Resident Life

Residents at Vanderbilt have fun. While the work is demanding, the sense of camaraderie creates solid friendships, and informal housestaff gatherings are regular events. As tickets become available to the chair, the program director and other members of the faculty, they are made available to housestaff. During this past year residents attended Titans and Predators games, Vanderbilt football and basketball games, the AAA Nashville Sounds games, the Nashville Ballet, and musical events ranging from the Grand Ole Opry to the Nashville Opera.

The Chair of Medicine entertains the residents each June to welcome the new interns, during the December holiday season, and at a farewell dinner for graduating PGY-3 residents. The program director has several informal events for housestaff each year, and many faculty regularly host informal gatherings. Each year the Department hosts the annual golf tournament for faculty and housestaff called the "Ehrlichia Open" (for more information, see N Engl J Med 333:420-425, 1995).

Finally, our residents are given opportunities to be involved in the Nashville community. Each year approximately 25 residents participate in teaching health educational classes to 7th graders at West End Middle School, which has a large population of at-risk youth. Although it was challenging, the school administration and parents have enthusiastically asked that the program be continued, and the residents have responded with equal enthusiasm.

Jeff Harris, MD. Med College of Georgia VA Chief Resident Sharing a busy call-night together forges close relationships, but spending time with each other outside the hospital is an equally strong tradition at Vanderbilt. The Department of Medicine fosters this environment through activities such as the Intern Retreat, the Holiday Party, parties at the homes of Drs. Sergent and Neilson, and the Spring Picnic. Residents enjoy Nashville's diverse live music venues, collegiate and professional sporting events, and easy access to the great outdoors. This past year we have again fielded intramural teams of soccer, football, and softball. I believe that the camaraderie among our housestaff truly sets Vanderbilt apart, and provides for an unparalled training environment.