EM Program Director - Ask Me Anything

[ScotlandEM]

Hello all!

I am the Program Director for the brand new Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Loyola University Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma and Quaternary Care Center, affiliated with Stritch School of Medicine, just outside of Chicago. We were just accredited on Monday, to recruit 6 residents per year into a 3 year residency, with the first class starting July 1st 2019. We also just went live in ERAS to begin accepting applications.

I wanted to do an ‘Ask Me Anything’ to accomplish 2 things:

1. Advertise my program. There are many EM-bound students on this site, and it is hard to get the message out. Our website is up and running (Loyola Emergency Medicine Residency Program | Loyola EM) and we are on twitter (@LoyolaEM). Our mission is to train EM Residents for Excellence in Leadership, Care, and Service.

2. More importantly for you - to put myself out there to answer any questions you have about Loyola EM, EM in general, ERAS, the upcoming interview process, or anything else on your mind. My opinions are my own. I am honest and to the point and I will do my best to get to all of your questions.

So…ask away…

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[borderlineinCle]

Hello all!

I am the Program Director for the brand new Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Loyola University Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma and Quaternary Care Center, affiliated with Stritch School of Medicine, just outside of Chicago. We were just accredited on Monday, to recruit 6 residents per year into a 3 year residency, with the first class starting July 1st 2019. We also just went live in ERAS to begin accepting applications.

I wanted to do an ‘Ask Me Anything’ to accomplish 2 things:

1. Advertise my program. There are many EM-bound students on this site, and it is hard to get the message out. Our website is up and running (Loyola Emergency Medicine Residency Program | Loyola EM) and we are on twitter (@LoyolaEM). Our mission is to train EM Residents for Excellence in Leadership, Care, and Service.

2. More importantly for you - to put myself out there to answer any questions you have about Loyola EM, EM in general, ERAS, the upcoming interview process, or anything else on your mind. My opinions are my own. I am honest and to the point and I will do my best to get to all of your questions.

So…ask away…

Thanks so much for posting this! And a big congrats on what I am sure was a long process!
Some questions 🙂
1) are faculty excited about Loyola becoming a program, and prepared to have residents to now teach on shift?
2) are faculty excited about teaching didactics?
3) research opportunities during residency?
4) are y'all sending invites out after the Dean's letter? 🙂


Congrats again!

 

[ScotlandEM]

Thanks so much for posting this! And a big congrats on what I am sure was a long process!
Some questions 🙂
1) are faculty excited about Loyola becoming a program, and prepared to have residents to now teach on shift?
2) are faculty excited about teaching didactics?
3) research opportunities during residency?
4) are y'all sending invites out after the Dean's letter? 🙂


Congrats again!

Game on! My first questions 🙂

1. Very much so! We have had EM as a required clerkship at SSOM for many years now, so we have a good amount of EM-interested and non-EM interested students rotating every month. We are also well connected to many other services in LUMC, so several send their residents to us already - IM, Podiatry, ENT, etc etc. They are ready, and very excited, to be able to do this with our future EM students...

2. Again, very much so! As you can see in their bio's (Faculty | Loyola Emergency Medicine Residency Program) they are already educating students, residents, fellows and attendings at the local, regional and national level. To do it with your own residents, and to watch them learn and grow as you do so, is something entirely more exciting!

3. Great question - hopefully the bio's will help you see what our faculty are already involved in. Given our affiliation with SSOM, research is at the core of our group...

4. Yes. I expect our first wave of invites to go out ~October 15th, possibly before then. It seems like most MSPE's don't become available until October 1st...

Thanks for starting this off!

 

[borderlineinCle]

Game on! My first questions 🙂

1. Very much so! We have had EM as a required clerkship at SSOM for many years now, so we have a good amount of EM-interested and non-EM interested students rotating every month. We are also well connected to many other services in LUMC, so several send their residents to us already - IM, Podiatry, ENT, etc etc. They are ready, and very excited, to be able to do this with our future EM students...

