Program Highlights

Our program will thrust you into a high volume, high acuity setting, and we will build you up from your first day to become the elite emergency medicine doctor you want to be.

Academic Development

The Brown program has a tradition of academic achievement and encourages residents to seek scholarly opportunities early in their training. Experienced, nationally-recognized, and well-funded faculty mentors are matched with residents according to interest; additional collaborations are always encouraged. Support for resident research comes from full-time clinical research coordinators, departmental funding, fully-equipped bench laboratories, and ongoing collaborations with Brown University. Through journal club and a conference series on statistical methods and research design, residents develop an understanding of the research process and acquire skills for a successful career in academic Emergency Medicine. Residents are required to complete a scholarly project during their residency and funding is available for residents to present their project at national conferences. Residents also have the opportunity to pursue MPH coursework during their elective time. The Brown University MPH program is highly regarded and enrolls many physician students (MPH program).

Graduated Responsibility

The progression from PGY-1 through PGY-4 brings gradually increasing clinical responsibilities. In the clinical arena, resident at all levels are taught leadership and management skills that prepare them for any practice setting. Residents are given the opportunity to lead, supervise, and teach as “junior attendings” and to participate in medical student education. Residents are supervised at all times by dedicated, nationally recognized EM leadership from the Brown Department of Emergency Medicine. The Simulation Center was established by the Department of Emergency Medicine and is directed by EM faculty. Residents spend one conference day each month performing simulations and have unlimited access to the center. Residents also engage in specialized course designed for their academic year (e.g. airway management, trauma). The center features three high fidelity adult mannequins, a pediatric critical care mannequin, and an obstetrical mannequin. Residents have the opportunity to be involved in the design and implementation of various simulation courses for outside groups.

Elective Time

Residents have 4.5 months of flexible elective time during their training. This time provides opportunities for residents to explore interests in administration, research, or simulation; to spend a summer month working on Martha’s Vineyard or Block Island; or to get more clinical experience in a specific area. Many residents use this time to go to Kenya to take care of patients as part of the Brown/Kenya Collaboration. Others use their elective months to complete major academic projects.

International Opportunities

International Emergency Medicine is a major focus of the program. Ongoing projects include sexual assault, trauma, and HIV work in Kenya; systems-development and medical education work in Liberia; HIV prevention and EM education in Cambodia; and creation of a basic EMS and emergency care system in Mongolia. It is also possible to get a doctorate in Tropical Medicine through an affiliation with schools in Peru and Ireland.

Disaster Medicine

Rhode Island is one of a few states with an active Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) in which residents participate. Through membership in DMAT, residents have been deployed to numerous mass casualty events and disasters including the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina. Residents have many opportunities each year to provide medical direction at mass gathering events) e.g. Quonset Air Show, Newport Tall Ships Week). The department has obtained grants from the Department of Homeland Security to create and train specialists in disaster medicine.

Moonlighting Opportunities

Starting as a PGY-2 you have the opportunity to ride with the pediatric transport team and the LifePACT paramedic transport team. As a PGY-4 you can work at local community emergency rooms as a single provider.