Internal Medicine Residency

I am Dr. Sarah Hartley, a hospitalist here at the University of Michigan Health System and the program director for the Internal Medicine Residency program. Medical education has been a large part of my passion in medicine, and I am grateful every day for the opportunity to work with our residents and the residency leadership team here at Michigan.

Our training program includes clinical rotations at the University of Michigan Hospital, the Pavilion- a new cardiovascular hospital that opened in Nov 2025 and the home of our inpatient cardiology services, the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Hospital, and several community sites where our residents provide primary care. We recognize that each of you as applicants have unique goals both for residency training and your overall career goals.  We strive to find the right mix of patient experiences and clinical settings to be sure you develop core foundation skills in internal medicine while also allowing you to select individual experiences that will prepare you to both define and transition to the next phase of your career following residency.  

We believe curiosity and discovery through research are integral parts of your training. Whether you envision research as a significant part of your long-term career or plan to focus primarily on clinical care, our goal is to help you develop the skills to ask meaningful questions, critically evaluate evidence, and apply it to patient care. We aim to foster scientific inquiry by connecting you with faculty mentors who share your interests and can help you explore the questions that matter most to you.

Education is central to the practice of medicine. Whether teaching a peer, sharing knowledge with members of a multidisciplinary team, or helping patients better understand their health, strong teaching skills are essential to being an effective physician. At Michigan, you will have opportunities throughout your training to develop and refine these skills in both inpatient and outpatient settings—including at the bedside, on rounds, and through formal didactic teaching. 

Thriving outside of work is an important part of bringing your best self to your work each day. In our program, we prioritize helping residents attend important life events and host regular social activities that foster connection and community. Residents also have access to an onsite fitness facility to support their physical well-being. In addition, we are committed to supporting resident parents as well, with robust parental leave options, a dedicated lactation policy, and an elective that provides flexibility when transitioning back to work after parental leave.  

One theme you will hear again and again at Michigan is the strong sense of connection people develop to this community. Many who come here become deeply engaged in their work, find a medical home at Michigan, and choose to remain part of the Michigan community long after their training ends.

While “Go Blue” may be Michigan’s most familiar phrase, within our residency program we also embrace the words of the legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler: “The Team, The Team, The Team.”  It reflects our belief in what we can accomplish together and the importance of being part of a community that supports one another.  

Thanks for your interest. 

Sarah Hartley, MD, MHPE
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program