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Applying for Residency in Emergency Medicine

Is Emergency Medicine for Me?

1. General Information

                                                              i.      An Overiew of Emergency Medicine, Wendy C. Coates, MD. Harbor-UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine.

2. Physician burnout

                                                              i.      We obviously love the field of Emergency Medicine, but in an attempt to provide a balanced impression it is important to mention the topic of physician burnout in emergency medicine. Below is an online article on this somewhat controversial topic. For further information and viewpoints please search PubMed. (www.pubmed.com)
Burnout in Emergency Article, Larry Vickman, MD, MHA, FACEP.

How to Apply

1. Important Dates

b. Preparing to Apply

                                                              i.      Roadmap to Residency

1.      No matter what field you are thinking of applying in, the Roadmap to Residency is something you will want to read.  It is a truly excellent resource from the Association of American Medical Colleges that covers everything a student needs to know about specialty choice, details of applying, tips for assessing programs, the Match, the Scramble, and even transitioning to residency.

                                                             ii.       FREIDA Online

1.      FRIEDA is a database of all accredited residency and fellowships programs compiled by the American Medical Association (AMA). This site provides information on application requirements, program duration, faculty, work schedule, educational setting, resident benefits, and more. Excellent starting point for deciding which programs to apply to.

                                                           iii.      Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)

1.      SAEM also provides an online catalog that focuses on emergency medicine residencies and provides some additional information not found on FRIEDA. 

                                                          iv.      ERAS

1.      Most emergency residency programs participate in ERAS, a system that transmits applications, letters of recommendations, medical school transcripts, USMLE and/or COMLEX transcripts, and other supporting documents to program directors via the Internet. You may begin filling out your application any time after July 1.

                                                            v.      National Resident Matching Program (NMRP)

1.      Private, non-profit corporation that allows a uniform date of appointment to positions in graduate medical education in the United States. Learn more about the Match here:

                                                          vi.      Additional Information

1.      Pro vs Con: Four vs Three. Peter Rosen, MD and Glenn Hamilton, MD.

2.      Student Doctor Network Form on Emergency Medicine: Student forum on various topics in emergency medicine.

Interviews

You already know the drill from when you applied to medical schools, but here are some basic reminders:

1. Be on time!  Plan for possible delays.
2. Know your application.
3. Read up on the program you’ll be interviewing at. 
4. When visiting a program, be aware of your surroundings.  Consider whether or not you would be happy living and working there for the next 3-4 years.
5. Take notes after you leave the interview. 
6. Keep a running rank list of programs you’ve interviewed at.

Money-Saving Tips

1. Cluster interviews that are in the same region to save time and resources.
2. If you have not yet enrolled in frequent flyer programs, consider doing so before your next trip.  It costs nothing and can provide you with free tickets or elite travel status. Determine whether family members have frequent flyer miles that you can use to decrease the cost of flying.
3. Drive to interviews whenever possible.  This is likely save you a considerable amount of money, and you avoid the risk of your luggage being lost!
4. If driving, consider staying in a hotel just outside of the city.  Hotel costs may be considerably lower if you are willing to drive a little farther in the morning.
5. Cut down on costs by staying with friends and family members whenever possible.
6. Search sites like Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com and Sidestep for the lowest prices on flights and hotels. 

The Match

1. Congratulations!  You are finished interviewing and are now ready to rank the programs. There are only a few suggestions regarding the Match.

                                                              i.      Rank programs in the order of your actual preference. 

                                                             ii.      Do not rank programs you would not like to attend, doing so could make residency seem like the longest 3-4 years of your life!

                                                           iii.      After you have a rough draft of your Match list, ask your advisor look over the list and give you his or her input.

                                                          iv.      Chances are that you’ll match,  but have your application on hand in case you have to scramble.

                                                            v.      Good Luck!