2. Again, very much so! As you can see in their bio's (Faculty | Loyola Emergency Medicine Residency Program) they are already educating students, residents, fellows and attendings at the local, regional and national level. To do it with your own residents, and to watch them learn and grow as you do so, is something entirely more exciting!

3. Great question - hopefully the bio's will help you see what our faculty are already involved in. Given our affiliation with SSOM, research is at the core of our group...

4. Yes. I expect our first wave of invites to go out ~October 15th, possibly before then. It seems like most MSPE's don't become available until October 1st...

Thanks for starting this off!

Thanks so much for answering the question!!
As a PD, what are you looking for in the initial screening process of applicants? Is it Step 1? or a combination of Step 1, Step 2 CK, and SLOEs?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Thanks so much for answering the question!!
As a PD, what are you looking for in the initial screening process of applicants? Is it Step 1? or a combination of Step 1, Step 2 CK, and SLOEs?

I feel like every program/PD will do it a little differently, and some will focus more on Step Scores, and some will focus more on SLOEs. It is hard - as with some programs, especially in a bigger city like Chicago, receiving > 1000 applications per year, you have to either commit to reviewing all of them, or use ERAS to filter applications - so if you do this, you likely will filter based on a Step Score, but your focus will then still be on the SLOEs.

I have always maintained that applicants who take the time to apply to a program, and now my program, deserve the entire application to be reviewed. Accordingly every application we receive, we review. We have developed a scoring system that focuses on the characteristics we think best match the mission of our program (Our mission is to Train EM Physicians for Excellence in Leadership, Care and Service). We do include scoring for Step/MSPE etc, but it is just a small piece of the overall application, so accordingly will not be the defining characteristic of the review.

As I have seen mentioned on here before, SLOEs are crucial to the application, so these play a key role in the initial screening. EM is a rare breed in that we have an evaluation process that is impartial and unbiased, and allows us to see how an applicant will function in the ED. This is so important, as you and your personality, and your fit for EM, are harder to gauge in the ERAS application, so this allows us a window into this...

Keep 'em coming...!

 

[borderlineinCle]

I feel like every program/PD will do it a little differently, and some will focus more on Step Scores, and some will focus more on SLOEs. It is hard - as with some programs, especially in a bigger city like Chicago, receiving > 1000 applications per year, you have to either commit to reviewing all of them, or use ERAS to filter applications - so if you do this, you likely will filter based on a Step Score, but your focus will then still be on the SLOEs.

I have always maintained that applicants who take the time to apply to a program, and now my program, deserve the entire application to be reviewed. Accordingly every application we receive, we review. We have developed a scoring system that focuses on the characteristics we think best match the mission of our program (Our mission is to Train EM Physicians for Excellence in Leadership, Care and Service). We do include scoring for Step/MSPE etc, but it is just a small piece of the overall application, so accordingly will not be the defining characteristic of the review.

As I have seen mentioned on here before, SLOEs are crucial to the application, so these play a key role in the initial screening. EM is a rare breed in that we have an evaluation process that is impartial and unbiased, and allows us to see how an applicant will function in the ED. This is so important, as you and your personality, and your fit for EM, are harder to gauge in the ERAS application, so this allows us a window into this...

Keep 'em coming...!

Thanks again! Exciting 🙂


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rekt]

Are you considering DO applicants?

 

[drfoxxy824]

Will your program be at the ACEP residency program this year?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Will your program be at the ACEP residency program this year?

Yes indeed. We will be there, and have a table at the Residency Fair. I am also in the process of getting one reserved for the ACOEP Scientific Assembly, which is in Chicago next month. Please come past and say hello...

And in no way is the fact that ACEP is in San Diego influencing our decision to be there...just in case anyone thinks that it is the case

 

[ScotlandEM]

Are you considering DO applicants?

