**It is important to note every residency program is slightly different, and the requirements are continuously changing. If interested in applying to emergency medicine residency programs, make sure to do research on the specific programs that interest you.
How Many Years is Emergency Medicine Residency?
Emergency medicine residency is a minimum of 3 postgraduate years (PGY) upon completion of medical school, with most residency programs being 3-4 years.
Generally speaking, the road to becoming an emergency medicine physician involves 4 years of undergraduate studies along with completing prerequisites for medical school, followed by 4 years of medical school, and lastly 3-4 years of training at an emergency medicine residency program.
This path can vary for many reasons including (but not limited to) individuals taking gap years, individuals pursuing other graduate degrees, individuals enrolled in combined pre-med/medical school programs, individuals completing post-baccalaureate programs, and more.
What Types of Emergency Medicine Residency Positions Are Available?
Emergency medicine residency programs may offer categorical and/or advanced positions.
A categorical position offers the full residency training needed to acquire board certification in emergency medicine all at one program. Therefore, individuals will complete their PGY 1-3 or PGY 1-4 at the same institution (depending if the program is 3 or 4 years).
While categorical positions tend to be more common in emergency medicine, there are also advanced positions available.
An advanced position offers residency training in emergency medicine upon completion of a preliminary or transitional year(s). Typically preliminary or transitional positions are 1-2 years and offer training prior to entering an advanced position in emergency medicine.
The preliminary or transitional year might be completed at the same program or at a different program than the advanced position.
Upon completion of a preliminary or transitional year, the trainee enters into an advanced position in emergency medicine. Therefore, the trainee will complete their PGY 2-4 at the advanced program, assuming the preliminary/transitional year was 1 year (PGY 1) and the advanced position is 3 years (PGY -2-4).
What is the Residency Application Process?
Most medical students begin their residency application process at the end of their 3rd year or beginning of their 4th year of medical school (this may start sooner).
There are 3 main steps:
Preparing and submitting the residency application
Interviewing at programs that offer an invitation
Matching into a residency program
Application
The application compiles documents and materials to help the residency program decide whether the applicant is qualified and/or a good fit for their institution.
An application portfolio usually includes:
Application/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Personal Statement
Letters of Recommendation
Medical School Transcript
Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
Licensing Exam Transcript
The applicant will usually compile the CV, personal statement, and letters of recommendation on their own. The medical school typically compiles the medical school transcript, MSPE, and licensing exam transcript.
Students can start preparing their portfolio before the residency application services open. Once the services open (usually summer/fall of the final year of medical school), students can submit their application to residency programs.
Interviewing
Interview season occurs during the fall/winter of the final year of medical school.
Residency programs will invite applicants to interview at their institution if they feel the candidate would be a good fit for their program.
Students will accept interviews to any and all programs that invite them. Interviews provide the opportunity for residency programs and medical students to determine how compatible they are with each other.
Matching
Once interview season is complete, medical students prioritize their preferred residency programs by creating a list of the institutions they interviewed with starting with their top choice. This list is known as the medical student's "rank order list".
Residency programs also rank the medical students they interviewed starting with their top choice of who they would like to match at their institution.
Once medical students and residency programs submit their rankings, the match process begins.
"Match Week" typically occurs in March of the final year of medical school, in which medical students find out what residency program they were accepted into (what program they "matched into") and residency programs find out which medical students will comprise their incoming residency class.
What is a Typical Emergency Medicine Residency Curriculum?
The curriculum for emergency medicine residency varies from program to program.
Residents spend their 3-4 years of training rotating through various medical specialties and types of care. On average, residents switch rotations on a monthly schedule.
Example rotations completed during emergency medicine residency include (but are not limited to) emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, medical intensive care unit (MICU), surgical intensive care unit (SICU), emergency medical services (EMS), obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, anesthesia, trauma surgery, ultrasound, research, toxicology, electives, and more.
Generally speaking, the curriculum is heavier in off-service rotations early in the program (PGY 1/2), and then the curriculum shifts to more time in the emergency department during the final years of the program.
What Electives Are Available in Emergency Medicine Residency?
There is usually elective time built into the curriculum as well, in which the resident can choose an area they would like to improve on or pursue further.
Electives vary from program to program and may include (but are not limited to) ultrasound, sports medicine, EMS, medical education, simulation, toxicology, administration, ICU, ophthalmology, radiology, and more.
Is There Vacation in Residency?
Residency programs typically offer 3-4 weeks of vacation time per year.
Are There Subspecialties Within Emergency Medicine?
There are fellowship opportunities available upon completion of residency training. Fellowships further enhance knowledge and training within a particular subspecialty of emergency medicine.