The first year begins with an orientation, including ACLS and ATLS courses.  The three blocks in Parkland's ED, two blocks in Children's ED, and off-service rotations are carefully designed to furnish important clinical background pertinent to the practice of emergency medicine.  A monthly EM intern conference is scheduled each month to provide didactic and hands-on workshops to assist the intern in gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to practice emergency medicine at the resident level. Dinner is provided afterwards and is a social time to catch up with  fellow interns and address any concerns of intern class.  Monthly topics include:  Management of common EM complaints (chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, HTN, headache, etc), wound care, EM procedures, ophtho evaluation including use of the slit lamp, resuscitation skills, EKG interpretation, how to survive journal club and developing a scholarly project, radiography, orthopedics, "Transitioning to the second year resident level",  and more.

The second year begins with an EMS base station course and a PALS course.  Residents will have ample opportunities to provide direction and radio medical control for the EMS system in the second and third years of residency, and an optional aeromedical experience is offered.  The focus of the second year is on emergency medicine and critical care.  As the year progresses, so do the resident's responsibilities for patient care.

During the third year, residents assume administrative responsibility for the ED, including patient flow and patient care.  Management techniques and patient care skills are maximized during this year.  Residents present their research project or other scholarly project at the completion of the residency.

The three-year curriculum provides an exciting, effective and logical pathway for emergency medicine training.  A conference series which covers the core content of emergency medicine, journal clubs, grand rounds, and other didactic presentations complete the curriculum.

Emergency Medicine Blocks
The EM curriculum is divided into 39 blocks (each 4 weeks long) and includes rotations in the Emergency Department as well as other locations.  The ED months include approximately 18 shifts during the PGY-1 year, 16 shifts during PGY-2 year, and 15 shifts during PGY-3 year.  Parkland ED shifts are either from 7am to 7pm or 7pm to 7am (currently, the PGY-2 class is piloting a 10-hour shift schedule).  Two blocks of approximately 16 shifts (12 hours each) in the Children's Medical Center (CMC) ED is done in the PGY-1 year.  Approximately 3 shifts of each ED month are spent at CMC during the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years (12 hour and 8 hour shifts, respectively). 

Location
The majority of rotations are on the UT Southwestern Medical Center campus (33 of 39 blocks at Parkland and/or CMC).  Of the remaining blocks:

• 1 is at the Dallas VA Hospital (12 miles from UTSW)
• 1 is at Methodist Hospital (4.5 miles from UTSW)
• 1 community ED rotation can be completed at Baylor University Medical Center (4 miles from UTSW), Dallas Presbyterian Hospital (11 miles from UTSW, or Methodist Hospital (4.5 miles from UTSW)
• 1 elective month can be done almost anywhere

Click below for rotation-specific, core-competency based

Emergency Medicine Goals & Objectives

Current Curriculum

PGY-1 Year (7 of 13 blocks are EM):

• Parkland EM (3 blocks)
• Pediatric EM at Children's (2 blocks)
• Trauma (1 block)
• Medicine CCU (1 block at the VA)
• Toxicology (1 block)
• Medicine Wards (1 block)
• Labor & Delivery (1 block)
• ICC (Gyn Urgent Care) (1 block)
• Anesthesia (3 weeks)
• Pediatric Anesthesia (2 weeks)
• Emergency Ultrasound /Radiology imaging (1 block)

PGY-2 Year (9 of 13 blocks are EM):

• Parkland EM and Pediatric EM at Children's (8 blocks)
• Community EM (1 block)
• Trauma (1 block)
• Pediatric ICU (1 block)
• Ortho ED Consults (1 block)
• Burn ICU (2 weeks)
• Neonatal Resuscitation Team (2 weeks)

PGY-3 Year (11 of 13 blocks are EM):

• Parkland EM and Pediatric EM at Children's (7 blocks)
• Teaching Resident for Parkland EM (1 block)
• Trauma / Community EM (1 block)
• Community EM (2 blocks)
• Elective (2 blocks)