1st and 3rd year residents attend the Asbury College Challenge Course during the Introduction to Family Medicine Outpatient Month. The Challenge Course is an outdoor educational and training opportunity, which takes place in a wooded area on land along the Kentucky River Palisades. The low course is a series of ground level, group oriented activities designed to increase effective problem solving and communication, as well as provide insight into team dynamics. This is complimented by a high ropes course, which is a series of linear obstacles between trees between 20 and 40 feet high. The high ropes course promotes individual accomplishments within a supportive team atmosphere.

Each year, residents are taken out of their clinic and rotation responsibilities to spend a day together at a retreat. Past retreats included trips to Natural Bridge, Shakertown, and Kentucky Kingdom. At the 2004 retreat, residents participated in a paint ball war. The retreat is a great way for the residents to get to know each other and to develop relationships.

Journal Club meetings are held once a month, generally at an area restaurant. Residents, fellows, and faculty attend. PGY 2 and 3 residents are responsible for reviewing and presenting a journal article (as a team) on at least one occasion during the year. Typical articles for review consist of recent controlled trials of treatment options for commonly encountered conditions, review articles or meta-analyses of areas of interest to family physicians, or personal research conducted (or in process) during elective time in the department.

We celebrate the new resident and fellow arrival by hosting a welcome breakfast and picnic. Faculty, fellows, residents, staff, and guests are invited to attend these events.

In June, the Department hosts a dinner in honor of our resident and fellow graduates. Faculty, fellows, residents, staff, and guests attend this celebration at Spindletop Hall, which is an elegant Southern Mansion located on 52 acres of prime Bluegrass land.

The Department annual party is held in December at various locations in the Lexington area. Faculty, fellows, residents, staff, and guests are invited.

During the Introduction to Family Medicine month, the department has a cultural potluck. Everyone is asked to bring a food, and we have fun discussing why the dishes we bring are so meaningful. We also get to eat some really good food.