Educational Training and Experience
At Westside Family Healthcare, our goal is to be a premier environment for educating the next generation of healthcare professionals, while providing clinically excellent patient care. We do this through team-based, multi-disciplinary care, and by selecting and developing a qualified and diverse workforce. We are mission driven. Our health centers are located in urban and rural communities serving families most in need. Our passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable staff and providers make Westside an ideal place for healthcare residents and students to gain valuable experience.
As a resident or student training at Westside you will expand your clinical skills and develop a better understanding of the barriers patients face in improving their health. You will train within a dynamic care team to help patients overcome these barriers and improve their health and well-being.
Primary Care Physician Residents
Eligible to apply: Residents in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine/Pediatrics (Med-Peds)
Program summary: Westside providers work with your clinical rotation schedule to pair you with an experienced physician mentor (or mentors) to maximize your learning opportunity. While emphasizing prevention, Westside’s model of care focuses on acute and chronic disease management. Each year, we continue to expand our services to specialized populations based on the needs facing our communities, such as the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and Hepatitis C. Our providers practice full spectrum, evidence-based, patient-centered medicine in a Primary Care Medical Home model, and with a keen awareness of social determinants of health and their impact on overall well-being. As a physician resident you will collaborate with behavioral health providers, nutritionists, healthcare coordinators, and other support services to care for Westside’s patients. From our Dover site, we also operate a mobile health unit to address the needs of our seasonal migrant agricultural worker population in Kent and Sussex counties. Community health can be an extremely rewarding experience, with both medical complexity and patient gratitude you may not find elsewhere.
How to apply: If you are a primary care resident at Christiana Care Health System, please talk with your program administrators about arranging a rotation at Westside. Residents from other programs are also welcome to apply. Please complete a request form.
Family Medicine Residency and General Practice Dentistry Residency Programs
Westside has an affiliated partnership with Christiana Care Health System’s Family Medicine Residency Program and General Practice Dentistry Residency programs. Through this collaboration, Westside provides continuity training for family medicine residents and clinical rotations for general dentistry residents at our Wilmington health center. Learn more about the Family Medicine Residency and General Practice Dentistry Residency Programs.
Nurse Practitioner Students
Eligible to apply: Nurse practitioner students in Family NP or Women’s Health NP programs
Program summary: Nurse practitioner students are paired with a licensed nurse practitioner or a physician for a semester long rotation. Your assigned preceptor will role model evidence-based professional practice, and challenge you to apply effective communication, collaborative and critical thinking in order to successfully navigate the organization’s patient-centered care environment.
You can select a rotation in Family Practice or Women’s Health. Students in the Family Practice rotation will care for patients across the lifespan from infancy to geriatrics, while those in the Women’s Health rotation will care for patients ranging from adolescent and well-woman visits, to prenatal and postpartum care.
How to apply: Please complete a request form.
Nurse Students
Eligible to apply: Registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) students
Program summary: Nurse students complete clinical rotations under the direction of a senior registered nurse. During your clinical rotation you will work directly with members of the patient care team to address patient concerns, provide education, assist patients to overcome barriers and challenges to receiving care, and engage patients in their care. Since we are an open access facility, you can complete your clinical hours during day or evening hours. The rotation length will be determined by your school’s program.
How to apply: If you are in a Nursing program at Delaware Technical Community College or the University of Delaware, please talk with your instructor or administrator about arranging a rotation at Westside. Students from other schools, please complete a request form.
Medical Assistants
Eligible to apply: Students currently enrolled in a technical college or a high school with a Medical Assisting program
Program summary: During your clinical rotation, you will be assigned a mentor who is a knowledgeable medical assistant with at least 5 years of experience. You will receive a detailed and dynamic schedule to ensure that you receive the most out of this experience. You will get hands on training, in areas such as triaging techniques, taking vital signs, vaccine administration, procedures and exam set up. Since we focus on team-based care, we offer opportunities for you to shadow staff in different departments including nursing, medical reception and healthcare coordination during your rotation. Typical externships last from two to eight weeks, and are typically 160 hours on-site.
How to apply: If you are in a Medical Assistant program at Harris School of Business, Delaware Technical Community College, Howard High School or DelCastle High School, please talk with your instructor or externship coordinator about arranging an externship at Westside. Students from other schools, please complete a request form.
Other Opportunities
If you are interested in another educational training experience not listed here, please complete a request form.