Indeed we are! I am in the process of reserving a table at the ACOEP Scientific Assembly Residency Program Expo, which is in Chicago next month...

 

[Nedsson]

Thats awesome news!

 

[NSLDX]

Congrats on the new program! I have several friends at Loyola and they love it there!

I didn’t see your program on ERAS nor did I know a new program was opening up, I am in downtown Chicago so I will be applying for sure!

Do you plan to have a “pre-interview residents dinner” with some of the faculty given that this is the inaugural class? It would be great to meet some of the personalities in the department in a less formal setting.

 

[ScotlandEM]

Congrats on the new program! I have several friends at Loyola and they love it there!

I didn’t see your program on ERAS nor did I know a new program was opening up, I am in downtown Chicago so I will be applying for sure!

Do you plan to have a “pre-interview residents dinner” with some of the faculty given that this is the inaugural class? It would be great to meet some of the personalities in the department in a less formal setting.

Yes indeed. We just went live in ERAS at about 11am this morning, so a very new addition!

We do plan to have a pre-interview event. I thought about not having one, but I feel like meeting everyone in a relaxed environment is a good thing. I am, however, wary of the fact that a student walking into a venue with only attendings present may be a tad unnerving for some. With this in mind, I have some ideas to take the pressure off and make it more relaxed, so the focus is less on making conversation, and more on spending time together and getting to know the personalities...

Great question though. Would be curious to get some thoughts from some of you about this...and if you have any ideas I will selfishly welcome those too!

 

[NSLDX]

Great website! the Q&A section goes a long way to assuaging the stereotypical new program fears. Solid pun/acronym for your specialty tracks as well lol (STEME). I don't know the protocol for doing so, but getting the programs information on the EMRA website would likely drive many more applicants your way. (EMRA Match)

One other generic question I didn't see on the website, what are the average shift lengths for residents and number of shifts per month?

 

[borderlineinCle]

Yes indeed. We just went live in ERAS at about 11am this morning, so a very new addition!

We do plan to have a pre-interview event. I thought about not having one, but I feel like meeting everyone in a relaxed environment is a good thing. I am, however, wary of the fact that a student walking into a venue with only attendings present may be a tad unnerving for some. With this in mind, I have some ideas to take the pressure off and make it more relaxed, so the focus is less on making conversation, and more on spending time together and getting to know the personalities...

Great question though. Would be curious to get some thoughts from some of you about this...and if you have any ideas I will selfishly welcome those too!

I wouldn’t mind meeting faculty beforehand! Provided it was a fun, non-interview like environment haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ScotlandEM]

Great website! the Q&A section goes a long way to assuaging the stereotypical new program fears. Solid pun/acronym for your specialty tracks as well lol (STEME). I don't know the protocol for doing so, but getting the programs information on the EMRA website would likely drive many more applicants your way. (EMRA Match)

One other generic question I didn't see on the website, what are the average shift lengths for residents and number of shifts per month?

Thanks for the feedback. This is great stuff. I didn't even know about the EMRA Match site, so just sent them a message. Really appreciate this.

Shifts etc: This is something I have thought long and hard about. ~18 for the PGY1s, with some decrease as you progress. 9 hour shifts are most likely. Attendings do 8 hour shifts at LUMCs ED, so 9 hours will allow for shifts to be matched-up appropriately, allowing for residents/attendings to finish at similar times, and allow for some key education activities (board rounds, dedicated on-shift teaching time, etc). A lot goes into that decision...but it is always a great question, as it gives you insight into why certain decisions are made...

 

[ScotlandEM]

I wouldn’t mind meeting faculty beforehand! Provided it was a fun, non-interview like environment haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Appreciate this!

 

[Perfect Hair Day]

Thank you for doing this thread!

How many SLOEs does your program require? How about letters in total?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Thank you for doing this thread!

How many SLOEs does your program require? How about letters in total?

