Residency Clinical Curriculum PGY-3
Emergency Medicine (38 weeks)
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), located in the heart of Nashville. serves the people of Tennessee and throughout the region in neighboring states.
VUMC is a leading research organization devoted to patient-centered research and receives research funding from many federal sources. The emergency department is a leader in emergency care research and enrolls thousands of patients every year in multiple high-quality, multicenter studies.
It is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, comprehensive stroke center, the only national Level I trauma center, Level I pediatric trauma center, and comprehensive burn center in Middle Tennessee.
In addition to our residency program, VUMC is also home to more than 90 other training programs with over 1,000 residents and fellows, which means that residents will learn alongside other superior trainees from across the country.
Community Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
To gain additional exposure to community emergency medicine, third-year residents spend four weeks rotating at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital in Lebanon, Tennessee, about 30 miles outside of Nashville. Residents have the opportunity to work one-on-one with attendings, some of whom are VUMC emergency medicine grads. Patients often present with “bread and butter” pathology and there is a wide range of illness acuity.
Vanderbilt Medical ICU (2 weeks)
During the third year of training, residents act as the Medical ICU (MICU) senior during two separate two-week rotations. Duties include daily rounding as part of the larger MICU team including an attending, fellow, EM and IM interns, nursing staff, respiratory therapists, and pharmacy. Seniors are responsible for overseeing consults, procedures, teaching, and patient management.
This is often a very procedure-heavy rotation with many opportunities for central lines, arterial lines, paracentesis, lumbar punctures, etc. Third-year residents are the primary responders to codes both in the ICU and throughout the hospital during the rotation. Being the MICU senior provides the unique chance to lead the team and become the primary decision-maker.
Selective (4 weeks)
Similar to the second year, third-year residents will create a selective in their area of interest within the field of emergency medicine. Third-year residents can use this time to build on prior projects or change it up and do something new. At this point, third-year residents may already have a niche in emergency medicine and this month is a perfect time to get further involved in that area. It’s also a great time to focus on career-planning activities such as CV building, reaching out to potential employers or working on fellowship applications.
Vacation (3 weeks)
Each academic year, residents will have three weeks of vacation, in addition to an extra five to six days over either Christmas or New Year holidays.
While residents may spend time traveling to see family or for a tropical beach vacation, there is plenty to do not far from Nashville. Road-trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for hiking and camping, head up to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for bourbon tasting and a visit to the National Corvette Museum, or drive to Memphis for some blues and barbecue.
If you prefer a staycation in Nashville, hike one of the many trails at Percy Warner Park, rent a kayak to float down the Cumberland River, or try some local brews while listening to live country music. The possibilities are endless!