Dartmouth EM residency?

[Aesculapius]

Just got a postcard in the mail from Dartmouth saying they are starting a new EM residency with first class beginning July 2012. Anybody know/hear anything about this? Or have any idea of what the Dartmouth-Hitchcock hospital is like? My main worry about the program would be it being too rural and not seeing enough pathology, but that might be unfounded if it's a tertiary care center... but any information would be appreciated.

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[DrVanNostran]

Just got a postcard in the mail from Dartmouth saying they are starting a new EM residency with first class beginning July 2012. Anybody know/hear anything about this? Or have any idea of what the Dartmouth-Hitchcock hospital is like? My main worry about the program would be it being too rural and not seeing enough pathology, but that might be unfounded if it's a tertiary care center... but any information would be appreciated.

http://gme.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/emergencymed.html

Emergency Medicine Residency
Welcome to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Emergency Medicine Residency website. The cornerstone of our academic mission is to produce high-quality emergency medicine physicians.

Toward that end, our training program consists of an outstanding balance of clinical rotations, didactics, simulation, and scholarly activity. As New Hampshire’s only academic medical center, only Level 1 Trauma Center, and only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock has a breadth of expertise and an extensive referral base. In addition, with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center being a highly-acclaimed tertiary care facility in a rural setting, we have the opportunity to provide a somewhat unique spectrum of emergency care ranging from rural medicine to highly specialized services.

For our Emergency Medicine residents, this experience at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is complemented by additional trauma training at Shock Trauma in Baltimore as well as a dedicated emergency medicine experience at a community hospital. Our Emergency Medicine faculty is highly devoted to teaching and has interests that range from disaster medicine to trauma to neuroscience to wilderness medicine and well beyond. In addition, two thirds of our core faculty have additional graduate degrees and/or fellowship training. Hopefully, this website will provide you with the information you need to understand why Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is a great place to train and why New Hampshire is a wonderful place to live.

 

[Aesculapius]

Well, I did see the website already, but I was hoping for more of a "boots on the ground"-type perspective.

 

[gutonc]

Well, I did see the website already, but I was hoping for more of a "boots on the ground"-type perspective.

How did you expect to get a "boots on the ground perspective" when there aren't actually any boots on the ground at the moment? Sure, they have ED staff, and they obviously think they have enough volume to support a residency, but nobody's actually done it yet so who can really say.

It's the only referral center for miles around so I don't imagine volume will be an issue. And if you get bored with drunk and stoned rich kids, drunk rednecks rolling their pickups on country roads and farmers losing digits in machinery, you get a trip to Baltimore for your knife and gun club experience.

 

[Aesculapius]

Potentially, there may have been some posters who went to Dartmouth, or did a rotation there at some point. Maybe there won't be, but it's worth a shot to find out.

 

[gutonc]

Potentially, there may have been some posters who went to Dartmouth, or did a rotation there at some point. Maybe there won't be, but it's worth a shot to find out.

But if there was no EM residency, who would do a rotation there? You can't get a SLOR so what's the use?

 

[Aesculapius]

Well, if they are Dartmouth students, they might have done a home rotation, and for others, they might not have done a rotation in the ED, but if they were on medicine or some other service they still might be able to comment on what it looks like, the general patient population, and so forth... I'm just trying to get a little bit of information, since it will be a brand new program and so there really no information out there currently.

 

[SepulvedaMD]

Well, if they are Dartmouth students, they might have done a home rotation, and for others, they might not have done a rotation in the ED, but if they were on medicine or some other service they still might be able to comment on what it looks like, the general patient population, and so forth... I'm just trying to get a little bit of information, since it will be a brand new program and so there really no information out there currently.

I got the same postcard, figured there would be little info to go around. But, because of that I thought I might still apply there and if I get an interview that would help me get a glimpse of the programs objectives firsthand.

Do you have an interest in going there?

 

[Aesculapius]

Yes, and ditto. But it would still be nice to know a little more than what's available on the website.

 

[SepulvedaMD]

Yes, and ditto. But it would still be nice to know a little more than what's available on the website.

Hmm...

If you still want more info you could hold out here until a Dartmouth med student gives the scoop, or just call them to rotate.

This likely depends how high they are on your way-to-early-but-we-all-have one-pre-pre-pre-match list.

Happy hunting

 

[19181716]

So about the Dartmouth EM program and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). I am a dartmouth student and did an EM rotation here:

- PD is Dr. Kevin Curtis, one of the smartest EM physicians I have worked with. He is very dedicated to making this a great EM program and I have no doubt he will succeed.
- The rest of the faculty are also amazing. There is a nice mix of young and experienced. They come from all over the country, are teaching-oriented and just great people to be around.
- From looking at other residency programs at DHMC, there is usually a good sense of community amongst residents and I am sure it will be the same for the EM program.
- You see a lot of pathologies at DHMC, partly because it is a tertiary care center. Trauma is run the by surgery department, but as you are aware the EM program will be sending its residents to baltimore for shock trauma.
- The ED gets pretty busy on a daily basis and there usually isn't a shortage of patients to see. We also do get a number of kids in the ED and there is a Peds EM doctor on staff who is also excellent.
- ED has about 25 or so beds including hallways and a trauma bay which holds up to 3 patients at a time. There are 2 fast track beds, which during the day is run by a PA.
- The Dartmouth Sim Center is quite new and very nice.
- Ultrasound: ED is getting a second ultrasound machine. From talking to attendings, it sounds like they are committed to providing a good US experience during residency.
- DHMC is in Lebanon, NH which is next to the town of Hanover where Dartmouth College and the Medical School are located. Both are small towns with a population of about 12K, but quite vibrant with the college there. Overall, the location is great and hospital facility is excellent. The Upper Valley is great for skiing etc during winter. Maine is close by. Boston is only 2 hours away. Vermont is next door. The fall is beautiful. It's a very safe area. There are a lot of new housing options close to the hospital, which is also great.

That's a general intro. I am sure you will get the finer points specific to the residency during interviews.

Good luck with interviews