Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency

Our educational curriculum follows the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (EM Model) and repeats this every two years so that residents are exposed to the full content of EM twice during training. Our weekly didactics conference, held on Wednesday from 12noon-5pm, alternates between MGH and BWH and residents are free from clinical responsibilities in order to attend. Each week follows a theme to create a cohesive content experience for the day. We dedicate at least one hour to formal content review  using EM Fundamentals for interns and Foundations of EM for the rest of our residents. We recognize that learning is achieved through many modalities and have incorporated various methodologies into our curriculum including short lectures, simulation, small groups, journal club, procedure labs, trauma conference, M&M and individualized interactive instruction. Our faculty across our sites are experts in many aspects of EM which enhances the educational experience of our conference through their participation and teaching. Residents build their academic portfolio and teaching experience by delivering lectures each year. Recent innovations and additions to conferences developed by our residents include Successes and Saves, Rapid Fire Clinical Cases and a longitudinal Health Equity M&M Curriculum. 

HAEMR has designed its curriculum to heavily incorporate the use of simulation throughout conference. Simulation offers a rich, risk-free environment for residents to learn clinical emergency medicine under the direct supervision of expert attending faculty. Rather than passively hearing new knowledge, residents are able to use newly acquired knowledge in simulation exercises which allows them to integrate it into their growing clinical knowledgebase. Medical simulation facilitates the learning of certain types of tasks, integrating medical knowledge, and demonstrating capability or competency across the spectrum from individual procedures to complex resuscitative management. Each site has a comprehensive simulation center used regularly in conference. At BWH, STRATUS, is an internationally known state of the art simulation center housed within the Department of Emergency Medicine. We benefit from this facility where faculty and fellows are innovating and advancing simulation-based medical education. At MGH, the Learning Laboratory also facilitates hands-on learning for “EM on Demand” where our residents can practice core EM procedures any time in a deliberate practice approach. Between these two simulation centers, residents have the opportunity to practice a wide array of procedural and non-technical skills. 

At HAEMR, we are committed to preparing you for a successful career in emergency medicine. Our mentorship program begins shortly after arrival during intern year. Based on areas of interest and career goals, the residency leadership team pairs our new residents with a faculty mentor in their first month. This longitudinal mentorship relationship helps guide academic development over the course of training. The experience is mapped across the four years guiding the development in order to ensure residents are achieving the paramount milestones that will make them highly competitive in the academic and community job market. 

Throughout their training, residents meet individually with program directors semi-annually to review clinical, academic and career growth. This is an opportunity for feedback and assessment of progression along the EM milestones. The last year focuses on guidance through the job or fellowship application process not only with the program leadership and mentors, but also individual meetings with our chairs. We also recognize that not all residents progress at the same rate and some residents will require additional support. We have a group of dedicated and talented faculty members with expertise in coaching to assist our residents who may need more individualized instruction. We believe this multifaceted approach helps us to achieve our ultimate goal of graduating outstanding emergency physicians able to practice in any future setting.  

At HAEMR, residents have access to significant mentorship to successfully complete research. Our research divisions are well-funded and supported providing the infrastructure to assist residents in the development and execution of multiple projects. We recognize that not all residents arrive at residency with the same experience and are committed to providing the mentorship to those interested in pursuing research while at HAEMR. As scholarship is a key component of our mission, the residency provides up to $1500 of financial support for the presentation of work at national or regional meetings. As many diverse opportunities are available for residents in clinical medicine, basic science and public health, numerous resident-authored manuscripts are published annually. The program awards two internal grants each year to trainees to support projects which may not be possible without some seed funding. 

A highlight of the program is our senior project day when our graduates present their completed scholarly project to the residency which also provides an opportunity for us to celebrate their varied accomplishments.  

The specialty of emergency medicine continues to expand and career includes many opportunities for your career (clinical expertise, policy, research, education, quality and subspecialty certification). In order to allow residents to make informed decisions about their future, we are committed to providing adequate time to investigate areas of interest. We believe that one of the many benefits of a four year training model is the ability to provide residents with time in their schedule to explore subspecialty experiences, different clinical experiences not offered in the standard curriculum and to pursue further academic development for those destined to a career in academics. We provide 4.5 months of dedicated elective time, with the first block in the second year of training. This allows time for meaningful exploration beginning in the second year of training

We provide funding to each resident to attend an academic emergency medicine conference during their final year of residency training as well as support residents to present their research at national emergency medicine conferences.