ER Residency

[La Fiera]

I am a pre-med trying to get in to medschool this year. I was wondering if anyone can comment on ER residencies. How many years are they typically? Most importantly, are they all really grueling, as in will you be working about a 100 hours a week or so? I heard that there are er residencies that are about 40 hours a week but are all night shifts, but I was assuming that this situation is fairly unusual. Also, is getting an ER residency still really competetive, or just in some areas? Any information would be much appreciated! Thanks.

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[SicVic]

I would like to know this as well.

 

[coop]

I'm not an expert, but EM residencies (don't call it ER, i've heard they hate that) can be set up in i think 3 ways. one is PGY2-4 position where you do a prelim year first. or a 4 year program with the intern year included in the same program, or simply a 3 year residency. The total hours are not as bad, but as you pointed out, the time at which you have those hours can be all over the place. I hope all that info is correct, and can tide you over till someone who actually knows what they're talking about drops some advice.

 

[MUN2005]

I am not an expert either, but I know that EM docs usually work a set number of 12 hour shifts per month, and call is much less than some other specialties. The specialty is increasing in popularity every year, from what I've been told. This is because it is pretty good if you want to have family life etc.

 

[Mr. happy clown guy]

I will be starting my EM residency in June...so perhaps I can help.

Go to <a href="http://www.saem.org" target="_blank">www.saem.org</a> and check out the residency catalogs, they will give you a ton of information.
Roughly, most are pgy1-3, while much fewer are 2-4 or 1-4. ALL osteopathic residencies are pgy1-4.

Also <a href="http://www.emra.org" target="_blank">www.emra.org</a> is a good source of information.

 

[tonem]

The amount of hours you work while in residency varies a great deal. Because EM docs have to be jacks-of-all-trades so to speak, most programs spread there residents throughout the hospital. When you are doing your EM rotations you work shifts like everyone else. They can be 8, 10, or 12 hours. When you are on other services (OB/Gyn, Trauma, Medicine, Peds, etc...) you work the same hours that their interns work. As you progress in your training you spend more and more time in the ED. SAEM has links to all the EM program webpages. You can usually see how much time each intern spends in the ED and in other departments on those pages. Hope that helps.

 

[tonem]

 

[oldman]

if you wanna find out info about residencies (i.e. avg. work hours/week or # positions in the US), go get Iserson's Getting Into a Residency. It has the scoop!

here's a link for info about the book: <a href="http://www.galenpress.com/020.html" target="_blank">http://www.galenpress.com/020.html</a>

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'll move this to Rotations and Residencies where you might get more responses!