The Emergency Medicine Club hosted residents from Kent Hospital’s Emergency Medicine Residency program to present on what students should think about if they are interested in pursuing a residency in Emergency Medicine. Kent Hospital has been one of UNE COM’s rotation sites for 3rd year medical students in Warwick, RI. Matthew MacAskill, DO’15 PGY4, James Chapman, DO PGY4, Reece Wilson, DO PGY4 and Jim O'Neil, DO’17 PGY2 discussed topics such as the application and interview processes, how to stay competitive and, in particular, Kent's residency program.
The best part of EM is the lifestyle: it’s a flexible schedule, there’s no pager, it’s procedure-heavy, and there’s opportunity for Fellowships. The downside is there are constant distractions and has the highest burnout rate. One of the challenges is that there more people applying than they have openings for, so students need to do their best to stand out by volunteering in their community, participation in clinics, being active in EM interest groups, leadership roles, and performing well on clinical rotations. Signing up for the mentorship program through the ACOEP is a great way to network since EM is a small community; attending the ACOEP conference in 3rd year is also recommended. According to one resident, “emergency medicine is about figuring people out.” People skills are integral to becoming a good ER physician, because you see patients for 1-2 minutes at a time. Having a high EQ is helpful in order to pick-up on social clues. Most importantly, however, the old cliché is true: just be yourself. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” It will often be better received than pretending you know something when you don’t, or that you did something when you didn’t.
Kent Hospital Residents: Matthew MacAskill, DO’15 PGY4, James Chapman, DO PGY4, Reece Wilson, DO PGY4 and Jim O'Neil, DO’17 PGY2. Below: Patrick Teebagy, OMS II inserts a central line during the SOSA event
KENT HOSPITAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM
SOSA HOSTS CENTRAL LINE CLINIC
The Student Osteopathic Surgical Association (SOSA) has been very active this semester. In September, they held a suture clinic where students practiced stitching pigs feet and knot tying on knot boards. In November, they held a central line clinic at the Portland SIM lab where second-year students inserted central lines under the guidance of COM faculty, Stuart Damon, DO ‘ and Nicholas Phillips, DO. Students practiced techniques with and without the assistance of Ultrasound equipment.