Family medicine physicians have some of the broadest skill sets in the world of medicine, and our curriculum is intended to create physicians fully ready to enter any kind of practice they desire. Our didactic curriculum has been carefully designed in partnership with the University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency and enhanced with changes to the ACGME requirements for Family Medicine. This partnership will allow our residents to have a rich and intensive didactic experience, with the benefit of years of careful thought and resident input.
Training Opportunities
Our residents have many opportunities to engage with and learn from our communities during their training. Our longitudinal Population Health and Community Engagement (PHACE) curriculum provides residents with the opportunity to:
- Identify community health needs and take steps towards mitigation.
- Identify and address the social determinants of health that affect patients and populations.
- Engage with community groups and public health entities to promote the wellness of individuals and communities served.
- Foster policy changes to improve the health of people served.
Taught through lectures, field trips, hands-on experiences, projects, and workshops; we partner with community-based organizations and public health professionals, policymakers, lobbyists, and a local elementary school. Throughout their training, residents’ knowledge and skills to care for the vibrant populations of Denver and Aurora increase, as do their ability to apply these skills to serve different communities in their future practices.
Training Hospitals
Residents will spend most of their time at Montbello Clinic in Montbello, Denver, CO. The majority of inpatient time is spent at our home Denver Health Hospital, with some rotations at the University of Colorado Hospital. Denver Health also runs a clinic at nearby ski resort, Winter Park, where residents will have the opportunity for hands on sports medicine training.
- Denver Health Hospital: Colorado’s premier safety net hospital, Denver Health is a model for the nation in providing care to underserved populations. With Colorado's academic level one trauma center, Denver's 911 response system, nine community health centers, eleven school-based health centers, Denver Department of Public Health, Correctional Care, and the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, the Denver Health system has more than one million patient contacts each year. Our Denver Health Family Medicine faculty members deliver babies at Denver Health and supervise an Adult Family Medicine service that runs six months each year. All full-time Denver Health physicians are faculty members within the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our residents will complete the majority of their inpatient time at Denver Health with Family Medicine attendings, as well as time on inpatient pediatrics, emergency medicine, newborn nursery, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology.
The University of Colorado Hospital: A vibrant health center with rich educational and research experiences; ranked within the top ten academic hospitals in the United States by the University Health System Consortium since 2012. University of Colorado Hospital is a privately administered, non-profit hospital that cares for a wide variety of patients.
The facility is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, the home of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a variety of health professions programs including Dentistry, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant.University of Colorado Hospital strives to provide state of the art patient-centered care in an institution dedicated to advancing the art and science of health care. Our residents will work with the University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency running a full spectrum family medicine service.
Our Programs
Chautauquas: Alongside our University of Colorado Residents our residents will participate in three didactic focused months called “Chatauquas.” Each of these months will prepare residents for their upcoming rotations, introduce our longitudinal curricula, and create dedicated time for class bonding through:
- Focused review of medical topics, hands-on procedural workshops, and high-tech simulations
- Longitudinal learning and projects in:
- Practice Transformation Fundamentals (PTF)
- Population Health and Community Engagement
- Behavioral Health
- Physician Wellness
- Class retreats, group projects, and most weekends off!
Major benefits of Chautauquas:
- Residents build and refresh skills before rotations begin because each Chautauqua focuses on preparing residents for the rotations that follow.
- Residents bond as a class and grow their identity as a family doctor.
PGY1 Rotations
- Chautauqua 1, which covers topics related to Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Emergency Medicine (first month of residency, June/July)
- Chautauqua II which covers topics related to Obstetrics, Pediatrics, and Newborn care (October/November, with 1 week of vacation during the final week)
- Obstetrics I
- Outpatient Pediatrics I
- Adult Emergency Medicine
- Newborn Care
- Family Medicine Inpatient Service at University Hospital with our UH attendings
- Adult Family Medicine Service at Denver Health with our DH attendings
- Internal Medicine Service at Denver Health with our DH attendings
- Behavioral Health
- Surgery
- Elective
- Chautauqua III (May/June, with 1 week of vacation during the final week)
Interns do not do 24-hour call. Most inpatient rotations include approximately one week of night coverage. The Obstetrics I rotation includes two weeks of night shifts.
Our PGY2 year features a variety of inpatient and outpatient rotations. The most unique feature of PGY2 is the Advanced Primary Care Leadership I rotation.
