Can FPs man a small town ER?

[BellKicker]

If not, who does work the ERs across the nation? I'm not talking trauma patients or anything, just the odd sprained ankle or a finger that needs stitching.

So far in my rotations in med school the ER has by far been the most rewarding. Being a family doc with a little ER action on the side to pep things up would be a great life, wouldn't it?

Any input, anyone?

ps. pleeeeeease don't say "oh, that's largely taken over by nurses now".

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[Jim Picotte]

Yes, where I'm from the very Northern part of Michigan, right below Lake Superior, there are EM physicians in the largest hospital there, but all the small town ER's are staffed either by FP or IM physicians. There's just not enough volume in some places for even 1 EM physician, so the FP or IM docs take care of it.

 

[womansurg]

It's quite common that rural EDs are staffed by FPs.

Here in Iowa, we (surgery residents) are aggressively pursued by recruiters to moonlight in the local EDs starting in our second year of residency.

Rural EDs need docs badly. FPs have good, broad based training; they fit the bill great!

 

[BellKicker]

Why thank you, doctors Picotte and womansurg.

And for you, dr. Picotte kind sir, I can tell you that I'm quite familiar with the UP and Northern Wisconsin. I met my wife in Superior when I was there as a foreign exchange student .

Also, on my top 10 list of lifetime things to do, is "Win the Parvo Nurmi Marathon". I've tried once and failed spectacularly.

In fact, I'll be the guy with the accent calling you in 5 years asking you how my patient's CT looked.

FP is looking better and better........

 

[Mad Scientist]

FP's do lots of rural ER work, as do many other specialties. (I know a dermatologist who spends tons of time moonlighting in small ER's.) Emergency Medicine residencies don't put out nearly enough docs for even the larger hospitals outside of metropolitan areas, much less the small rural hospitals.

I am looking at going to the Texas Tech FP program in Lubbock, which is great in part due to the huge amount of moonlighting available at small town ERs within 1 hour of the city. During your second and third year, you can just about double your salary with 3-4 nights/month of moonlighting, and some people have done much better than that. Furthermore, several of the docs working the large county hospital ER in Lubbock are FP's, so it's not just limited to small rural ERs.

 

[louman]

In rural South Carolina where I work as an FP Doc,
There are only FP attendings that serve as the ER physicians
Therefore FP residency is an excellent for comphrensive ER care.
Yes you will be conducting codes and intubating and the like on ocassion. Do not worry You will be well trained to handle all this at any good fp residency training program.