Temple University was originally founded with the motto “Perseverantia Vincit,” Latin for “Perseverance Conquers.” Since its founding, we have continued to honor this motto and attract the best, brightest, and most dedicated residents each year. Residents are well-supported by committed faculty who optimize learning through their collegiality. Temple is a tertiary care facility that serves as a safety-net for North Philadelphia. This patient population is challenged by historical infrastructures, and face barriers to maintaining their optimal health due to social determinants. This unique combination gives residents robust training with critically ill and bread-and-butter cases, in-depth subspecialty training led by leaders in their respective fields, and holistic, inclusive approaches to patient care. The training at our residency translates directly into excellent match rates at competitive fellowship programs in a variety of subspecialties and well-prepared general internists, many who go on to obtain leadership positions.
Our Mission
The mission of our residency program is:
- To develop well-rounded, compassionate clinicians who are equipped with the clinical, teaching, and leadership skills necessary for practicing medicine in a wide variety of environments
- To dedicate our efforts to improving the health of the North Philadelphia community
- To promote diversity (in its many forms) and foster growth and career opportunities for internal medicine trainees
At Temple, we strive to be physicians who provide high quality care for all. We value teamwork, respect, equity, and diversity (both in our workforce and our clinical practice). We aim to continuously encourage inquiry and foster the skills of lifelong learning while promoting compassion for others and ourselves.
Our Community
Temple University Hospital is located in the vibrant, urban community of North Philadelphia. North Philadelphia was once an industrial epicenter with many factories producing a variety of goods. As the need for manufacturing jobs decreased and red lining began, many resources left the area. It is now home to many abandoned buildings and many residents live in poverty, though the community remains resilient.
North Philadelphia is home to several community organizations dedicated to social and economic justice. These include the Zion Baptist church, which sits on the corner just north of the health science campus, and the Nicetown Community Development Corporation.
Understanding the environment in which our patients live, work, and play is essential to understanding their health. Enhancing this understanding is why we created a robust 3-year Community Engagement curriculum for our residents. This includes participating in workshops, working directly with community programs, and spearheading advocacy projects based on these experiences. New initiatives are always arising based on community needs, often spearheaded by our robust Center for Urban Bioethics in which our residents can elect to participate in. Additionally, given the needs of our community, Temple has a Community Health Care Workers program that assists patients with complex medical needs to help navigate the healthcare system.
Our Patients
Temple University Hospital serves one of the nation’s most underserved communities. Our patients are medically complex and experience significant health disparities due to social and economic inequalities. Our mission to provide equitable and just care has resulted in Temple University Hospital being ranked in the top 2% of the most socially responsible hospitals in the nation and the 25th most equitable health system in the country according to the Lown Institute.
Some facts and figures about the patients and area we serve (from the Temple University Hospital Community Benefit Report 2023-2024):