Emergency Medicine San Diego Medical Center - Curriculum

PGY-1

The first year of training is designed to give a resident the strong background in various specialties, which they will need to practice clinical medicine. Residents will also work to develop the skills fundamental to the practice of emergency medicine.

Learn more about the PGY-1 curriculum

PGY-2

The second year resident will continue to perfect the skills of physical diagnosis and stabilization of the critically ill patient in addition to polishing their procedural, leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.

Learn more about the PGY-2 Curriculum

PGY-3

The third year will be spent developing expertise in clinical skills and improving on supervisory and administrative skills.

Learn more about the PGY-3 curriculum

Affiliates

Scripps Mercy
Scripps Mercy is a high acuity, urban community hospital and serves as a Level 1 Trauma Center, Paramedic Base Station, STEMI Receiving Center and Primary Stroke Center. Residents will rotate for one month in the Emergency Department each year and one month with Trauma Critical Care at each the PGY-2 and PGY-3 level. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in the care of patients with major trauma during their Emergency Department and Trauma Critical Care rotations.

TriCity Medical Center

TriCity Medical Center is a high acuity, community hospital and serves as a STEMI Receiving Center and Primary Stroke Center. Residents will rotate for one month in the Emergency Department in each year of residency training.

Rady Children’s Hospital
Residents will rotate through the Rady Children’s Hospital Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine for one month each during the PGY-1, PGY-2 and PGY-3 levels. Rady Children’s is the only dedicated pediatric hospital in San Diego county, allowing residents to see a wide variety of pathology and acuity and see patients across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. Rady Children’s Hospital also serves as the only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the region. All trauma activation patients are seen in the ED by a team consisting of emergency physicians, trauma surgeons and intensivists.

CHOC PICU
Residents will rotate at the Childrens’ Hospital of Orange County for 1 month in the PGY-2 year. This rotation will allow residents the opportunity to learn to rapidly evaluate, diagnose, stabilize, and treat critically ill pediatric patients; understand the pathophysiology of pediatric respiratory failure, shock, and cardiac arrest; and demonstrate procedural skills that are required to care for the critically ill pediatric patient.

The CHOC PICU faculty have a strong commitment to residency training. This rotation has an excellent reputation and a comprehensive and hands-on approach to training. Local housing and transportation will be provided.

Longitudinal Curriculum

Ultrasound:
Residents will receive longitudinal emergency ultrasound (EUS) instruction through lectures, scan reviews and extensive hands-on training in bedside ultrasound. By the time of graduation, residents will have completed an extensive curriculum covering all basic and many advance applications in emergency bedside ultrasound as outlined by current published ACEP and SAEM training guidelines. Completion of the curriculum will lead to a letter summarizing emergency ultrasound training that can be used by graduates for credentialing at the hospitals of their future employment. The curriculum has been developed our three Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship trained faculty: Dasia Esener, MD, Reinier van Tonder, MD RDMS and Jonathan Mau, MD RDMS. Our department has the latest in ultrasound equipment, including 5 cart based systems and 2 handheld scanning devices.

Simulation
Our state-of-the-art Sim lab is equipped with the latest in simulation technology.
Through the use of task trainers, high fidelity mannequins and Simulation allows the learner to have full control over the care of the sickest and most complicated patients in a realistic and safe setting. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in simulation encounters during orientation as well as during monthly 5 hour simulation/didactic sessions. After each simulated case the learners are debriefed and specific feedback offered regarding patient management and team work.

Administration
The administration curriculum will allow residents to gain an appreciation for the basic principles of ED administration and leadership. Residents will learn about quality, safety and risk management as it pertains to emergency medicine and will begin to develop an understanding and appreciation for the complex role of emergency medicine within the larger framework of the hospital, institution and national health care system.

This rotation will be experiential and engaging. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in QI meetings, hospital wide administrative meetings, mock depositions and Lean 6 Sigma training. During this rotation, residents will have Resident-of-the-Day (ROD) responsibilities, where the resident will function as a leader in the department. Activities will include: participating in departmental meetings (admin, disaster, nursing, EMS),teaching of medical students and junior residents, assisting with procedures, and participating as a member of the department QI Committee.

Toxicology
Built into a longitudinal curriculum, residents will learn the presenting signs, symptoms, laboratory findings, pathophysiology, resuscitation and clinical management of common toxicologic emergencies resulting from therapeutic drug poisonings, drugs of abuse, natural toxins, occupational exposures and general household poisons with particular emphasis on clinical recognition of major toxidromes. The curriculum will be taught through a combination of innovative didactics, simulation and bedside training. The curriculum is led by Jeff Lapoint, DO, who was fellowship trained at NYC Poison Control Center/Bellevue in NYC. Dr Lapoint is one of the country’s leading experts on emerging drugs of abuse such as ‘Spice’ and ‘Bath Salts’.