The Crucible of Medicine: Reflections on Becoming a Doctor
I entered the third year of medical school with great excitement. I was finally out of the classroom and seeing real patients, connecting w
Intern Year: 6-Month Slump
I don't know about you all, but 6 months into intern year I found myself a little pooped. It's not the “4 a.m. on my first nightshift back—hospital coffee isn't cutting it—
Letter from the Editor
Some days I feel like quitting. I always imagine it happening in the same way. It will be the end of an exhausting 12-hour overnight shift. I will have just been yelled at by a
Recognizing Compassion Fatigue: Seeing Past the Present
She was constantly in the emergency department for alcohol and drug intoxication. Staff dreaded her because she was usually inebriated and aski
A Personal Story of Burnout
Up until this past week, I thought I had a good handle on burnout. I thought I had figured it out. At some point during the past year, during a string of overnight shifts
How Becoming a Patient's Family Member Changed Me as a Doctor
How on earth did patients and loved ones who have no formal training in health care or medicine manage to keep their composure when battl
Can You Find the Heartbeat of a City in the ED?
Dear Dad, I'm moving to Detroit. Love, Your only daughter I'll never forget telling my family that I was moving to Detroit. My incredibly sweet, quin
What Do Residents Need to Know?
Emergency departments (EDs) nationwide depend on physician assistants (PAs) to assist in seeing high volumes of patients with varying complaints and complexity. In fac
The Many Ways We Appreciate You: #EMDocsRock
Pizza parties, team activities, even a mystery date – EM Residents' Appreciation Day 2016 had it all, and “it all” raised the bar for an annual event des
Letter from the Editor
If you had asked my elementary school self what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said an astronaut. I wore space suits made of painter’s coveralls, built a paper-mâc