Resources
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
Graduate Medical Education
7301 Rogers Ave.
Fort Smith, AR 72903
(479) 573-3838
Internal Medicine Residency
The mission of the Mercy Fort Smith Internal Medicine Residency Program is to train physicians who uphold the highest ethical and professional standards in both inpatient and outpatient care. As a community-focused program, we are dedicated to providing high quality, evidence-based, and personalized care to patients in the Fort Smith, Arkansas, service area.
We recruit residents who embody the values of internal medicine and the Mercy Health Ministry. Each resident receives a tailored curriculum designed to align with personal and professional goals.
Contact: [email protected]
- PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents complete three blocks of inpatient medicine; PGY-3 residents complete two blocks plus a day float rotation.
- All inpatient medicine rotations are based at Mercy Fort Smith, with bedside teaching by hospitalist faculty.
- Residents gain critical care experience in every training year, working alongside intensivists.
- Night float occurs four weeks per year, and an electronic sign-out process supports safe transitions of care and compliance with ACGME duty-hour standards.
- Required subspecialty rotations include Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Hematology/Oncology. Each has a mix of inpatient and outpatient exposure. Rheumatology and Endocrinology are full outpatient rotations.
- During most rotations, residents participate in an internal medicine continuity clinic for a half-day each week.
- In addition, each resident completes a dedicated continuity clinic rotation annually.
- A unique Geriatrics rotation includes outpatient care, hospice, palliative care, nursing home rounds, and inpatient rehab.
- Moonlighting is permitted with Program Director approval beginning in PGY-2.
- Protected time for scholarly activity is provided in PGY-2 and PGY-3.
- Residents work no more than 80 hours per week, with at least one full day in seven free of patient care responsibilities.
Electives are offered in primary care and specialty offices, with opportunities for inpatient consults. As part of the larger Mercy system, residents may also complete electives at other Mercy locations.
Options include:
- Psychiatry
- Dermatology
- Ophthalmology
- Otolaryngology (ENT)
- Pain Management
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Palliative Care
- Sleep Medicine
- Rehabilitation Medicine
The didactic curriculum provides five protected hours of academic conferences weekly.
- Daily: Noon Conference
- Weekly: Basic Science Lecture, Board Prep (using MKSAP), Specialty Conference, Residents Conference
- Monthly: Grand Rounds, Journal Club, Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) Conference
- Quarterly: Simulation training