Required: At least 1
Preferred: 2

No set number on letters. Most people will find their combination to get to 4 letters. Whatever you think is needed to deliver the application you want to deliver.

I have read and answered questions a lot on SLOEs, required numbers etc. I think setting a requirement of 2 or more is unfair. I have talked to applicants who are unable to secure 2 EM rotations prior to October - they arrive at EM later than most, or their school won't help them with their schedule, or some other reason - but I think it puts too much pressure on the applicants to say 'we will only consider you if you have more than 1 SLOE'. But to each their own. Given we are pushing to have complete files by Oct 1st, it just doesnt seem right to me.

But in saying all of that there is no doubt that having more than 1 is really beneficial. It is another data point. It is also another very helpful data point, as the SLOE is without doubt one of the most important and telling parts of the application. So having 2 or more SLOEs is always helpful to programs.

Hope this helps. Best of luck on this crazy process...

 

[DocRPP]

Thank you for volunteering to answer questions about the program and the application process!

Will Loyola EM residency program be considering candidates who will require VISA sponsorship?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Thank you for volunteering to answer questions about the program and the application process!

Will Loyola EM residency program be considering candidates who will require VISA sponsorship?

You are very welcome.

I will confirm, but I know Loyola has some restrictions around this, and likely J1 is the only one that our GME will approve. As a new program, I imagine I will be in a tighter position to work with visa applications, but this is not set in stone...

 

[Perfect Hair Day]

Will LoyolaEM require Step 2CK and/or Step 2CS for consideration for interview?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Will LoyolaEM require Step 2CK and/or Step 2CS for consideration for interview?

Not 'required', but should be strongly considered for those with a Step 1 score that is below average. For most with below average Step 1 scores, their Step 2 goes up, which just removes any lingering questions someone may have when they review the application.

If your Step 1 score is solid, there isn't a lingering question, so it is not as needed.

Just my approach to this though...

 

[Dr Turkelton]

How will traumas be run? Any word on who will get the airways for them?

Edit: Well that was embarrassing...

 

[gutonc]

How will trauma's be run?

They'll probably be run without the apostrophe.

Now back to your regularly scheduled AMA thread.

 

[ScotlandEM]

Not 'required', but should be strongly considered for those with a Step 1 score that is below average. For most with below average Step 1 scores, their Step 2 goes up, which just removes any lingering questions someone may have when they review the application.

If your Step 1 score is solid, there isn't a lingering question, so it is not as needed.

Just my approach to this though...

But to go back again to one of the original questions, it is a smaller part of the overall application, so in no way does a below-average Step 1 mean we wont be sending an interview invite!

 

[ScotlandEM]

How will trauma's be run? Any word on who will get the airways for them?

Big question. But an important question.

As it stands the ED physicians have little to do with the trauma patients. This is all hopefully changing soon. Starting in July we have our residents rotating on the trauma service, and in just a couple of years time we have a pretty amazing 6 week Trauma/SICU rotation set-up - so that the EM Senior matches is on the same rotation schedule as the Trauma Senior, but on call on different days - so will be responsible for running the trauma resuscitations with the Trauma attending, and also for managing patients in the SICU...

(I edited to leave out things that we are still working through in regards to timing...I dont want to seem specific on things just yet)...

 

[Javelin]

Do you have an NRMP program code? I was just on ERAS and it wasn't listed. Are you participating in the Match?

 

[ScotlandEM]

Do you have an NRMP program code? I was just on ERAS and it wasn't listed. Are you participating in the Match?

Most definitely we are participating in the match. The required paperwork is submitted - it just takes a few days for accounts to be created and things to become populated online. Appreciate you looking into this...but we are most certainly going to be in the match...

Best of luck there.

 

[borderlineinCle]

Most definitely we are participating in the match. The required paperwork is submitted - it just takes a few days for accounts to be created and things to become populated online. Appreciate you looking into this...but we are most certainly going to be in the match...

