks
Pediatric Emergency Medicine	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Emergency Medicine	4 weeks	Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital
Ophthalmology	4 weeks
Otolaryngology	4 weeks
Urology	4 weeks
Dermatology	4 weeks
Continuity Clinic	4 weeks
Elective	16 weeks

Curricula Combining Rotations And Longitudinal Experiences

Adult Medicine

Rotations: Inpatient Medicine (5), ICU/CCU (1), Cardiology (1), Pulmonary (1), Elective(s)
- Must log at least:
  - 750 Inpatient encounters
  - 15 Critical care encounters
FMC experience
Didactics: Med subspecialty; HP/DP; Outpt Report (resident presented); Morning report on IM rotation

Women’s Health

Rotations: Inpatient Medicine, Community Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynecology
- Log 100 hours of gynecology experience
FMC experience
Didactics: Women’s Health

Care of the Older Patient

Rotations: Geriatrics, Inpatient Medicine, Community Medicine
FMC experience, Continuity Nursing Home Visits, Home Visits

Must see at least 165 patients age 60 and older in the FMC

Didactics: Geriatrics

Care of Infants, Neonates, Adolescents and Children

Rotations: Inpatient Peds at Children’s Memorial Hermann, 2 blocks of Ambulatory Peds, Pediatric ER, CAC, NICU/NBN, Community Medicine
- Must log at least:
  - 40 newborn encounters (both well and ill)
  - 250 encounters with children in hospital and emergency setting
    - At least 75 inpatient and 75 emergency department encounters
FMC experience
- Must see at least 165 children under the age of 10
Didactics: Pediatrics, CMH report (resident given); Conferences on Peds rotations

Maternity and Gynecologic Care

Rotations: OB (2); Outpatient gynecology; Optional Elective OB
No minimum number of deliveries but must deliver at least two woman for whom you provided prenatal care (continuity delivery)
FMC experience
Didactics: OB/GYN, Morning report on OB rotation
ALSO Certification, PGY 1 year

Community Medicine

Rotations: Community Medicine, FM orientation
FMC experience

Care of the Skin

Rotations: Dermatology
FMC experience
Didactics: Procedure workshops (5th Wed); Med/surg specialties

Practice Management and Health Systems Leadership (min 100 hours)

Rotations: Practice Management (see goals and objectives)
FMC experience; Participation in Hospital Committees/Subcommittees
Didactics: Practice Management

Procedures

Rotations: Multiple
FMC experience
Didactics: 5th Wednesday Series
Required procedures: Ingrown toenail removal, skin cryosurgery, punch biopsy, joint injection, pap smear, I&D abscess, suture removal

Curricula Primarily Occurring in Rotations

Care of the Surgical Patient (including surgical subspecialties)

Rotations: General Surgery (1 block); ENT, Ophtho, Urology
Didactics: Medical/surgical subspecialty

Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine

Rotations: Orthopedics, Sports Medicine (min 200 hours)
FMC experience
Didactics: Ortho/Sports Med

Emergency Care

Rotations: Emergency Medicine (min 200 hours); Pediatric Emergency Medicine
ACLS, PALS and NALS Certifications

Diagnostic and Nuclear Imaging

Rotations: Radiology

Longitudinal Curricula

Human Behavior and Mental Health

FMC experience: Patient care; directly observed interviews
Didactics: Behavior, Balint group
Outcome measurements: Attendance at didactics; Satisfactory scoring (2 or greater) on Faculty evaluations, Evaluation of directly observed interviews, Patient Evaluations

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement

FMC experience: patient care; CQI projects; CMPI/QM committees (hospital and FMC); P&T committees/subcommittees; orientation activities; PSN reports
Didactics: Practice Management
Outcome measurements: Faculty and clinical assessment of QI project; attendance documentation at didactics, committee meetings.

