EM/IM Residencies--> Advantages

A Couple of questions:

1. What are the advantages to doing a combined EM/IM residency?

2. Could someone who did EM/IM start a private practice later on in their career? Could you do this with an EM only residency?

Thanks and sorry for my ignorance.

The advantages:

-- Ability to practice both after finishing

-- Ability to enter into academics without doing a fellowship

-- The idea that knowledge of EM enhances one's internist skills, and knoweldge of IM enhances one's EM skills


Someone could start a private practice whenever, as long as they keep their IM certification up-to-date.

I imagine most in IM/EM aren't interested in doing so; we half-breeds oftentimes are not the biggest fans of clinic, and enjoy being in the hospital with sick patients. The majority go into strictly emergency medicine, with a smaller contigent going into both (IM as a hospitalist, however); few also will do a sixth year to obtain critical care training, and hence have the ability to practice three flavors (general, ICU, and ER).

Overall, in order to be happy being im/em, you really have to enjoy both specialties. (and be able to switch personalities from rounding all day to 1/2 hour sign-out rounds!)