Health Equity Advocacy and Research Training (HEART) Track

Lead Faculty: Dr. Nora Gimpel, M.D. and Dr. Victoria Udezi, M.D.

The HEART curriculum consists of theoretical and hands on opportunities for family medicine residents that express further interest and commitment to seeking solutions to health inequities in Texas and beyond. This track exposes residents to longitudinal academic, research, advocacy, and clinical training throughout their residency.

Residents also complete a graduate certificate in public health (paid for by the department), and foster relationships with local community health partners to build their credentials as family physicians actively involved in working towards health equity.

Generally, two residents are accepted into this track per year.

Global Health (GH) Track

Lead Faculty: Dr. Victoria Udezi, M.D. and Nora Gimpel, M.D.

The constant influx and efflux of people of diverse backgrounds through the United States, including Texas, means primary care physicians must deeply understand concepts of cultural responsiveness, geography, travel, immigration, global diseases, and care in limited-resource settings. A growing number of physicians also seek global careers, and practice medicine in settings all over the world.

It is therefore the mission of the GH track to advance global health equity through mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships that train residents in the core competencies of global health education, preparing them to care for diverse populations in the United States and abroad. The curriculum consists of at least one two-week clinical experience nationally or internationally. Residents also participate in coursework to receive a diploma in international medicine and public health and gain additional procedural skills, longitudinal research, and academic opportunities.

Generally, 2 residents are accepted into this track per year.

HIV Medicine Track

Lead Faculty: Dr. Emily Levy Kamugisha, M.D., AAHIVS and Dr. Ellen Kitchell, M.D., AAHIVS

Globally, more than 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, including over a million in the United States. Family medicine physicians form a crucial part of the fight against this deadly disease, helping reduce healthcare disparities in caring for marginalized populations and supporting patients' lifelong health journey. The HIV Medicine Track offers residents an opportunity to become expert primary care physicians for people living with and at risk for HIV.

The HIV Medicine Track is a longitudinal HIV Primary Care experience spanning the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years of residency training. Residents will learn to provide innovative longitudinal primary care to their own panel of continuity patients as part of a multidisciplinary team at Parkland Health's HIV Clinic (ACCESS), working with faculty preceptors who are expert in both primary care and HIV medicine. Residents will also have opportunities to experience inpatient HIV medicine, administration of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other sexual health care, jail HIV care, management of hepatitis C, pediatric HIV care, transgender HIV care, perinatal HIV medicine, and other elective experiences. Didactics structured around the National HIV Curriculum will provide residents with a strong education in HIV medicine. Participating residents will also have the opportunity to present research and scholarly activity at National conferences. Residents who successfully complete the HIV track will be qualified to take the HIV Specialist certification examination from the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

This track will begin in Academic Year 2024-2025 and plans to accept 2 residents into this track per year.

Academic Medicine Track

Dreaming of a career in academic medicine? We’ve got you covered.

Our Academic Medicine Track is designed to nurture the next generation of educators, innovators, and leaders in family medicine. Through a structured, longitudinal experience from PGY-1 to PGY-3, residents gain hands-on teaching opportunities, dedicated mentorship, and personalized electives to explore their academic passions.

What to expect:

• in teaching, scholarship, mentorship, POCUS, or design-your-own
• Longitudinal teaching experiences with medical students and residents through inpatient didactics, FMIG events, and simulation-based learning
• Participation in scholarly work, including a required medical education RSA project and annual presentations at STFM
• Faculty development and educator training
• Committee involvement to shape curriculum, recruitment, and student assessment
• Formal academic distinction

Whether you're interested in becoming a clerkship director, a medical education leader, or a future residency faculty member, our track gives you the tools, mentorship, and support to get there.