Best of luck there.

It’s up on eras as of yesterday. I was able to submit my app for it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ScotlandEM]

Most definitely we are participating in the match. The required paperwork is submitted - it just takes a few days for accounts to be created and things to become populated online. Appreciate you looking into this...but we are most certainly going to be in the match...

Best of luck there.

Their site is down for maintenance...that's likely the issue!

 

[ScotlandEM]

It’s up on eras as of yesterday. I was able to submit my app for it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Appreciate the feedback. There is a separate NRMP registration that is likely being referred to here, as in separate from ERAS...it'll all be squared away in the next couple of days 🙂

 

[borderlineinCle]

Appreciate the feedback. There is a separate NRMP registration that is likely being referred to here, as in separate from ERAS...it'll all be squared away in the next couple of days 🙂

Nice! Btw, the website is fantastic! The only thing I didn’t see, I may have missed it, was Loyola’s pgy scales for salary / vacation, and stuff like benefits, do you guys pay for ACEP/EMRA memberships / EM textbooks?, do you pay for residents to go to ACEP early PGY-3 to network for jobs, etc? Sorry for all the questions, just noticed a lot of EM residency websites have that info 🙂


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ScotlandEM]

Nice! Btw, the website is fantastic! The only thing I didn’t see, I may have missed it, was Loyola’s pgy scales for salary / vacation, and stuff like benefits, do you guys pay for ACEP/EMRA memberships / EM textbooks?, do you pay for residents to go to ACEP early PGY-3 to network for jobs, etc? Sorry for all the questions, just noticed a lot of EM residency websites have that info 🙂


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks!

A lot of these things you ask about are decided upon by the GME office (salary etc) and will be in keeping with the usual pay grade across the region (I dont see it explicitly listed for this year in Incoming Housestaff but can ask). Benefits are definitely on the website.

Vacation is 4 weeks per year. Fairly standard I believe.

ACEP/EMRA for sure...

ACEP as a PGY3 - yes indeed. It is already in the budget!

These are great questions, and give me good insight into what applicants want to know, so keep them coming!

 

[miacomet]

Are all the rotations at Catholic hospitals? I have a colleague who used to work at a Catholic hospital that was cited (IMHO, rightfully so) for an EMTALA violation for discharging a patient who was miscarrying at 18 weeks pregnancy as opposed to admitting or transferring the patient for a termination as she desired. What are Loyola's policies on cases like these, and on emergency contraception etc?

I'm not an applicant, but I have students who rotate, and I want to be able to give them an accurate description of the program.

 

[borderlineinCle]

Thanks!

A lot of these things you ask about are decided upon by the GME office (salary etc) and will be in keeping with the usual pay grade across the region (I dont see it explicitly listed for this year in Incoming Housestaff but can ask). Benefits are definitely on the website.

Vacation is 4 weeks per year. Fairly standard I believe.

ACEP/EMRA for sure...

ACEP as a PGY3 - yes indeed. It is already in the budget!

These are great questions, and give me good insight into what applicants want to know, so keep them coming!

Thanks! 4 weeks is actually generous 🙂 that's awesome!

 

[ScotlandEM]

Are all the rotations at Catholic hospitals? I have a colleague who used to work at a Catholic hospital that was cited (IMHO, rightfully so) for an EMTALA violation for discharging a patient who was miscarrying at 18 weeks pregnancy as opposed to admitting or transferring the patient for a termination as she desired. What are Loyola's policies on cases like these, and on emergency contraception etc?

I'm not an applicant, but I have students who rotate, and I want to be able to give them an accurate description of the program.

Hmm, very interesting question, and not a circumstance I have been involved in as of yet. I would have to find out about emergency contraception, but in no way would that situation you mention be tolerated, as the patient required care that would be delivered at Loyola. Happy to look into it to answer the question though...but can strongly support that there will not be practices that are enforced that will put the life and health of any patients in jeopardy...

