1. What makes your program different from
other programs, or what made you choose your program?
A 4
year program decompresses the curriculum and allows for elective
time and a few specialty rotations, i.e. pediatric anesthesia
for focused peds airway management. I chose the program because
our faculty have diverse professional interests, the department
has an informal attitude, I felt I fit in well with the
residents, and we are close to family.
2.
Are there any major upcoming changes to your program?
Recently changed third year SICU rotation where EM resident
serves not as another resident on service but as the
'pseudo'-fellow-->supervising junior residents, running rounds,
guiding patient care.
3.
Is there anything you would change about your program if you
could?
I
would like to see re-working of ED shift scheduling for
graduation of work hours as you progress thru program. For
example we currently work 18 12-hr shifts per 4 week block for 3
straight years until fourth year supervising shifts which are 8
hours in length. I would like to see 10 hour shifts for third
year residents. However, that would require redesigning the
entire staffing scheme.
4. How much are
you responsible for blood draws, putting in IVs, etc.?
Our
nurses or techs handle nearly all IV placement and blood draws.
Residents are approached after failed attempts at multiple
levels. And if our techs can't place an IV that means it's a
tough stick. By that point we usually will place an ultrasound
guided antecub or a central line.
5. Do you learn
mostly from attendings, other residents, or textbooks? Does this
vary when you do off-service rotations?
I think every resident
has his/her own style of learning. For me, I learn mostly from
our attendings during clinical shifts (I haven't been very
religious about reading regularly). I have also learned a great
deal from
our consulting residents who are very willing to teach about
their respective specialties.
6. How does EMed
rank in your hospital's hierarchy?
We
are still in the relative new stages of our program. My class
was the 8th graduating class. I understand it was a tough
start...a new program, Ivy League academic quaternary care
center with all its politics to go with it, etc. Thanks to the
hard work from residents over the years, we now have a
tremendous amount of respect throughout the hospital. We are
known to be efficient and hard workers and are very well
received on our off-service rotations.
7. What are the
perks that your school provides (PDAs, textbooks, conference
fees, meal tickets, etc.)?
We
could certainly use a little extra CME money--currently $250 per
year, although, I bought a textbook or two each year, never used
all the money and still couldn't think of what to use the money
on this year...so I used it as extra money during ACEP (mostly
going towards entertainment , i.e. whiskey
and beer) We do get money towards meals for our on-call
rotations. In terms of conferences, 4th years get fully funded
to go to ACEP, and you will be reimbursed for any conference
where you present a project.
8.
How do you rate your rotations outside of the emergency
department?
Variable. Lots of critical care time which is great. Trauma is
probably our busiest off-service rotation but also the most
educational, and they love us on the trauma service. We spend
lots of time at CHOP, learning peds EM from some of the leaders
in the specialty including Steve Ludwig, the father of pediatric
EM.
9.
What's the best elective you've done?
Beginning of third year I did a 4 week pediatric reading
elective, aka my daughter was born.
10. How much does
your program focus on research?
Our
faculty are incredibly supportive of research. If you want to
get involved in a project or have and idea for a project of your
own, the faculty will certainly get you going. On the same
token, nobody pushes you into doing something you aren't
interested in. Our only requirement is the RRC required
academic project (which is all I've done...the faculty seem to
respect that choice)
11. What do you
love and hate most about the city you're in?
Tons
of great restaurants, good music, and various points of
historical significance. Traffic can be a problem; I live in
the suburbs with my wife, daughter, and three yellow labs. But
actually, most of my commute times are not during rush hours.
12. Please
describe your typical month in terms of work hours and days off.
4
week blocks: in the ED that means 18 shifts in 4 weeks, as 1-3rd
yrs 12 hour shifts. As 4th years 8 hr shifts in the role as
supervisor, running the dept as though you were an attending.
13. How much time
do you spend off-duty with the other residents?
Again variable, some of our residents spend a great deal of time
together. I do less than others, I think, since I have a
family. People meet for concerts and dinners all the time. A
few of our talented residents participate in open mic night
kinds of things. We try to make events out of some of the
annual occurrences, like the Wing Bowl.
14. Do you have
any international experience?
No.
15. What are your
plans after residency?
I start at a busy community-academic medical center in
mid-July in my home town of Allentown, PA.
16. How prepared
do you feel?
Medically I feel pretty well prepared. The transition from a
systems standpoint has me more concerned, who to call when, the
charting system, hospital resources, etc. I know it will take a
little time to feel comfortable.
17. Do you have
any advice for current applicants, or is there anything you wish
you'd known when you were applying?
You will get good training regardless of where you go, I don't
think there are any bad programs. You need to find the group of
people you feel comfortable with in a geographic area that works
well for you. You will spend lots of time with these people,
not just residents but attendings as well, so it's important
that they are a good fit. The right geographic area means
different things to different people...close to family,
considerations of a spouse, local cultural opportunities, access
to hobbies and interests, or the chance to try something
different before you have to grow up for real. Whatever is
important to you, but believe it or not you will have some free
time and it helps if you can do the things that make you happy
without too much of a struggle. For me, in an hour's drive I
can see my parents, or my brother, be on the bank of numerous
trout streams stringing up my fly rod, hiking in a handful of
parks, and visit my in-laws (well nothing’s perfect).
