At UABEM, we have developed and incorporated multiple scholarly tracks, or focus areas, into our curriculum. Our goal is to identify a niche or a particular area of interest in emergency medicine in which each resident can focus their scholarly work and ultimately develop a superior proficiency in that area prior to graduation. Residents have the opportunity to select their area of interest at the beginning of their second year, after they have had ample opportunity to gain exposure to the range of tracks that our faculty support.
The benefits of this program are several fold. First, we have found that a commitment to a particular aspect of emergency medicine leads to focused and sustained mentorship in that area of interest. This provides a more organic approach to resident mentorship and allows for mentoring relationships to form based on interests and involvement rather than by assignment. Second, we believe increasing proficiency in focused aspects of emergency medicine leads to greater success at obtaining fellowship and faculty positions after residency. Finally, additional realized benefits of this program include increased production of scholarly work, and most importantly, long term career satisfaction
Administration
The administrative track is designed to prepare residents for a position of leadership within hospital administration. Residents will be responsible for attending quality improvement conferences (four per year), give one M&M case presentation per year, and attend ED administrative and hospital wide committee meetings. Additionally, residents will have the opportunity to participate in one administrative research project according to their area of interest.
Critical Care
The critical care track is aimed at preparing the resident for a critical care fellowship, however it is also an option for those that have a particular interest in critical care and the resuscitation of critically ill patients. Residents in this track will have the opportunity to attend critical care conferences including chest imaging, M&M, grand rounds, among others, alongside the critical care fellows and faculty at UAB. Residents will complete their one month elective in critical care (any ICU and/or ED-ICU) during PGY-2 and PGY-3 years. Residents have the opportunity to be mentored by double boarded EM-CC staff that are dedicated to providing outstanding guidance and leadership within this unique and important overlap field.
Education
The education track is designed for those interested in medical student and resident education in academic emergency medicine. In order to prepare track participants for careers in this field, residents have the opportunity to undergo facilitator training in our nationally accredited simulation center, assist in medical student workshops and simulation sessions (1 per quarter), participate in student advising and mentorship, attend residency leadership meetings, and give two medical student clerkship lectures per year. Additionally, residents have the opportunity to plan and host a medical student recruitment event and provide sustained mentorship to MS4s applying to EM.
Emergency Medical Services
Residents who enroll in the EMS resident track are assigned tasks that will prepare them for future EMS fellowships and medical director roles. Residents will serve as assistant EMS medical directors, attend MDAC or SEMCC meetings, assist/present lectures furthering EMS education, and participate in the Hospital Disaster Drill. Residents in the EMS track also have the opportunity to join the Event Medicine Team and provide medical care at regional events including NASCAR at Talladega.
Global Health
The global health track is an extremely popular track due to the unique opportunities and the experience of our global health trained faculty. Residents in the global health track attend one global health meeting per quarter, develop a global health focused lecture for medical students and their fellow residents, and join the national global health interest group. Perhaps the most imperative and significant development that the global health residents participate in is an international field work trip in resource limited settings. Previous locations include South America, East/West Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
The pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) track is designed not only for those who want to expand their experience in caring for children, but are interested in pediatric emergency medicine as a fellowship opportunity. In order to prepare track participants for careers in this field, residents have scheduled opportunities to perform pediatric intubations, sedations, and procedures with our partners at Children’s of Alabama. Residents are also expected to participate in a PEM focused journal club, give PEM resident lectures of their own design, and participate in PEM simulations twice per year. Finally, residents in this track will have one additional pediatric ED shift each quarter, during which time they will work with one of four dedicated and PEM trained faculty.
Research
Residents who choose the research track will identify a research mentor and create a specialized research project based on their shared interests. The project will include submission to the IRB, data collection, analyzation of data, and a goal of submission of an abstract to a national meeting followed by manuscript submission by the beginning of the third year of residency. In additional the resident will assist with journal club article selection, attend weekly PI research meetings, and will meet with their research mentor regularly to discuss progress and new opportunities.
Toxicology
The toxicology track is designed for both those that have a special interest in toxicology and/or have interest in pursuing a toxicology fellowship. The resident will work closely with the toxicology attendings and fellows. Residents will have the opportunity to contribute to bi-monthly toxicology journal club. Additionally, they will help develop a poison center protocol and assist with toxicology community outreach. Residents will take quarterly tox call and be responsible for 2 per quarter toxicology presentations to the medical student toxicology course.
Ultrasound
Residents who choose the ultrasound track are interested in becoming ED-ultrasound experts. They are expected to attend image review, assist with teaching the medical student ultrasound educational course, and assigned ultrasound division projects. They will be expected to join ACEP and SAEM US sections and will have the opportunity to participate in Sonogames at the annual SAEM conference.
Wilderness Medicine
The wilderness resident track will allow residents to become educators and experts in wilderness and environmental medicine. As part of the track, residents will join a WM society, and plan didactics and activities for residents. They will also be expected to accrue credits to become a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) as well as attend/present at WM conferences.