What made you choose emergency medicine for your career?
I knew this was the specialty for me on my first EM rotation. After spending my third year of medical school convinced I was going to be a pediatrician, then a surgeon, then an obstetrician, then a family physician, I realized I needed a specialty that would allow me to do everything. EM gave me the chance to treat every patient, day or night, regardless of their ability to pay, all while providing a mix of acuities, procedures, and intellectual challenges. Exploring this field during away rotations reinforced my choice, and I made friends in those rotations that I remain close to.
COVID-19 upended this process. Last year, national EM organizations came together to provide clarity with a consensus statement outlining our approach. As the pandemic evolves in 2021, major EM groups have once again stepped up to provide a unified roadmap to the away rotation and eSLOE process. This is so important, since so many questions require answers this year, such as:
● What is the earliest I can start an away rotation?
● How many EM rotations should I do this year?
● What do I do if I don't have an EM residency associated with my medical school?
● What is an eSLOE, and how many should I have this year?
● How can programs support students without a "home" EM rotation?
● How should programs address issues like COVID-19 vaccine status?
EMRA is proud to be a leader in advocating for physicians-in-training, and we were excited to help lead the development of 2021-2022 recommendations available here.
EMRA will also host our popular EMRA Hangouts on the 2021-2022 application season. Mark your calendar for these engaging sessions, as we will be breaking down the entire landscape piece by piece there, with updates as the situation evolves.
We're Here for You
Have a question about this process? Let me know. I want to help you thrive this year, despite the uncertainty. Send me an email at president@emra.org or reach out to us on social @emresidents.