Didactics

Education in Emergency Medicine (EM) requires the integration of a broad range of medical knowledge into a functional clinical knowledge base. This knowledgebase must be sufficient to drive both symptom evaluation and the pursuit of simultaneous diagnostic and therapeutic interventions (1). Five hours of protected conference time are held each week Tuesdays from noon to 5pm. Additional resident reports and intern lectures are held from 11am to noon Tuesdays to facilitate small group learning with faculty and PGY4 teaching residents. 
 
The core content of EM is covered by a wide range of learning activities including small group work, primary literature review, seminars, case-based presentations, lectures, procedure labs, and simulations. Residents participate in open, faculty-driven discussions of EM topics in an interactive curriculum that ranges from cardiovascular topics such as ACS, CHF, and arrhythmias every July through EM Administration in June. Particular emphasis is placed on pairing content acquisition through seminars and lectures with hands-on simulations and procedural training in our simulation labs (2). Simulation offers a rich, risk-free environment for residents to learn clinical emergency medicine under the direct supervision of expert attending faculty. Rather than passively hearing new knowledge, residents are able to use newly acquired knowledge in simulation exercises which allows them to integrate it into their growing clinical knowledgebase. Medical simulation facilitates the learning of certain types of tasks, integrating medical knowledge, and demonstrating capability or competency across the spectrum from individual procedures to complex resuscitative management (3).   
 
In addition to simulation, residents receive intensive skills training annually in advanced airway management, ultrasound, tube thoracostomy, defibrillation, central line placement and other technical procedures. Seminars in research methodology are held every other month which, in conjunction with our clinical and academic mentorship program, introduce residents to academic pursuits in a variety of settings including clinical EM, public health, global health, operations, and education. To build their individual academic teaching portfolios, all residents will give a follow-up case presentation in the PGY1 and PGY2 years as well as a resident lecture on a core EM topic of their choice in the PGY3 year. In the PGY 4 year, residents give a resident lecture in their area of academic interest during their Teaching Senior month and also lead Morbidity and Mortality Case Conference, Trauma Case Conference, and Intern workshops to complete their teaching portfolio.
 
Preparation for the American Board of Emergency Medicine certification examination is assured by an in-depth review of written examinations including the annual national in-service examination and oral board case simulations. 
 
(1)     Thomas HA, Beeson MS, Binder LS, Brunett PH, Carter MA, Chisholm CD, McGee DL, Perina DG, Tocci MJ. The 2005 Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine: The 2007 Update. Ann Emerg Med. 2008; 52:e1-e17.
(2)     Binstadt ES, Walls RM, White BA, Nadel ES, Takayesu JK, Barker TD, Nelson SJ, Pozner CN. A Comprehensive Medical Simulation Education Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Residents. Ann Emerg Med. 2007; 49:495-504. 
(3)     Takayesu JK, Nadel ES, Bhatia K, Walls RM. Incorporating Simulation into a Residency Curriculum. CJEM. 2010 Jul;12(4):349-53.