PGY2 Rotations:
- Electives (3 Months)
- Family Medicine Inpatient Service at Denver Health and University Hospital
- Adult Family Medicine Service at Denver Health with our DH attendings
- Street Medicine I
- Gynecology
- Inpatient Pediatrics
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- MSK I: Sports Medicine
- Obstetrics II
- Advanced Primary Care Leadership I
- Outpatient Pediatrics II
- Vacation (4 weeks total to be taken during rotations where vacation is allowed)
PGY2 residents have the option for Q4d 24-hour call during their MICU rotation. Most inpatient rotations include approximately one week of night coverage. The Obstetrics II will include night shifts.
Third year, we focus on how leadership and advocacy can result in population health advances. Residents carry out a class Quality Improvement project at Montbello Family Health Center. Gaining the skills to be leaders in their future careers during Community Health, Residents have time to engage with community partners during protected time during many rotations and engage with nonprofit organizations.
PGY3 Rotations:
- Inpatient medicine (choice of various sites/services)
- Street Medicine II
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Electives (3-4 months)
- Geriatrics
- MSK II at Winter Park Ski Resort or UCHealth Sports Medicine clinics in Denver (optional elective)
- Community Health
- Rural Rotation sponsored by the Commission on Family Medicine (optional elective)
- Vacation (4 weeks total to be taken during rotations where vacation is allowed)
At DCHS FMR we pride ourselves on our flexible and robust curriculum, allowing residents to work towards advanced skills in areas where their passion lies. Electives recently completed by our residents include:
- Advocacy in Primary Care
- Disability care
- ENT and Allergy
- NICU
- Toxicology
- Palliative Care
- Group care
- Endocrinology
- Healthy World (lifestyle and weight management medicine)
- Procedures
- Medical Education
- Urgent Care
- POCUS
- Inpatient eating disorder service
Street Medicine Curriculum:
In 2026 our program was awarded a competitive HRSA grant to support our longitudinal street medicine curriculum. In our partnership with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, residents receive robust didactic and hands on experience caring for this highly underserved population. The core of this curriculum is the two months residents spend on street medicine rotations, participating in care in multiple settings including:
- Primary and specialty clinics at the Stout Street Clinic.
- Outreach visits on the Mobile Unit, traveling to encampments
- Home visits at shelters or long-term care facilities
Advanced Primary Care Leadership and Community Health
All residents benefit from training in advanced primary care practices and community health. Montbello Family Health Center is recognized as Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Homes by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Montbello has some of the best quality scores and physician satisfaction across the Denver Health Institution. Our residents will work alongside the University of Colorado Family Medicine residents in the Advanced Primary Care Leadership curriculum.
In addition to their clinical experiences, residents take part in this 4-week block where they dive into various practice transformation topics so that they graduate with a strong understanding of the healthcare system, how to innovate within it, and how to advocate for change in areas where the current system fails. We believe these experiences prepare our graduates to be leaders in their field.
Advance Primary Care Leadership (APCL 1)
During this 4-week block in the spring of second year, residents learn alongside classmates about the core components of advanced primary care models such as team-based care, care coordination, patient and family engagement, population management, quality improvement (QI), continuity and access, payment models and payment reform.
During APCL1, residents learn about the history of family medicine as a specialty and engage in experiential learning related to behavioral health skills and community medicine. The curriculum is taught through a blend of lectures, projects, and visits to clinics with a variety of practice models. Residents also participate in continuity clinic throughout the month and choose a topic for their class QI project, to be implemented the following year.
Community Health
The Community Health Rotation in the third year of residency immerses residents in the communities they serve through partnerships with local community-based organizations, public health programs, and social service agencies. While continuing continuity clinic, residents engage directly with community partners to better understand the social and environmental factors that influence health.
Through experiential learning and service learning, residents learn how to connect patients with community resources, collaborate across systems, and embrace their role as community-engaged physicians. This unique rotation equips residents with practical skills to advance health equity and improve care beyond the clinic setting.
Community partners include services focused on:
- Food Security & Nutrition
- Housing & Unsheltered Populations
- Access to healthcare & navigation
- Behavioral Health & Substance Use
- Medication Access & Pharmacy-Based Care
- Family, Child & Maternal Support
- Education, Youth & Community Development
- Safety, Legal & Advocacy Support
