Frequently Asked Questions

For general policies and procedures relating to DHMC House Staff, read the 2007-08 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Red Book (PDF).

What is the difference between this program and a traditional preventive medicine residency program?

This program focuses on leading change in the small systems that connect patients, patients' needs and health care, is based in active care-giving institutions and settings, and offers masters-level learning in the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (formerly CECS).

Is this a freestanding preventive medicine residency program?

No. This program is offered only in conjunction with our existing clinical residency and fellowship programs.

How is this program different from a Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Primary Care Fellowship, RWJ Clinical Scholars program, or the VA Quality Scholars program?

The RWJ Primary Care Fellowship is limited to a focus on primary care and does not include a master's in public health (MPH) degree from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (formerly CECS). It also encourages fellows to do research and development in primary care. In contrast, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency (DHLPMR) program offers the MPH degree and requires residents and fellows to develop a portfolio of experiences testing change and improving care in actual patient care settings.

The RWJ Clinical Scholars program does not offer the Dartmouth MPH degree. Its primary focus is on research, whereas the focus of the DHLPMR program is on leading change and improvement in a teaching medical center environment.

The VA Quality Scholars program is the most similar in that it does offer the master's degree and also requires the completion of an intensive change project. Key differences that distinguish the two include: 1) the DHLPMR program involves care-giving settings outside of the VA; 2) the DHLPMR program requires participation in three years of monthly evening seminars, in which residents gather to share the status of their projects and to receive comments and feedback from faculty and fellow residents; 3) the DHLPMR program offers board certification in Preventive Medicine.

Why did Dartmouth decide to offer this program?

The leadership at Dartmouth chose to offer this program to take advantage of the strength of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI) program, as well as the interest of the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital and Concord Hospital clinical operations leaders to sponsor aggressive learning experiences in change.

What career paths or kind of work do you expect graduates of this program to pursue?

Graduates of this program will pursue a number of career paths, including:

• Health professional leader of clinical care
• Teacher of change and improvement knowledge and skills to health professionals
• Health professional leader for small-to-large health organizations, including academic medical centers
• Life-long learner of the measurement and improvement of health care

Read about recent LPMR graduates

How long is the program, and how is it structured?

The length of the program is equal to the length of the base residency plus two years (e.g. the pathway for internal medicine and leadership preventive medicine residents is three plus two, or five years). The structure of the program varies with each department in terms of how and when the leadership preventive medicine residency experiences (academic, clinical leadership application, and practicum) are integrated with the base clinical residency rotations.

Why is the program two additional years?

The program is two years in addition to the length of the base clinical residency to allow for formal academic experiences, clinical leadership application rotations, and the practicum—a major change effort.

What are the prerequisites for entry into the program?

The minimum prerequisite for the program is acceptance into and current "good standing" in a Dartmouth-Hitchcock clinical residency. Please note additional eligibility requirements at the bottom of this page. Please include a signed copy of the listed eligibility requirements with your application packet.

How do I apply to the program?

Individuals interested in this program should notify the residency managers for the Leadership Preventive Medicine residency program and request a paper application packet. The application deadline for each year is April 1st. All completed packets will be reviewed and qualified candidates will be contacted regarding the scheduling of interviews. Interviews are scheduled on an individual basis from September through April. Each academic year begins on July 1st.

Are there specific application requirements?

Yes. All applicants must have already matched into a clinical residency or fellowship at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. In addition, we require a completed paper application, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, updated CV, completed TDI application, undergraduate transcript, and medical school transcript. Each applicant is also asked to sign a release to allow our program staff to view your ERAS application and current residency evaluations.

Will I be taking call the entire time of this program?

Call rotations with the home department will vary.

Will I be required to pay tuition for the MPH program?

No, tuition costs will be borne by the program.

Is this program accredited?

This program is fully accredited by the ACGME.

What kinds of projects might be done for the practicum?

Practicum experiences will be reviewed and approved by a Practicum Review Board. A wide variety of topics have been suggested as possible areas of interest.

• Internal Medicine: End-of-life care; Geriatrics care; Chronic disease management
• Family Practice: Integration of mental health with primary care; Screening; Idealized design - guidelines, team, care management, productivity, disease management, chronic care
• Pediatrics: Chronic illnesses - diabetes, asthma, cystic fibrosis; Immunization practices; Evidence-based general pediatrics; Pain management in children
• Obstetrics and Gynecology: Genetics - high risk pregnancies and bleeding disorders; Menopause and prevention of fractures; Menopausal cancer prevention
• Surgery: Minimally invasive surgical techniques; Outcomes measurement; Regionalization / volumes outcome / optimization / systems of care
• Radiology: Breast imaging and mass management; Non-invasive vascular imaging
• Anesthesia: Pain management; Palliative care; Intensive care improvement; Ambulatory anesthesia