Mount Desert Island
Each year a group of junior and senior residents travel to the beautiful Maine coastline for a 1-week basic science immersion experience in comparative physiology. The goals of the course are to increase appreciation for physiology and enhance residents' routine incorporation of pathophysiology into their teaching and clinical roles on the general medical ward and ICU rotations. The course, held at Mount Desert Island Biologic Laboratories, is comprised of multiple modules (for example, water metabolism, NaCl excretion, hematology/coagulation, cardiovascular physiology), each with basic science experiments utilizing aquatic species, and accompanied by clinical correlation discussions. After each module, residents present their findings to one another, 
with specific aims for subsequent groups to investigate. Beyond the laboratory experience, residents are encouraged to enjoy all the Maine coastline has to offer including, hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and fishing. Although exact numbers are not collected, reports suggest that copious lobsters and microbrews are consumed during off hours thanks to our gracious internal medicine training program.
