The Medical Firms
The Department's ward services are organized around the 4 medical firms. Named after leading educators from the Beth Israel and Deaconess Hospitals, the firms have been in place for nearly 20 years. Some have compared our Firms to the Houses in the Harry Potter series (though we definitely don't have a Slytherin' equivalent!).
Each house officer is assigned to a firm for the duration of their training (randomly - no sorting hat). The Firm is led by a Firm Chief, Associate Firm Chief, and Chief Medical Resident; this group organizes teaching on the Firm, social events, and provides mentorship and feedback.
The Firms each have geographical homes on the wards. When rotating on a general medicine ward rotation, a house officer will always go to the same floor - work with the same nurses, case managers, and staff - under the direction of the Firm leadership. They will work with other residents and interns on the same Firm, and they will go each week to Firm Conference, led by the Firm Chief and Associate Firm Chief. In this way, a smaller group of residents and housestaff get to know each other very well. On all other rotations (ambulatory, ICU, cardiology, oncology, electives, etc), residents work with any other resident from the entire residency - you get to know everyone in the program.
The Firms and Firm Chiefs:
Blumgart Firm: Named for
Hermann Blumgart, the first Chair of Medicine
Kurland Firm: Named for
George Kurland, former BIDMC cardiologist
Robinson Firm: Named for
Steve Robinson, former hematologist at BIDMC
Tullis Firm: Named for
James Tullis, former Deaconess leader