Denver EM - Clinical Curriculum

CLINICAL CURRICULUM

We are a four year training program offering training in the emergency departments at Denver Health Medical Center, the University of Colorado Hospital, the Children's Hospital of Colorado, and Saint Joseph Hospital for a mix of county, academic, and community learning environments.

EM1 Overview

Intern year is designed to “line the toolbelt” with the clinical experience and skills needed for the rest of residency. Rotations include a broad array of disciplines including core experiences in:

Medical Critical Care
Orthopedics
Internal Medicine
Adult Emergency Medicine
Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Other high-yield rotations in Anesthesia, Electrocardiography, and Introductory ED Ultrasound allow our interns to further develop essential clinical skills. Rotations primarily take place at Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC), the Pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care Center (PEDUC) and the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH).

Due to these in-depth experiences in both surgical and medical disciplines, interns develop the broad foundational knowledge base and technical skills necessary to produce exceptional emergency physicians.

EM2 Overview

The primary goal of the EM2 year is to begin layering the technical skills and knowledge specific to emergency medicine. This is accomplished through rotations in the emergency department in which the EM2 performs primary patient care and manages their individual zone one-on-one with an attending.

At Denver Health Medical Center, EM2 residents run the Medicine side of the department, managing a diverse number of medical, surgical and OB/GYN complaints. At the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) Emergency Department, EM2 residents are also responsible for primary management of trauma patients and patients in need of major resuscitation. At Saint Joseph’s Hospital, EM2s experience emergency medicine at a private, community hospital.

Continued rotations in Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the PEDUC and also at The Children’s Hospital (CHCO) teaches EM2s how to work-up and manage pediatric medical emergencies. Finally, rotations in Surgical Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit advance resident knowledge of how to care for the sickest of patients. Lastly, 3 weeks of elective time is built into the EM2 year.

EM3 Overview

During the EM3 year residents manage critically ill trauma patients at Denver Health while running the Trauma side of the department. At the University of Colorado Hospital, the supervisory role of the EM3 residents includes running and managing the flow of an emergency department. This role includes oversight over patient care delivered by medical students, off-service interns, as well as first and second-year EM residents.

There is additional experience in pediatric EM at the Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department. Residents gain additional critical care experience with a senior ICU rotation.

The clinical education of EM3s is further developed through rotations in Toxicology, Advanced Ultrasound and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The EMS rotation is based out of the nationally-renowned Denver Health Paramedic Division. Additional elective time is built into the EM3 year to facilitate deliberate career exploration and development.

EM4 Overview

During the senior year, emphasis is placed on mastering clinical emergency medicine and developing tangible leadership skills. The flagship rotation of the EM4 year is the Senior Resident Rotation in the Denver Health Emergency Department. During this rotation, EM4s must balance patient flow, supervise and teach medical students and junior residents, direct resuscitation of all critically ill medical and trauma patients, run the ED-based observation unit and provide EMS medical control for the Denver Health Paramedic Division. There is additional supervisory experience for EM4s in the PEDUC. Likewise, during shifts at the Saint Joseph’s emergency department, EM4s take full ownership of their patients, functioning with more autonomy than during previous years.

This year also emphasizes continued academic growth with substantial time allotted for electives. Other rotations included in the EM4 year include Toxicology, EMS, Administration and OB-GYN. During the 2-week OB-GYN rotation, the resident performs deliveries and provides care to patients over 20 weeks gestation. They also take part in high risk deliveries and neonatal resuscitations. Finally, during the Winter Park rotation, residents gain additional orthopedic experience at the Denver Health Winter Park Clinic.