 

[miacomet]

Hmm, very interesting question, and not a circumstance I have been involved in as of yet. I would have to find out about emergency contraception, but in no way would that situation you mention be tolerated, as the patient required care that would be delivered at Loyola. Happy to look into it to answer the question though...but can strongly support that there will not be practices that are enforced that will put the life and health of any patients in jeopardy...

I think emergency contraception is a big one, as is methotrexate. Thank you.

 

[thegenius]

I'm not applying...but just curious do the ER attendings have admitting privileges? Or rather...do they have the power to ultimately decide if a patient gets admitted?

I remember loving that when I was a resident. But now that I work in the community as an attending it took me a good few years to get used to being rejected by hospitalists.

 

[Rekt]

I'm not applying...but just curious do the ER attendings have admitting privileges? Or rather...do they have the power to ultimately decide if a patient gets admitted?

I remember loving that when I was a resident. But now that I work in the community as an attending it took me a good few years to get used to being rejected by hospitalists.

How did you not have push back in residency? Every place I've been residents have to reason out why their admitting patients and often get push back. If they still disagree then they're told to come to the ED and discharge them themselves.

 

[thegenius]

How did you not have push back in residency? Every place I've been residents have to reason out why their admitting patients and often get push back. If they still disagree then they're told to come to the ED and discharge them themselves.

It was written into the contract by our EM chief that ER attendings have the privilege to admit patients. AKA can force admit them. So services could push back all they want, and the patients would still have to be admitted. As I was told once, "Can admit psych to ortho and ortho to psych."

Most of the time we would just get some gruff, but even that would happen rarely because the patient would still be admitted.

In reality, the only time I would see this not happen is if the attending physician of the service (hospitalist, surgery, etc) came down, saw the patient, and told the ER attending he didn't have to be admitted. They also wrote a note. Then the ER attending would discharge the patient.

Talking to other residents I found this system to be common amongst academic residencies.

 

[Perfect Hair Day]

Aloha @ScotlandEM !

This is a peri-interview communication question:

When invited for an interview, if accepting the offer, is it appropriate or inappropriate to reach out to the PD/coordinator to thank them and express an additional line of interest in the program?
In the professional world, I would generally do this, but I am aware this is a different climate and unnecessary communication can be a deterrent to some people/programs. Unsure where to draw the line on this one.
I do subscribe to the school of thought "If you have to ask, then err on the side of caution", but I am also my own worst critic as a medical student.

Thanks!

 

[gutonc]

Aloha @ScotlandEM !

This is a peri-interview communication question:

When invited for an interview, if accepting the offer, is it appropriate or inappropriate to reach out to the PD/coordinator to thank them and express an additional line of interest in the program?
In the professional world, I would generally do this, but I am aware this is a different climate and unnecessary communication can be a deterrent to some people/programs. Unsure where to draw the line on this one.
I do subscribe to the school of thought "If you have to ask, then err on the side of caution", but I am also my own worst critic as a medical student.

Thanks!

They've already invited you. They know you're interested in them, they are clearly interested in you. Save it for the interview day. The PD and PC are busy as hell right now as it is. Don't make work for them.

 

[Rekt]

Aloha @ScotlandEM !

This is a peri-interview communication question:

When invited for an interview, if accepting the offer, is it appropriate or inappropriate to reach out to the PD/coordinator to thank them and express an additional line of interest in the program?
In the professional world, I would generally do this, but I am aware this is a different climate and unnecessary communication can be a deterrent to some people/programs. Unsure where to draw the line on this one.
I do subscribe to the school of thought "If you have to ask, then err on the side of caution", but I am also my own worst critic as a medical student.

Thanks!

If I was a PD and that happened, I would rescind your offer. Jesus. All you people are making LOIs, thank yous, etc, completely useless.

