What's up with UW EM program?

[zreagle]

Hey does anybody know what is happening with the U of Washington's EM residency? The web site said they were not taking any civilian applicants this year, so the Madigan (Army) program is still up and running, but not the civilain side? Are they just taking a year off to fix the trauma issue or is that program dead?

anybody have the inside scope?

an inquiring mind

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[bustbones26]

I work at MAMC and here is what my EM colleagues have told me.

The UW program is combined with MAMC and as part of the agreement, both civilians and army residents do rotations at both MAMC and UW hospitals to complete their program requirements.

However, the ER at Harborview is staffed mostly by internist and surgeons and not board certified ACEP physicians and for this reason, the UW/MAMC program cannot be accredited by the ACEP if residents are being trained by non-board certified EM docs. So, MAMC has pulled out of the agreement and for this reason, their program cannot be any longer affiliated with UW and thus they cannot accept civilian residents to the progam any longer.

This is unfortunate for civilians in the Seattle/Tacoma area that want EM residency, but hopefully, the situation will change over the years

 

[bustbones26]

ZREAGLE, would you happen to be that an MS-4 at UW?

 

[BKN]

Hey does anybody know what is happening with the U of Washington's EM residency? The web site said they were not taking any civilian applicants this year, so the Madigan (Army) program is still up and running, but not the civilain side? Are they just taking a year off to fix the trauma issue or is that program dead?

anybody have the inside scope?

an inquiring mind

The accrediting body is the ACGME, not ACEP. The public portion of their website lists the program as "continued full accreditation" which is the highest level available. That said, they've certainly made the papers. The only person who might be able to answer your question is the PD. His name and address are listed.

 

[bustbones26]

BKN is right acrediting body is ACGME, I think what I meant to say is that to be ACGME acredited, you have to be trained by ACEP board certified docs. The issue is Harborview, which again their ED is not staffed by ACEP board certified docs.

Anyways, I work side by side with EM residents everyday at this program who are up to date on the status of what is going on and just recently gave me a lot of information about this such topic. Oddly enough, I recently just came off a month of CCU with a senior EM civilian residents that used to be at BKN's program.

Anyways, again, its a shame for civilian residents. I know of at least one UW MS-4 who is really a "sour grapes" kind of guy about this. But things may change in the future, I don't expect that the only EM opportunity in tacoma/seattle will forever be a military program. Only time will tell

 

[st0rmin]

I am a MS-4 currently rotating at MAMC. From what I've heard (take it for what it's worth) there is a need to train more military EPs.
- Harborview was only part of the problem. The trauma rotation is now at Legacy Emmanuel in Portland.
- The combined UW/MAMC program is no longer accepting civilian applicants until further notice.
- MAMC will accept 8-12 military residents this year (most likely 10).
- The current civilian residents will be allowed to finish the combined program.

Hope that helps.

 

[NateatUC]

I rotated there last month and asked extensively about this on interview day. Both the PD and the APD told me something that hasn't yet been mentioned. This issue with Harborview is NOT new. The residency admin at Madigan had been pressing Harborview for several years to get their ED straightened out.

What everyone else has said, though, is essentially accurate. Harborview, and actually UW as well, were and still are VERY slow in bringing board-certified EM staff into their ED's. Therefore, Madigian basically told them that if they're not going to play by the rules and have EM staff train EM residents, then Madigan won't train their civilians.

 

[WilcoWorld]

Kind of off-topic, but here goes anyway:
It seems that there are not many EM residencies in the northwest. What effct, if any, has this had on the EM job market out there?

 

[zreagle]

ZREAGLE, would you happen to be that an MS-4 at UW?

No. I am a former paramedic from the Seattle area and am currently an MS-2 at Touro University in California.

Is there a Reagle at UW in the med school?

PS: thanks for the info.