Resident Corner
Erin R. Karl, MD
My name is Erin Karl. I am a PGY-2 Emergency Medicine resident at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Currently, I serve as the Resident Representative on the Nebraska ACEP Chapter Board.
During the last week of October, thousands of EM physicians and residents, as well as EM-bound Medical Students, will be making their way to Denver, Colorado for ACEP19.
The Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) holds numerous educational and entertaining events at ACEP, and I am here to tell you a bit more about events that would be worthwhile for residents and medical students to attend.
Don’t worry, attendings, I have included events that will even teach an old dog new tricks - see EMRA’s 20 in 6 Resident Lecture Competition and Airway Stories, below!
Of note, all EMRA events are held at the Embassy Suites, located at 1420 Stout Street, just across the street from the Colorado Convention Center, where ACEP19 is being held. EMRA events are free for all EMRA members to attend!
Friday, October 25th: 1:00 - 4:00PM
EMRA Medical Student Council (MSC) Open Session - Each year, 25 students from across the country are selected to serve on EMRA's MSC. Come watch these exceptional medical students discuss hot topics in emergency medicine that are pertinent to EM-bound medical students. Current medical students - attending the MSC meeting at ACEP is also a great way to mingle with current MSC members and ask how you can get involved. If you can’t make it to ACEP to attend their in person meeting to learn more, you should still consider applying to be a member of the 2020-2021 MSC when applications open later this fall.
Saturday, October 26th: 7:00AM - 12:00PM
EMRA Medical Student Forum - This is the premiere advising event for EM-bound medical students! Free for all EMRA medical student members. (Registration is currently full, but if you will already be at ACEP you can stop by in the morning and historically they have let students register the morning of if some who have registered do not show up).
The morning starts with a program director panel, where you will learn the dos and don’ts of residency interview season, followed by an intern panel, where you will learn how to navigate interview season from current EM interns who just completed the process! These panels are followed by breakout sessions, allowing you to get specific advice based on your current year in medical school.
PS: If you can’t attend the fall Medical Student Forum at ACEP, put the spring Medical Student Forum at CORD’s Academic Assembly this March in NYC on your calendar - more info coming this winter!
1:30 - 3:30PM
EMRA Residency Fair - Don’t miss the largest emergency medicine residency program fair in the nation! After the Medical Student Forum, students can make their way across the street to the Colorado Convention Center for the EMRA Residency Fair. Fourth year students, you can speak with program leadership and residents from the programs that you applied to - both those who have already extended an interview invite, as well as those you are waiting to hear back from. I personally got interview invites on the spot at the residency fair two years ago after talking with PDs! Third year students, it is never too early to start looking at programs where you might want to do your audition rotation(s). Get some face time in now, make some great connections, and make the VSAS process easier next year.
Of note, there is no registration required for the residency fair, so even if you can’t make it to the Medical Student Forum, be sure to head to this amazing event!
Sunday, October 27th: 12:30 - 5:30PM
EMRA Committee Meetings - Both medical students and residents need to check out the EMRA Committee meetings. From Medical Education (personal bias, as I am the Chair-Elect of the Education Committee), Ultrasound, Health Policy, Social EM, and everything in between - EMRA has a committee for you to make connections with students and residents who share similar emergency medicine niche interests with you! As a bonus, most committees hold panels and interactive sessions to get you up and learning during their meetings at ACEP. Check the link here to find the time and location for the committee meeting(s) that you are interested in attending.
5:00 - 7:00PM
EMRA Job and Fellowship Fair - Attend the largest recruiting event in emergency medicine! Current residents, this one's for you. Also, if you are an attending and you don’t love your current job, this one is also for you. Located back in the Colorado Convention Center, come learn about fellowship and job opportunities across the country, since unfortunately you can’t be in residency for forever.
Monday, October 28th: 8:00AM - 12:30PM
EMRA Representative Council and Town Hall Meeting - The EMRA Representative Council (RepCo) is comprised of one representative from each residency program in the nation, representing their co-residents, who discuss issues relating to EM residency training and adopt policies affecting their professional development, practice, patients or speciality. Come watch RepCo discuss and vote on proposed resolutions. They will also elect new members to the EMRA Board of Directors, so come meet your newly elected EMRA Board!
9:00AM - 3:00PM
EMRA SimWARS Competition - Watch eight teams of four residents each compete live for the title of the best simulation team in the nation. Come check out this entertaining and cutting edge simulation challenge!
10:00PM - 2:00AM
EMRA Party - The EMRA Party doesn’t need an introduction, but in case you haven’t heard - the party will be held at Club Vinyl this year, and this is the craziest party you will attend at ACEP. There will be free drink tickets and plenty of beats on the dance floor. You don’t want to miss this!
Tuesday, October 29th: 1:00 - 3:00PM
EMRA 20 in 6 Resident Lecture Competition - The EMRA 20 in 6 Resident Lecture Competition occurs at ACEP’s Scientific Assembly every year and is hosted by residents, for residents. Some of the best resident speakers in the country compete for the title “Best Resident Lecturer.” Residents are given up to six minutes and exactly 20 slides to lecture on any topic that is relevant to emergency medicine. It’s designed to be a fast-paced, intellectually-stimulating event in a fun, EMRA-style atmosphere. Judges this year include Dr. Jenny Beck-Esmay, Dr. Mizuho Morrison, Dr. Rob Orman, and last year’s winner Dr. Jon Smart. PS: I heard that one of the co-hosts this year is pretty cool. Soiler: it’s me.
5:00 - 7:00PM
EMRA Airway Stories - After a rough shift, a fun shift, or really just any shift, have you ever met up with your buddies to swap stories over food and drink? That’s EMRA Airway Stories: Life in the ED. Come tell your story, listen to others’ stories, and mingle.
Wednesday, October 30th: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
EMRA MedWAR - If you are still in Denver on the 30th, head to Castlewood Canyon State Park to watch 12 teams compete in the 2019 EMRA MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Race), which combines wilderness medicine and adventure racing to create a unique event designed to teach and test wilderness survival and medical skills. Participants are challenged to use their broad knowledge of wilderness medicine to handle a series of potential medical emergencies.
I hope to see you at one or all of these events!
|