 

[borderlineinCle]

If I was a PD and that happened, I would rescind your offer. Jesus. All you people are making LOIs, thank yous, etc, completely useless.

Yeah seems like it’s unnecessary, but geez, you’re pretty passionate about this. Are you a resident or staff...?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ScotlandEM]

Aloha @ScotlandEM !

This is a peri-interview communication question:

When invited for an interview, if accepting the offer, is it appropriate or inappropriate to reach out to the PD/coordinator to thank them and express an additional line of interest in the program?
In the professional world, I would generally do this, but I am aware this is a different climate and unnecessary communication can be a deterrent to some people/programs. Unsure where to draw the line on this one.
I do subscribe to the school of thought "If you have to ask, then err on the side of caution", but I am also my own worst critic as a medical student.

Thanks!

I see some other people have already commented - I completely agree that you do not need to do this. It is a fair question, as in other lines of work it may set you apart - but I think whenever you approach any communication/any interaction - just think 'what is my goal?' - I strive to do this every time. In this instance if my goal is to simply say 'thanks' then that can definitely best be done on the day, in person & face to face. If it is to show I am ready to put my best foot forward then again that is best done on the day, with my interactions and willingness to be there, etc.

Agree that too many emails is cumbersome, but if a PD was to remove you from the interview day for doing this I'd have to question what kind of day they were having...

Best of luck to you...

 

[ScotlandEM]

Howdy @ScotlandEM! I'm just curious if Loyola will be considering applicants with CMS funding gaps (i.e. reapplicants)?

This is such a tough one for applicants, and I really do feel for anyone that is meeting this challenge.

Loyola's policy is to not accept anyone who has anything less than full funding as initially determine by their initial acceptance into a residency program. e.g. if you are accepted in FM, then it is 3 years, so if you use any of this, then we cannot move forward with your application. It is called the IRP (https://members.aamc.org/eweb/upload/Medicare Payments For Graduate Med Ed.pdf - question 8 addresses it).

Prelim years are generally not a part of this.

All the best to you...

 

[ScotlandEM]

I'm not applying...but just curious do the ER attendings have admitting privileges? Or rather...do they have the power to ultimately decide if a patient gets admitted?

I remember loving that when I was a resident. But now that I work in the community as an attending it took me a good few years to get used to being rejected by hospitalists.

It is a mix of both - we ultimately decide that they need to be admitted, and we don't get pushback on that, but we have a separate hospitalist team for 'observation' admission, so sometimes there can be back and forth on what is appropriate for obs vs inpt...this is quite common pretty much wherever I have worked in the past...

Overall though, given we admit through residents/fellows mostly it is a straightforward system - it is the typical academic environment where it can be challenging sometimes to find the right team given there are so many admitting services, but that is ok...that is the other side of the coin of having so many different and challenging patient populations to care for...

 

[namethatsmell]

Are your program attendings employed by the hospital, a CMG, or a SDG?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[monkeymedic]

This is such a tough one for applicants, and I really do feel for anyone that is meeting this challenge.

Loyola's policy is to not accept anyone who has anything less than full funding as initially determine by their initial acceptance into a residency program. e.g. if you are accepted in FM, then it is 3 years, so if you use any of this, then we cannot move forward with your application. It is called the IRP (Link Removed)

Prelim years are generally not a part of this.

All the best to you...

This is interesting. I am a reapplicant and won't have enough IRP years to cover a 3 year EM residency. I'm curious as to why Loyola has this policy. My understanding is that as a new program at an institution already with other residency programs, you are by definition "over capped" for all of your slots. That is, CMS won't grant funding for your residents. If I understand correctly, since your institution already has a CMS cap, you aren't even eligible for the 5 years of "cap building." If this is in fact the case, why does it matter if an applicant has full funding as per the IRP to cover his or her training? Is there something I am missing? (Your program is not the first one to have this policy even when they are overcapped, I'm truly trying to understand what the advantage of this policy is!)