Emergency Medicine

Emergency Medicine

General OMS-I guidance

As an OMS-I student, focus on a strong medicine base. The scope of EM is broad, so you must have a good grasp on physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy.  Keep in mind many programs use OMS-I and OMS-II grades to sort applications for residency.  Use this year to become a member of Emergency Medicine Resident’s Association (EMRA) and get involved. Participate in group chats and take advantage of all the opportunities to listen to PD’s, talk with residents and attendings, and attend virtual conferences. Make a point of meeting people and listening to the culture they reflect in their programs so you have some ideas of where you do and don’t want to go.  Think about research opportunities between OMS- I and OMS- II that translate to the betterment of EM.

General OMS-II guidance

Continue to focus on a strong medicine base as you will need to use it in each rotation moving forward. Focus on developing critical thinking skills and not just memorization.  Apply acquired knowledge during OSCE’s and Sim’s. Continue to be involved in EMRA and show that your membership is more than something on your resume. Get involved.

General OMS-III guidance

 The knowledge gained in OMS-III rotations lay the foundation for EM. Look for ways to apply subject knowledge to EM as it ALL shows up in the Emergency Department (ED). Attend EM PD meetings and conferences that offer meet and greets/Q&A sessions.  Spend time where you are assigned noting what the ED is doing and how they are doing it while admitting patients. Listen to EM-RAP with your free membership through EMRA–it’s a great way to stay on top of the latest in EM and start conversations within each specialty.  Work hard on situational awareness and how/when to be involved. Consider asking for an LOR from one of your preceptors in Surgery, inpatient IM, or OB/GYN in case it is requested by the occasional program in VSLO.  Programs will want to hear how you perform at the bedside as well as what your critical thinking skills and what your peer interactions are like.

General OMS-IV guidance

Start your OMS-IV year in either a community EM rotation or an EM audition rotation (not your top pick residency) to get your wheels going. Stellar audition rotations trump everything during the residency process, so dig in, show up early, stay late, be teachable, and demonstrate situational awareness. Aim for three to five audition rotations in EM and let the program director know you will need a standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE). They will expect this request, but it is best to be proactive as SLOE’s often come in late (sometimes into Oct/Nov from early rotations). Although the usual minimum is two, it is best to have three SLOEs so you can choose which SLOE(s) to use in your designated residency applications. Not all SLOEs are required for interviews, but it is best to have them acquired before this time.

Research guidance – What research should a student seeking this specialty engage in?

Consider research opportunities that translate to the betterment of EM. If you remain at LUCOM as a graduate teaching fellow after your OMS-II year, this would be a good time to complete an EM-focused research project or case write up.

Volunteer, work or service guidance

Focus on showing continuous dedication to EM. Strictly listing memberships on your CV does not reflect this dedication, so look for volunteer opportunities to demonstrate it.

Letters of Recommendation – How many and by whom

Generally, no letters of recommendation are needed for this specialty except for the occasional program.

Recommended total number of interviews overall

The recommended number of interviews overall depends on a backup specialty plan. Discuss this number with your specialty advisor.

Recommended total number of interviews in the specialty

Approximately 14 interviews are recommended for this specialty.

General CV guidance

Show continuous dedication to Emergency Medicine if possible, with memberships as early as possible in national organizations and EMIG.

General Personal statement guidance

Aim to professionally communicate what drives you to EM. Avoid language like ‘adrenaline’, ‘exciting’ or any other wording which can mistakenly convey the wrong message. Focus on the reality of EM with its heavy emotional/intellectual challenges, how you are prepared, and suited for it.  Do not only convey the high points but explain you know and understand the difficulties in the field and accept them.

Rotations: What 4th year rotations would you encourage a student in this specialty to secure?

After audition rotations, attempt to schedule rotations in a variety of specialties you have not had a lot of exposure to, but are heavily represented in EM. This can include specialties such as Critical Care, ENT, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Oral-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, and Orthopedics.

Additional thoughts or suggestions

If you have decided FM or IM as a backup plan, please be sure to let the chairs of each department know EARLY on so they can plan on helping you with a chair letter, as well as get to know you and offer their specialty advice in a timely fashion. Reach out with any questions and familiarize yourself with EMRA and its many, many resources as well.

Summary of Academic Metrics for LUCOM Students Entering Emergency Medicine:

Click the link above to visit an interactive data tool published by the NRMP to explore the national data pertaining to characteristics of students matching into each specialty.