The University of Chicago

UChicago EM

About Us

Mission

To produce emergency medicine specialists who are excellent clinicians and who will lead the next generation of emergency physicians.

History

The University of Chicago began training residents in the specialty of emergency medicine in 1972, making it one of the oldest EM residencies in the country. Peter Rosen, the first chair, was the guiding spirit in the development of the department, the residency, and the specialty of emergency medicine. His continued insistence upon excellence set the tone.

As testimony to the success of the residency, over 40 percent of the graduates have become directors of emergency departments. In addition to their amazing work in communities all over the country, over 40 percent of our alumni have pursued academic careers in emergency medicine and we are proud that numerous emergency medicine residency programs across the country are currently chaired or directed by a graduate of our program.

Clinical Experience

The 36 month clinical experience is designed to give the resident a broad exposure to all aspects of emergency medicine. This is accomplished through rotations in critical care areas, including trauma, pediatric, neonatal, cardiac and medical intensive care units, exposure to emergency medical services (EMS) and aeromedical transport, and working in the University of Chicago Medical Center Adult and Comer Hospital Pediatric Emergency Departments and NorthShore University HealthSystems/Evanston (NUH).

The major emergency medicine training sites are City of Chicago/regional-designated trauma centers and combined have over 240,000 total patient visits per year. Each institution is located in a distinctly different demographic part of the metropolitan Chicago area. This provides the resident with a broad mix of clinical experiences with patients from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

The patients who come for care are unselected, from the newborn to the aged, and present with a high acuity of illness. This diverse experience will prepare the resident to work in any emergency medicine setting. All training sites have 24-hour bedside supervision provided by residency-trained, board certified faculty.

Curriculum

PGY1 – PGY3 Training

First Year

Acquire the core emergency medicine knowledge and skill base, while attaining major interprofessional and interspecialty competencies.

Second Year

Refine management of the critically ill patients and gain the ability to manage multiple patient encounters and learners in a busy clinical setting.

3rd Year

Prepare the resident to be an excellent clinician, teacher, and leader who is comfortable being “in charge” in any emergency medicine setting.
Year 1
Half of the first year is spent in the emergency departments at the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCM Adult and Pediatric) and NorthShore University HealthSystems/Evanston (NUH) seeing patients under the direct guidance of a more senior emergency medicine resident and the attending physician. Particular attention is given to understanding the emergent nature of disease processes and how to prioritize care.

The remainder of the first year emphasizes critical care rotations vital to the development of an emergency medicine specialist. This includes clinical experiences in the intensive care units of the cardiology, critical care (medical), pediatric and neonatal care services, the labor and delivery obstetrical unit, the anesthesia service, and two distinctive trauma units. We are proud to emphasize our unique clinical curriculum which precludes general floor rotations in favor of exclusive exposure to the high intensity critical care settings that our three hospitals offer.

Rotation Time (2 week blocks)
EM at UChicago 3.5 months
EM at Northshore 1 month
Peds EM at Comer 1 month
Trauma Intern 2 months (1 mo blocks)
MICU 1 month
CCU 1 month
PICU at Comer 3 weeks
OB at Northshore 2 weeks
Anesthesia 3 weeks
ENT 1 week
EMS 1 week
Ultrasound 8 sessions
Vacation 1 month
Year 2
Just over half of the year is spent in the emergency departments at the UCM (Adult and Pediatric) and NUH. This is a transitional year in which progressive development of teaching and managerial skills occurs in the emergency department. This includes supervision of more junior emergency medicine residents under the direct guidance of attending faculty. Other experiences include management of trauma patients in the emergency department within the University of Chicago Medicine, a large, inner city, level I trauma center, a month in the Comer Pediatric Emergency Department, and a month of critical care in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) at UCM.

Rotation Time (2 week blocks)
EM at UChicago 5.5 months
EM at Northshore 2 months
Peds EM at Comer 1 month
EM Trauma 1.5 months
SICU 1 month
Ultrasound/UCAN/Ortho Elective 2 weeks
Tox/AXA Selective 1 month
Vacation 1 month
Year 3
During the final year, time spent in the major emergency medicine training sites incorporates patient care, teaching, supervision and administration. Third year residents are also responsible for directing junior emergency medicine/rotating residents and students and managing a busy emergency department. The third year resident is the team leader in the resuscitation setting. All experiences are guided by attending physicians who will support the resident in the development of leadership and administrative skills.

Rotation Time (2 week blocks)
EM at UChicago 4.5 months
EM at Northshore 2 months
Peds EM at Comer 1 month
EM Trauma 1.5 months
MICU Dayfloat 1 month
Admin/Teaching/US Selective 1 month
Elective 1 month
Vacation 1 month

Residency Review

The Residency educational process is fluid and must respond to a changing work environment, clinical problems encountered by residents or perceived gaps in the clinical experience of the residents. In order to meet this need, the faculty and residents meet quarterly at a Residency Breakfast where clinical and didactic experiences are discussed in an informal setting. More formal review of the Program is the function of the Residency Education Committee. The members include the program directors and residency administrative leadership of the emergency departments that comprise the Program (UCM and NUH) as well as the Chief Resident(s); it is chaired by the Residency Program Director. This committee meets quarterly and is responsible for ongoing review of the Program and formulation of policy to be implemented by the Program Directors.

Examples of recent changes instituted through this process include:

  • Division of MICU 1-month blocks into two 2-week blocks to match with Medicine co-intern schedules
  • Changes to the EM Trauma resident schedule and staffing model
  • Creation of a pre- and post- Trauma rotation formal debrief for interns
  • Opening of new moonlighting opportunities for senior residents