New York Communities and Preceptors—Community of Oswego

Oswego is located about 40 miles northwest of Syracuse on the shore of Lake Ontario. Boating and fishing are major activities during the summer months and the area is famous for salmon fishing in the fall. Several State Parks are within easy driving distance. State University College at Oswego is located in the community, as is Old Fort Ontario and the Maritime Museum. The population of the City of Oswego is about 25,000.

Two Links of Interest:

Preceptors			Hospital
Oswego was the third site to join the RMED educational network, hosting its first student in 1990. Depending on the student's interests, supervision at the Oswego site is provided by a combination of a board certified family physician and an internist/cardiologist. Dr. Corliss Varnum, the primary preceptor, is a solo family practitioner who trained at Lancaster Family Practice Residency Program in Lancaster, PA, and is currently Chief of the Family Practice Service at Oswego Hospital. Dr. Michael Nupuf is a general internist whose practice has a significant cardiology focus.			Oswego Hospital is a 202 bed facility with Med/Surg, Pediatric, OB/GYN and Psych services. There are approximately 40 members of the medical staff with most specialties represented. Most referrals from the hospital go to University Hospital.

Preceptor Profile: Dr. Corliss Varnum

Dr. Varnum practices in the town of Oswego. There he takes care of a mixed population of adult, pediatric and geriatric patients. The diverse population he works with includes the poor, the mentally ill, and HIV infected patients among others. His work involves time in the office and the hospital, nursing homes, and home visits. In the office he performs such procedures as flexible sigmoidoscopy, joint injections and gynecologic exams among many others. He is in a very technologically up to date practice and uses a tablet computer in everyday patient interaction.