Section of General Internal Medicine

General Internal Medicine (GIM) has a rich tradition at The University of Chicago, dating back to the founding of the medical school in 1927. With the rising prominence of the medical subspecialties after World War II, the Department of Medicine reaffirmed its commitment to GIM in 1969: “Every trainee must receive intensive, comprehensive training in General Medicine as an optimal base for advanced training, whether in a subspecialty or General Internal Medicine.” Under the leadership of Dr. Alvin Tarlov (Chair of Medicine, 1968-81), The University of Chicago led a national effort to reestablish academic sections of General Internal Medicine. In 1973, the Section of General Internal Medicine was organized to include separate GIM inpatient, outpatient, and consultation services. The Section of General Internal Medicine assumed responsibility for housestaff training and for relationships with community hospitals. A fellowship program was established for trainees interested in academic GIM and educational leadership. With the support from the three Department Chairs since 1968- Alvin Tarlov, Arthur Rubenstein and Harvey Golomb, GIM research has flourished at The University of Chicago over the last three decades, with faculty recognized as national leaders in the areas of medical ethics, health economics, health services and outcomes research.

Research Accomplishments: General Internal Medicine research at The University of Chicago encompasses studies of health services and health disparities, care for vulnerable populations, medical ethics, cost effectiveness and quality of care in various settings. Our researchers have established a vibrant program of research with support from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Charles E. Culpepper Foundation and other prestigious venues, and publishing in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Journal of General Internal Medicine, and other national and international publications GIM research faculty collaborate broadly with faculty from the Departments of Health Studies, Sociology, Economics, Pediatrics, and the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, and many hold joint appointments as evidence of their interdisciplinary scholarship.

Education and Training: General Internal Medicine faculty play leading roles in medical education efforts at the student, resident, fellowship level, and faculty development levels. In the Pritzker School of Medicine, GIM faculty serve as course directors for Clinical Skills I, II and III, Clinical Pathophysiology, the Doctor Patient Relationship in Clinical Practice and the Junior Clerkship in Medicine, as well as many elective courses. At the level of Graduate Medical Education, six GIM faculty members serve as Program Directors and Associate Directors for the Internal Medicine and the Medicine-Pediatrics residency programs at The University of Chicago. We take pride in “teaching the teachers” through our Junior Faculty Development program, the Reynolds Faculty Development program for teaching geriatrics, General Internal Medicine fellowship opportunities, the MacLean Center Fellowship Program (which has now trained more than 150 clinicians), through mentoring relationships, CME offerings, and through important leadership roles within the Society of General Internal Medicine and other professional organizations.

Patient Care: General Internal Medicine faculty members are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to a large and diverse patient population. We conduct approximately 70,000 outpatient visits annually in the Primary Care Group in the Duchoissois Center for Advanced Medicine, as well as caring for undergraduate and graduate students in the Student Care Center. GIM faculty care for thousands of patients in the Bernard Mitchell Hospital each year, and oversee and direct the work of students and residents in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Our clinical care coincides with our efforts to study and effect improvement in quality of care and patient outcomes, through the Hospitalist program and research in graduate medical education and clinical microsystems.