Other Training Requirements

Scholarly Activity
QI Projects (PGY-2 and 3)
Home visits (PGY-2 and 3)
Nursing home visits (PGY-2 and 3)
Presentations: Outpatient report, TCH report, Journal Club
Maintain Education Portfolio
Completion of Educational Modules
Completion of 50 MC-FP, which must include at least 1 SAM and 1 Part IV activity

Our Team

Our Residents

Message From Program Director

Welcome to the Houston Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program website. Whether you are an applicant interested in residency training, a student looking for a rotation or someone who just stumbled across the site on accident, I hope that you are able to learn a little more about who we are and what we do.

Our program has been in existence for over 20 years and has been sponsored by Houston Methodist Hospital since 2005. In 2015, the residency merged with the former Houston Methodist San Jacinto Family Medicine Residency. This allowed us to open up the entire Houston Methodist system to all residents in the newly merged program.

The residency has two family medicine clinics – the Denver Harbor Clinic in Houston and the Legacy San Jacinto Clinic in Baytown. Both clinics are federally qualified health centers (FQHC) and both have been residency teaching continuity clinics for many years. Both clinics provide high quality medical care to patients of all ages and socioeconomic statuses, with an emphasis on serving the underserved.

Houston Methodist Hospital, our primary teaching hospital, is a tertiary care facility located in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, which is truly at the forefront of medical care, education and research in the United States. US News and World Report has rated the hospital as the best hospital in Texas and one of the best in the nation. The combination of work and learning at Houston Methodist and in one of our FQHC clinics allows our trainees to have an educational experience that is unique in opportunity and exposure.

The true strength of a residency – of any residency – is the people. The committed and enthusiastic faculty, the diverse and hard-working residents, and the dedicated staff and leadership of both the sponsoring institution and FQHCs are the backbone of the program. When you are here, you are part of the family.

Graduates of the program are practicing in numerous and varied practice settings around Texas and across the country. We have successfully placed numerous graduates in fellowship programs in both geriatrics and sports medicine. We are dedicated to helping our residents achieve their own personal goals, however they define them.

Please take some time and look through the website, learn a little more about us and our mission of top quality medical education and patient care. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have a question or need any information that hasn’t been provided.

Thanks for taking a few minutes with us.

Kelly Gabler, MD
Program Director

Sharon Anderson, MD
Associate Program Director

Sofia Medrano
Program Coordinator

Enjoli Benitez, MD
Faculty

Sara Ehdaie, DO
Faculty

Isaac Goldberg, MD
Faculty

Marsha Holleman, MD
Faculty

Susan Miller, MD
Department Chair

Kaizeen Mody, DO
Faculty

Irma Ochoa-Tamayo, MD
Faculty

Clara Rosenzweig, M.Ed.
Director- Behavioral Health Services

Tiffani Sealock, MD
Faculty

Our Residents

PGY-3

Michael Dybdal-Hargreaves, MD - Chief
Gabriela Hill, MD
Bryan Mathews, DO
Hamere Mekonnen, MD
Ashley Ngo, DO - Chief
Ghazal Rashidi, DO
Ryan Surujdin, MD
Anh To, DO

PGY-2

Zakir Ali, DO
Deidrhe Clayton-Beal, MD
Yatri Desai, DO
Nickveer Heer, DO
Mustafa Karagoli, DO
Thalia Lake, DO
Aman Octain, DO
Madelyn Villarreal, DO

PGY-1

Kailey Ellis, MD
David Gomez, MD
Edith Gonzalez-Godinez, DO
Clarence Lim, MD
Anne Ngo, DO
Jordan White, MD
Laura Winikka, MD
Syeda Sakina Zehra, DO

Academic Institute

Eligibility and Application

Houston Methodist is committed to improving the health of our patients, employees, and communities around us. As a health care provider, it’s our responsibility to promote a healthier environment for our employees.

Curriculum

PGY-1

PGY-2

PGY-3

Our Team

Our Residents

Our Residents

Get In Touch

Program Coordinator

Program Director

Upcoming Academic Events

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Nanomedicine Seminar- Paolo Decuzzi, PhD

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