For over a quarter-century the University of Alabama Medical Center's Huntsville Family Medicine Residency Program has enjoyed a reputation for excellence but what really makes us special can't be adequately conveyed here and will probably be felt rather than heard when you visit—it is an underlying philosophy of teaching and learning that uniquely embodies the spirit of family medicine, including a clear commitment to the betterment of self, others, and community.
Our mission is to provide an environment of respect and support imbued with the most comprehensive training possible. Whether you want to practice in a rural or urban setting, we'll help you to develop the medical knowledge, procedural competence, and interpersonal skills to thrive. Our success hinges on the partnership between our highly-trained faculty and residents whose efforts culminate in an exciting environment that promotes professional growth and personal satisfaction. We take pride in our faculty and residents, who are all selected in part because of their willingness to work, learn, and play together—like a family. When you visit, listen as much to how the residents and faculty talk about the program as to the specific information you get - you will like what you hear. We hope it will encourage you to join us for the three year journey that will cement the foundation of your own successful future in family medicine.
Over 25 percent of the family physicians who have trained in Alabama did so here, in the state’s first family medicine residency. Since admitting our first resident in November 1973, we have prepared 341 select physicians for careers of medical service to their communities and our graduates have improved the quality of countless lives. Over 35 years later, the Huntsville Family Medicine Program is still the only residency training program (of any kind) in all of North Alabama.
As an unopposed community based program administered by a university medical school, we are uniquely situated to provide full service patient care and clinical teaching as well as ample opportunity for research and scholarly activity. Our residents also gain the invaluable growth experience of helping to teach third and fourth year UAB medical students assigned to various clinical clerkships. Our primary teaching site, Huntsville Hospital, is a large facility whose volume ensures that our residents enjoy a robust experience in each of the traditional specialties – medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, and surgery. As component parts of Family Medicine, these specialties are heavily emphasized within our curriculum but residents also receive concentrated training in an array of clinical subspecialties plus ongoing training in orthopedics, sports medicine, geriatrics, and cardiology. Residents are also responsible for the ongoing care of assigned patients in the Family Medicine Center and while a strong clinically oriented curriculum has always been the cornerstone of our residency program, we are confident that the additional training we provide in other aspects of Family Medicine, from behavioral science to practice management, serve to ensure that our residents are prepared for success in practice, not just in the exam room.
Mary Margaret Crestani, MD
Family Medicine Residency Program Director |
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