The Swedish Family Medicine Residency began in 1970 and was directed by Dr. Joseph N. Scardapane from its onset until his retirement in March of 2001. At this time, a new director, Dr. Michael Tuggy, was named. The residency was the 36^th Family Medicine program to be approved in this country. Until 1980, the residency was sponsored by The Doctors Hospital, a community hospital with a distinguished tradition of training primary care physicians. In June of 1980, The Doctors Hospital and Seattle General Hospital merged with Swedish Hospital Medical Center. This merger resulted in construction of the South Wing addition to Swedish Hospital Medical Center; this became the home of the residency-based Family Medicine Clinic until 1994 when the residency moved across the street from the hospital to become the first tenant in the 1101 Madison office tower. In January 1997 the residency moved to its own building, the newly renovated Alcoa building on the corner of Broadway and Madison.

There are direct administrative ties with the Executive Committee of Swedish Medical Center through the Program Director, and through faculty physicians who serve in medical staff leadership. Swedish First Hill supports residencies in surgery and family practice, and works with affiliated programs to support graduate medical education programs in OB, pathology, radiology, anesthesia, orthopedics, and others.

The residency has grown a lot in the past few years. Our new Swedish Family Medicine clinic occupies all of the first floor and most of the second in the Alcoa building and offers spacious exam rooms and office space for faculty, residents and patients. In addition, the residency has two "satellite" sites. In 1990, Downtown Family Medicine (located in the Seattle-King County Downtown Public Health Service Center) was established as a second training track available to Swedish residents. Residents who choose this training track have their continuity clinics in a unique setting designed to provide care to Seattle's medical indigent. In the fall of 1993, the 45th Street Clinic became the third site for family medicine residents. The 45th Street Clinic is a long-established community clinic that is part of a system of independent medical and dental clinics serving low-income people in Seattle and King County. Inpatient training experiences for these two sites are identical to those of residents choosing the Swedish Family Medicine First Hill Clinic track.

The Swedish Family Medicine Residency is one of the University of Washington affiliated programs. The faculty members hold clinical faculty appointments to the University of Washington School of Medicine. Learning opportunities are shared through the combined resources of the affiliated network. Our residents regularly participate in programs at Children's Hospital Medical Center, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Madigan Army Hospital, and the Veterans Administration Hospital. Swedish at Providence Hospital family practice residents receive obstetrical training at the Swedish First Hill campus. Third year medical students rotate through the Swedish Family Medicine clinic for their 6-week Family Practice clerkship.

The residency is fully approved by the ACGME, receiving its most recent re-accreditation in 1996. The program is designed to foster meaningful input by the residents into the planning and structure of the residency itself, as well as into their own individual education through their elective choices. Emphasis is placed on a higher level of responsibility and leadership in each successive year of training.