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Conferences & Didactics

Conferences & Didactics

Conferences and Didactics

We provide a majority of formal didactic teaching on Wednesdays mornings, which is generally protected learning time for our residents. We follow a general curriculum over four years, with a unique general topic emphasized each month. During residency each resident is exposed to all topics in emergency medicine. We accomplish this in several types of formats

• Grand Rounds - Typically taught by our faculty or visiting faculty in emergency medicine, Grand Rounds usually covers cutting edge topics in emergency medicine or new research or scholarly topics in our field.
• Study Group - This is our EM core lecture series and is taught in an evidence based medicine format. PGY 2 and 3 residents, assisted by faculty, lead the discussion.
• Journal Club - This conference gives our residents and faculty the opportunity to review new journal articles related to our field. There is also an emphasis on how to read and interpret the medical literature and develop a working understanding of medical statistics.
• Case Conference - This gives us opportunities to learn from interesting or unique cases seen in our own ED. The discussion is led by a senior resident combined by a faculty discussant from another specialty.
• Morbidity and Mortality - We review all cases with unexpected outcomes. The emphasis is to learn about concepts in patient safety, systems issues that affect care, and fundamentals of clinical decision making.
• Board Review - Once a month we round out our learning on the topic of the month through a question and answer format. This also allows our residents to practice test taking skills required for the board examinations.
• Specialty conference - We routinely have specialty conferences with faculty and/or residents in other disciplines. These typically are EKG conference, radiology conference, trauma conference, EM/IM conference, and airway conference.

Other learning activities

Our residents spend significant time in the GW Clinical Learning and Simulated Skills (CLASS) center on campus. Using patient simulators and starndardized cases, our residents practice resuscitations, complex medical and trauma cases, and procedures relevant to emergency medicine.

In addition to time in the simulation center, we offer procedure labs each year on human cadavers and/or animal models in addition to using simulation mannequins.

Several times a year, we will devote the entire conference day to a single topic and offer unique and variable learning experiences. For example, we hold a yearly Health Policy Day held on Capitol Hill with well known speakers in the field. We typically have an orthopedics day with hands-on practice of orthopedic reductions and splinting; and airway day with practice using advanced airway devices for the difficult airway.

Once a year we offer an oral examination with standardized cases. In addition to providing opportunities for feedback, it prepares our residents for success in the oral board examination in emergency medicine after they graduate.

Each morning there is a case based conference for all residents and medical students on duty at the change of shift at 7am. It covers a variety of ED topics.

Every six months our residents work the program director to develop a personalized learning plan with goals and objectives. Residents are encouraged to find other learning activities that fit will with their own individual learning style in areas where they have particular interest or just need to brush up a little. These other activities include textbook reading, journal reading, computer based learning modules, and hands on activities.