In 1957, Michael A. Manko, MD, became an intern at Lankenau, and by 1960 he entered the residency program, drawn by the quality of the teaching staff. When Dr. Manko became Director of Medical Education and Chairman of the Department of Medicine, he taught physician-trainees, a role he perpetuated into retirement. He noted, "On any given day, well over 100 medical students and doctors are being trained here at Lankenau Medical Center. This is the same number as some of the medical school hospitals in this country. We are indeed a sizeable educational institution."
Medical students, residents and fellows come to Lankenau for their training because of the dedication and excellence of our physicians; Lankenau's reputation for high quality patient care; and the opportunity to work with scientists in the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR). Excellent medical care is directly linked to the quality of a physician's education, a process that begins in medical school and residency, and continues with the accrual of Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits throughout a physician's career.
This year, more than 70 residents are being trained in our Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs in internal medicine, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology, as well as 20 plus fellows in the subspecialties of cardiology, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology and nephrology. In addition, more than 200 Jefferson medical students rotate through Lankenau annually for four-to-six week clerkships, and all trainees have the opportunity to work with scientists at LIMR. Our GME program has attracted excellent physicians to the staff, and provided a pipeline for the recruitment of bright young physicians—all of which results in better care for our patients.
Currently, Lankenau offers three major residency programs in internal medicine, general surgery and obstetrics/gynecology. All training programs conform to the principles of the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In conjunction with the education committee and the respective residency advisory committees, the director of medical education is responsible for the administrative and educational aspects of the house staff programs. The director maintains the standards commensurate with modern medical educational levels and trends.