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• Six Preliminary Positions are offered for individuals seeking one year of internal medicine training in preparation for residency in another discipline (e.g. radiology, neurology, anesthesia, ophthalmology, dermatology).
• The schedule for interns in the Preliminary Program is parallel to our Categorical Program and Preliminary interns are treated as valued members of our training program.
• Ambulatory experience is gained in the continuity clinic.
• Two elective months and one month of ER.
• Prelim interns are expected to attend the Core Curriculum Lectures.

Neil P. Ray, MD
Rush Medical College
R-1 Preliminary

"My decision to complete an internal medicine preliminary year at East Carolina University has been one of the best professional and personal choices I have made. Having completed medical school in Chicago, IL, I was concerned whether I could obtain the rigorous academic experience I sought in order to prepare for my anesthesiology residency next year in Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, without being treated differently than the categorical residents. Moreover, I was not sure if I would fit into a university town, having lived all my life in a big city. Despite my apprehensions, ECU and Greenville, NC have provided everything I could have desired in a preliminary internal medicine program.

ECU internal medicine interns are treated well. Interns admit only 5 patients per call night which varies between every fourth to sixth night, and the cap is enforced. The 5 admissions also tend to be interesting cases because the senior night float team tries to distribute good teaching cases to the teaching services. My internal medicine experience is also complemented with a month in the emergency department, 2 months of electives and a continuity-care clinic with my own patients. With senior residents and fellows always around, I never feel overwhelmed. I actually enjoy working with the whole spectrum of health care professionals at ECU, as they tend to be young, fun and team-oriented.

Greenville, NC is a fun town. With thousands of undergraduate, graduate and medical students around, all of the standard university amenities are available. In addition, Greenville, NC is just over an hour away from the some of the most pristine beaches of the country, as well as the urban hustle of Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham. There is more cultural and social activity available in this region than any medical resident could possibly expect to engage in. Furthermore, this community is so pleasantly and refreshingly friendly.

I would strongly encourage anyone interested in an internal medicine preliminary year to further inquire about this program. The list benefits and perks go on and on. Without a doubt, you would be just as pleased with the program as I have been."