1. What makes your program different from
other programs, or what made you choose your program?
I chose Vanderbilt for three
reasons: 1) The faculty's dedication to resident education; 2)
Our patient population; and 3) Reputation in the EM community. I
am convinced that we get the best didactic education of any EM
program in the country at Vanderbilt. We are spoon-fed learning,
literally. Three lunch conferences a week, 5 hours of dedicated
teaching on Tuesdays, journal clubs, and great bed-side teaching
are examples. We do exceptionally well on our in-service and EM
boards thanks to all this. We're held to a very high academic
standard, too. Vanderbilt is the only Level I trauma center in a
100 mile radius. We are the regional burn referral center, the
pediatric referral center, and the tertiary care referral
center. We're also a safety net institution. Thus, we see people
from all walks of life, rich and poor, young and old, with
routine problems to complex acute and critical
illness. Vanderbilt has a great reputation for training leaders
in EM. We have the most progressive IT platform of probably any
hospital in the country. We are about 80% electronic now, and
will be completely paperless within a year or two. This included
radiology, all old medical records, labs, and order entry.
2.
Are there any major upcoming changes to your program?
None that I know of. We're
increasing the number of younger faculty, and our academic
research strategy/research faculty is also growing. Our ED was
expanded and renovated about 18 months ago.
3.
Is there anything you would change about your program if you
could?
We have 100% attending
coverage on all patients, all the time. I think it’s great, but
others may disagree. Ultimately, it is great for patient care.
Some residents/applicants may feel that 100% coverage makes for
a sharp change in responsibility when starting as an attending.
I guess I prefer this model to somewhere like the bigger county
institutions, where you've got to wake an attending up from bed
when things are going south, but I know other people may feel
differently.
4.
How much are you responsible for blood draws, putting in IVs,
etc.?
We are NEVER responsible for
ancillary work (unless nurses/techs actually can’t draw blood or
get IV access, of course, if someone has very difficult access
and a line is needed). We work very well with our ED staff. Our
nursing, technical, and ancillary support is about as good as it
gets.
5.
Do you learn mostly from attendings, other residents, or
textbooks? Does this vary when you do off-service rotations?
We learn from all of the
above. We have assigned readings, online assignments, and great
bedside learning, all in addition to that listed above.
Vanderbilt is a very pro-learning place. Attendings and
residents on off service rotations are dedicated to teaching, as
well.
6.
How does EMed rank in your hospital's hierarchy?
Thanks to our chair and other
faculty leaders, we have great standing in the hospital
hierarchy. Admitting and consulting runs very smoothly.
7.
What are the perks that your school provides (PDAs, textbooks,
conference fees, meal tickets, etc.)?
We receive annual meal
allowances and a book fund. We go to SAEM or ACEP our 3rd year,
and if you present research at any national meeting any time,
the dept assists you financially.
8.
How do you rate your rotations outside of the emergency
department?
In general, they are
excellent. Busier rotations like Trauma, PICU, MICU are very
intense, but the learning is that much better.
9.
What's the best elective you've done?
We have one elective month a
year. I've only done a research elective to pursue some outside
health policy interests. Other people have gone to Everest,
worked in Hawaii and the Caribbean, traveled to Africa all in
international emergency medicine capacities. You can do
something around Vandy if you want to. It's entirely up to you,
and our director is very flexible here, so long as you have a
good plan.
10. How much does your program focus on research?
We do have a research
requirement, and expectations for research are growing, although
they're still relatively light.
11. What do you love and hate most about the city you're in?
I'm from Colorado and love the
outdoors, so naturally I miss mountains and/or the ocean. That
said, Nashville is a very young, vibrant city. Great music (not
just country), great sports, great restaurants, and the falls
and springs are gorgeous. People are surprisingly outdoor
oriented here, too. I love being at a medical center that is on
the campus of a major university, as well. The university
culture has a great, young, intellectual vibe.
12. Please describe your typical month in terms of work hours
and days off.
I work 18 to 19 shifts a
month. ~75% of these are 8 hour shifts, the rest are 10 and 12
hour shifts. (We spend ~25% of our time in the Peds ED, which
has 10 and 12 hour shifts.)
13. How much time do you spend off-duty with the other
residents?
We've got a diverse group, but
everyone really gets along and enjoys hanging out. Some
residents are married with kids, others are single and enjoy the
night life. Thus, those that are free to hang out love to, and
those that are busy head home to the family.
14. Do you have any
international experience?
We have a core group of
faculty with international experience that are abroad usually
once or twice a year. We have the option to join them during any
of our electives (or we can do something independent of this).
15. What are your
plans after residency?
I'll likely be staying
academic to focus on some health policy interests. That said,
the majority of our residents head into the community.
16. How prepared do
you feel?
We'll see in 2 years! All the
graduating residents felt very prepared, and, having learned
from them this past year, I see no reason why they wouldn't. By
year 3, our residents function like and really act like
attendings.
17. Do you have any
advice for current applicants, or is there anything you wish
you'd known when you were applying?
Be sure you have a good
feeling about the residency director, chair, residents, and
residency administrative staff. They will be your life line for
three (or four) years, so be sure you're comfortable working
around them in good times and in bad!
