Resident Tracks

Over the years, we have worked to develop several different tracks that residents can choose to pursue if they choose. Residents are not required to participate or are they limited to a single track. Tracks were created based off resident interest. If you are interested in other fields and want to create a track for future residents, that is also encouraged. Additionally, there is a full curriculum that describes the requirements necessary to complete each track. Below are listed some short summaries that describe each track:

Lifestyle Medicine Track (Advisor - Dr. Dance)

  • Complete the official American College of Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum with portions embedded in regular residency didactics

  • Become competent in counseling on the 6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine:  Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep, Healthy Relationships, Stress Management, and Avoidance of Risky Substances

  • Apply lifestyle medicine principles through specified application activities, patient encounters, group visits, and module completion  

  • Residents who complete the track will be eligible to sit for the Lifestyle Medicine Boards after residency graduation 

  • Residents who complete our Lifestyle Medicine Residency Program will gain a comprehensive set of skills and benefits, including: 

    1. Patient-Centered Care: Residents will learn how to integrate lifestyle interventions into patient care, focusing on personalized approaches that address individual needs and preferences. 

    2. Preventive Medicine: By understanding the role of lifestyle factors in disease prevention, residents will be better equipped to counsel patients on healthy behaviors and preventive strategies. 

    3. Nutrition Expertise: Through specialized training in nutrition, residents will develop a deep understanding of the impact of diet on health outcomes and learn how to provide dietary recommendations tailored to each patient's needs. 

    4. Physical Activity Prescription: Residents will learn to prescribe and promote physical activity as a key component of health maintenance and disease management.

     5. Behavioral Change Strategies: Residents will acquire skills in motivational interviewing and behavior change techniques to support patients in adopting and sustaining healthy lifestyle habits. 

    6. Chronic Disease Management: With a focus on addressing the underlying causes of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, residents will be better prepared to manage these conditions through lifestyle interventions. 

    7. Evidence-Based Practice: Through exposure to the latest research and guidelines in Lifestyle Medicine, residents will develop strong skills in evidence-based practice and critical appraisal of scientific literature.

    Overall, completing our Lifestyle Medicine Residency Program will prepare residents to be leaders in promoting health and wellness, with the knowledge and skills to make a lasting impact on patient outcomes and population health.

Addiction Medicine Track  (Advisor - Dr. Dance)

  • Learn treatment modalities to treat stimulant addiction, opioid addiction, alcohol addiction, and tobacco addiction

  • Opportunity to become a Recommending Medical Provider to prescribe medical cannabis during residency. Dr. Dance is the faculty member who holds this certification on staff.

  • Complete addiction-specific elective rotation(s) which may include mobile addiction clinic in Moab or rotations with clinical partners such as Naloxone Utah or Odyssey House

  • Opportunities to apply addiction medicine may include inpatient medicine, maternal/neonatal addiction clinic, teen BRIDGE program, and outpatient clinic   

  • Residents who complete the track will be competent in personal practice in addiction medicine or excellent candidates to continue education with an Addiction Medicine Fellowship

Teaching Track  (Advisor - Dr. Lash)

  • Develop skills in inpatient teaching, clinic-based teaching, procedural teaching, lecture-based teaching, physical exam and communication skills teaching, and on providing effective feedback

  • Track participants would be given additional teaching opportunities in interactions with 3rd and 4th year medical students, residents in the family medicine program, and residents in affiliated residency programs

  • Residents will graduate from HCA's Physician Educator program and are encouraged to participate in Resident as Teacher and other programs sponsored by the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM)

  • Residents who complete the track will graduate with improved teaching skills and would be prepared to be excellent community teachers or academic faculty candidates at graduation

Global Health Track (Advisor - Dr. Kirby)

  • Develop the ability to confidently treat newcomers from around the world

  • Provide initial screening and ongoing continuity care for refugees from within our diverse clinic population

  • Learn from state experts in refugee healthcare within our own faculty and beyond

  • Augment your continuity learning with an international elective

  • Focus scholarly activity, CME learning, and your population health rotation on global health.

Sports Medicine Track (Advisor - Dr. Miro)

  • Develop a strong MSK knowledge set to be able to apply to Sports Medicine fellowship.

  • Residents will participate in a minimum of 3 sports medicine-specific rotations throughout residency (Ski Clinic during R2, Sports Medicine Elective R3 ×2). Elective includes rotating with local sports med provider, pediatric sports med, high school sports physicals, PM&R, PT, etc.

  • Additional R3 rotation enhancing your POCUS skillset.

  • Gain valuable hands-on experience by participating in sideline coverage and cover a mass participation event coverage (Soldier Hollow Events, Marine Corps Marathon, IRONMAN St George, Utah Valley Marathon, etc.).

Mother-Baby Track (Advisor - Dr. Boulos)

  • Gain the skills to be a low-risk obstetrics provider or apply to OB fellowship

  • Provide in-depth care to families throughout pregnancy and afterwards

  • Develop relationships with the family medicine-obstetrics community of Salt Lake City

  • Augment your learning with focused scholarly activities, CME learning, and electives.


    Low risk vaginal delivery provider

    - Perform or supervise 80 deliveries (doing/teaching, not watching)

    - 10 continuity deliveries

    - 400 hours of pregnancy related care (Add one month of elective)

    - Review skills milestones every rotation with FM/OB

    Applying for surgical fellowship

    - Perform or supervise 100 deliveries

    - 15 continuity deliveries

    - Pass c-section written/oral test with FM/OB

    - First assist on 20 c-sections 

    - Primary on at least one c-section 

    - 500 hours of pregnancy related care (Add two months of elective)

    - Review skills milestones every rotation with FM/OB