Providence Family Medicine Center (PFMC)/
Alaska Family Medicine Residency (AKFMR)

General Information

Providence Family Medicine Center (PFMC) is a primary care clinic dedicated to providing a full spectrum of family medicine services, accessible to every member of our community.

Our services include:

• Preventive care
• Treatment for acute and chronic diseases
• Same-day urgent appointments
• Procedures and minor surgeries
• Behavioral health and social services
• Prenatal, pediatric, and geriatric care
• Medical intensive case management

As a fully integrated primary care clinic, PFMC employs a robust team-based care model. Our interdisciplinary team includes professionals specializing in Behavioral Health, Social Work, Nurse Case Management, Patient Navigation, Home Visits, and Pharmacy Services. This collaborative approach enables us to work closely with a patient’s primary care physician, increasing access to care, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

PFMC serves as a critical “safety net” clinic for underserved and under-resourced populations in Anchorage, Alaska, primarily focusing on Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured individuals. Among our patients, approximately 58% identify as Caucasian, while 42% belong to diverse ethnic groups. As of the last count, there are 92 languages spoken at PFMC. We work with individuals of all ages, from newborns to seniors, and our patient demographic is comprised of 65% females, 28% males, and 7% non-binary individuals.

In addition to our patient care services, PFMC serves as the continuity care clinic for the Alaska Family Medicine Residency (AKFMR), the only family medicine residency in Alaska. AKFMR partners with the University of Washington and the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) Family Medicine Residency Network, aiming to provide comprehensive education for its residents. Our mission is to develop competent family medicine physicians who deliver high-quality care to diverse populations, particularly those in rural, culturally diverse, and underserved communities throughout Alaska. We believe that graduates from our residency program are equipped to excel in diverse settings, including rural outpatient practices, urban underserved environments, and international medical contexts.

Internship Experience

We are dedicated to enhancing primary care through our comprehensive Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) doctoral intern training program. Our interns receive extensive education and practical experience within the PCBH model, which emphasizes collaboration among behaviorally trained primary care providers (Doctoral Interns, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Faculty Psychologists), medically trained primary care providers (Resident and Faculty Physicians), and other healthcare providers (Nurses, Social Workers, and Pharmacists). This interdisciplinary teamwork fosters a collaborative environment that not only enriches the interns’ learning experience but also significantly improves patient care. By integrating behavioral and medical health approaches, we promote a holistic model of care that addresses the diverse needs of our patients.

The intern experience begins with an immersive PCBH “bootcamp,” designed to provide a solid foundation in the PCBH model practiced at our clinic. This comprehensive onboarding experience includes interdisciplinary training alongside resident physicians and other members of the PFMC care team, offering interns valuable opportunities for relationship building and collaboration. In addition to team-focused training, interns receive initial instruction in focused acceptance and commitment therapy (FACT) and “one-at-a-time” interventions. This foundational knowledge is progressively developed throughout the training year, as interns encounter increasingly challenging training opportunities and are given greater expectations for autonomy. This structured approach ensures that interns are well-equipped to grow professionally, enhancing their skills and confidence in delivering integrated healthcare.

Interns provide care to patients during both medical appointments and scheduled follow-up visits. Their treatment often concentrates on managing chronic diseases and psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Each intern is required to gain experience in specialty clinics that focus on areas such as refugee mental health, maternal mental health, addiction medicine, geriatrics, and/or chronic pain management.

Interns are full-time employees of PFMC and are expected to work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  During the year, interns will be expected to maintain weekly behavioral health consultation clinics, follow-up clinics, provide consultation to the interdisciplinary team, and conduct behavioral health assessments.

Special Requirements of Applicants

Providence Hospital is a drug-free workplace. Interns who match with this site will be required to present for drug screening and an employee health appointment before being employed within the Providence Health System.  All interns are required to pass the Providence drug screen.

Before beginning the internship, all AKFMR interns are required to pass a background check, as mandated by Alaska Statute 47.05.300-47.05.390.  This check is conducted by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Background Check Unit.  The history of a felony or misdemeanor may result in a fail in this review process and prevent the intern from working at AKFMR.  See State of Alaska Barrier Crime Matrix for a complete listing of barrier crimes: https://www.akcertification.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/Barrier-Crime-Matrix.pdf. The background check occurs after the Match outcome.

Staff

Rebecca Volino Robinson, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, Director of Behavioral Health, AK-PIC Training Director, Primary Site Supervisor

Virginia Parret, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, Behavioral Health Faculty, AK-PIC Associate Training Director, Primary Site Supervisor

PFMC/AKFMR Contact Information

Rebecca Volino Robinson, Ph.D., rebecca.robinson2@providence.org
Website: http://www.akfmr.org

Mailing address:
Providence Family Medicine Center/Alaska Family Medicine Residency
1201 E. 36th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99508