Newsletter - Colorado Family Medicine Residencies

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Medical students, I wish you a warm welcome and hello, as you visit, interview, and experience clinical rotations and sub-internships throughout Colorado! If you haven't noticed yet, Colorado is a fertile environment for Family Medicine, as evidenced by:

the number and quality of our nine residency programs;
the national reputation of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine;
the several prominent, nationally recognized Family Physicians residing in Colorado;
the growing need for primary care providers to serve an expanding and increasingly diverse urban and rural population;
and, the strong collaboration and cooperation of Colorado's Family Medicine Residencies through the Commission on Family Medicine and the Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies.

These attributes, coupled with the natural beauty and opportunities Colorado has to offer, make training in and practicing family medicine here a unique and special experience.

Being a Colorado native, I'm biased when it comes to discussing the major city in the Rocky Mountain Region. The innumerable mountain trails and outdoor activities, year-round professional sports, world class skiing and boarding, and an annual average of 300 days of sunshine make leaving this Rocky Mountain state a painful thought. Several cities and towns in Colorado are annually named to the "Best Of" lists for places to live and raise a family. Denver itself is a dynamic city, characterized by a vibrant professional, economic and educational environment, a thriving social scene and a multitude of arts and cultural events to attend.

More importantly, outstanding Family Medicine Residencies are sprinkled throughout Colorado. Each is unique in what/how they train residents. The one constant, however, is that regardless of the road you choose after residency, you will be trained to take care of any patient in any situation. This to me is the true definition of a Family Medicine physician. With the growing need for primary care physicians here, around the nation and internationally, you will be able to serve any population you wish and will feel confident to do so from your Colorado residency training. With nine family medicine residencies and 67 graduates annually, we in Colorado recognize the wisdom of "growing our own" primary care base from our family medicine residency graduates. An energetic recruitment initiative results in at least 65% of our graduates continuing their medical career in Colorado in a variety of practice and geographical settings.

All of these strengths are sound reasons for opting for a family medicine residency in Colorado. Yet, my choice to pursue residency training in my home state came down to one simple variable - the people. I have found no better cadre of colleagues, teammates, and staff who are as invested and passionate about serving each other to improve the health of our patients and communities than in Colorado.

I wish you well in your decision-making process. Colorado is an easy choice. The difficult part is in choosing the program with which you fit best. If you ever need help or some advice, please feel free to contact me. My pager is 303 461-0079 and cell phone is 720 628-9347. I hope you enjoy Colorado as much as I have and good luck with your career!

Ozzie Grenardo, M.D.
Resident, Rose Family Medicine Residency
Class of 2008
Ozzie.grenardo@rfmr.com