FIRST YEAR

Residents are transitioned into 1^st-year responsibilities through an orientation month that combines clinical shifts with a didactic curriculum of lectures, workshops as well as  certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS),  and Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support (BDLS/ADLS)  Residents are also oriented to the local EMS systems – specifically the Richmond Ambulance Authority and the LifeEvac helicopter transport system.  They also undergo training in ultrasonography, fluoroscopy and on the Human Patient Simulator.

When in the Emergency Department first year residents work a total of seventeen 12 hour shifts.  Vacations are taken in three separate weeks in Emergency Medicine, EMS/Administration and Anesthesiology.

SECOND YEAR

In the second year EM residents are expected to manage the airways for trauma resuscitations and to care for the most severely ill and injured patients presenting to the department.  Residents work sixteen 12 hour shifts. Vacations are taken as three separate weeks during Radiology, the Clinical Decision Unit(CDU), and EMS/Administration.

Residents are required to complete an academic project during their residency and are given time to focus on this work in the second year.

THIRD YEAR

The emphasis in the third year is to advance resident autonomy and emphasize independence in the department.  Senior residents take on responsibility for management of the department as a whole, helping to direct patient flow, supervising the care of patients under the direct care of more junior residents and assisting in teaching interns and medical students in the department

EM-3's also explore specialty care in greater depth in preparation for independent practice.  The Head & Neck rotation includes time in the Ophthalmology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and ENT clinics and allows for an increase in the procedural skills that these specialists utilize.  The EM/Trauma rotation allows the senior resident to enhance their skills in leading the resuscitations of the most critically injured trauma patients. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit rotation allows the resident to further their medical and procedural proficiency with critically ill children. In addition, the Community Emergency Medicine month at our partner site, Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center located in nearby Mechanicsville, VA (7mi) exposes the resident to the unique characteristics of community practice.

Senior residents work fifteen shifts per month while in the Emergency Department – composed of 12 hour shifts.  Vacations are taken as three separate weeks in an Emergency Medicine month, Head & Neck, and the Elective month. The Elective month is your chance to be as creative as you want to explore an area of interest in medicine.

* Clinical hours include didactic hours of conference, reading club, journal club, etc. These total an additional 5-8 hours per week.