Bobby Goyal, MSIV, St. George’s University School of Medicine
In this installment of the Program Director Interview Series we caught up with Eric Steinberg, DO, to learn about the St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center Emergency Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Steinberg tells us more about residency in Patterson, NJ.
What sets your program apart from others?
Our program is special because of the combination of a robust clinical experience mixed with a devoted faculty and a complement of residents that consider each other family. The residents’ exposure to a diverse, high-acuity population is second-to-none. Our emergency department is the third-busiest in the country with a census over 167,000 patients per year. Among these patients, a majority are underserved and present with complex medical conditions. We are a regional trauma center that admits over 1,000 blunt and penetrating traumatic injuries a year. In addition, our core faculty is diverse in expertise, they have advanced training in simulation, pain management, research, critical care, geriatrics, ultrasound, EMS, medical education, pediatric emergency medicine, and toxicology. Finally, our residency boasts a healthy culture that emphasizes the value of camaraderie, hard work, and innovation. We have a unique, multi-faceted wellness curriculum focused on both physical and mental well-being.
What are the benefits of attending a 3 vs. 4 year EM residency program?
Each format has the capability of producing outstanding emergency medicine physicians to work in any type of setting.
What is something students may not know about your program?
We are home of the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) program, which aims to utilize evidence
based multi-modal non-opioid approaches for the management of acute and chronic pain in the ED. Also, we are trailblazers in geriatric emergency medicine, and are one of only a handful of hospitals to have received ACEP's Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA). Our residents also gain valuable community experience at our affiliated site in Wayne, NJ.
What range of USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 scores do you look for in an applicant for the program?
We emphasize USMLE/COMLEX Step 2 scores over Step 1, as we feel this translates better to
clinical performance. Completion of Step 2 is recommended, but not required, for application to our program.
What kinds of opportunities for research exist?
We offer a wide range of research opportunities. We have successfully been awarded grants from various organizations. Our residents are given a minimum of one hour per month of protected conference time to participate in writing groups, in which residents and faculty with similar interests join to cultivate research ideas and follow through until completion.
What are some qualities that your program looks for in applicants?
We seek to match a diverse group of applicants who possess a strong work ethic, an enthusiastic passion to pursue a career in emergency medicine, and the ability to keep their attendings awake and entertained for the entirety of an overnight shift!