Emergency Medicine Residency Program at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency program is an accredited, three-year residency program that offers 12 categorical positions per year.

Through its strong partnership with Florida International University's (FIU) Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, the Emergency Medicine residents will have access to a state-of-the-art simulation center, the FIU library and other university resources. FIU also provides research, institutional support, rotating medical students and other resources at our fingertips.

The academic component of training is emphasized by a regular schedule of conferences with mandatory attendance. Progress in the program is monitored by evaluations for each rotation, as well as annual participation in the Emergency Medicine In-Service examination.

Residents are expected to participate in research as well as mentoring medical students. Participation in medical missions is also encouraged.

The HCA Florida Kendall Hospital trauma program is a multi-disciplinary team that includes Trauma Surgery, Emergency Medicine and Anesthesia. Our Emergency Department physicians are required to respond to every trauma alert and co-manage the trauma patient.

As you learn more about HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, our ER faculty, our patient mix and our institutional support, you'll find that it is an excellent place to train in Emergency Medicine:

• Diverse faculty, including fellowship training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Public Health, Ultrasound, Simulation, Sports Medicine and EMS
• Tertiary care receiving center for many hospitals across South Florida and the Keys
• Accredited Burn Center, Level I Trauma Center, STEMI and Stroke Center
• Annual census greater than 90,000 patients per year between our adult and Pediatric Emergency Department

The HCA Florida Kendall Hospital Emergency Medicine Wellness Committee works to teach and to provide a healthy work-life balance for our residents.

We aim to meet this goal through dedicated monthly presentations, activities and/or small group sessions during our conference time. We seek to present information relevant to all: mindfulness, nutrition and exercise, coping with the difficulties of residency, financial wellness, stress reduction and preventing burnout, building and maintaining relationships.

We also strive to foster our EM community, working to organize outside social activities and events, so that all of us have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy a work-life balance with our families, friends and peers.

The Wellness Curriculum was developed with the intent to provide every resident with the knowledge and skills to have a happy, healthy, safe and fulfilling three years of residency here at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital and beyond.

As a part of HCA Healthcare, we are driven by a single mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.

This program is designed to offer residents a rewarding, educational environment where residents are provided individualized learning opportunities by faculty and staff who support and sustain one another throughout quality care delivery. Our faculty are committed to ensuring the residents' clinical experience and educational needs are fulfilled while expanding residents' perspectives to be inclusive of cultures, values and ideals.

How many residents are in the program?

There are a total of 36 residents with 12 per class.

How are the shifts scheduled?

Shifts are 10 hours long with one hour focused on patient disposition and sign-out. Residents typically work 18 shifts in a four weeks-long block to ensure that there is time for study and scholarly activity while ensuring wellness and work-life balance.

Do you have electronic medical records in the emergency department?

Yes, all departments at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital are integrated into one system. There is an electronic tracking board in the department and all charting, order entry and result viewing are done electronically.

What is conference like?

Every Wednesday from 8:00am to 1:00pm, residents have protected time to attend conference. In addition to standard didactic material, residents participate in case conference, M&M, journal club, procedure lab, simulation lab and oral board review and two-dimensional simulation case management. There are grand rounds presentations almost every month delivered by both emergency medicine faculty and many other specialties.

Are there dedicated pediatric shifts or pediatric months?

Emergency Medicine residents at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital start seeing children during the first year of residency training and throughout all three years of residency. There is one dedicated four-week block in the pediatric emergency department to provide a foundation in clinical skills in pediatrics.

To ensure that residents are exposed to seasonal variation, each emergency medicine resident will be scheduled to work at least two to three shifts in the pediatric emergency department during each of their emergency medicine blocks. This way, each resident will graduate feeling well prepared to handle every type of pediatric emergency.

Are there faculty that specialize in pediatric emergency medicine?

We have pediatric emergency medicine fellowship-trained core faculty who are dedicated to providing high-quality clinical training, as well as evidence-based education in the didactic training environment. Residents will also have the opportunity to work with emergency medicine-trained faculty in the care of children.

What research opportunities exist?

Thanks to the strong affiliation with Florida International University, as well as the dedicated research faculty within the department and the hospital, there are now many research opportunities that exist depending on your interest.

How much vacation do residents get?

Residents get four weeks of vacation each year. In addition, during the winter holidays, all residents return to the emergency department for a holiday break, getting off for either Christmas or New Years.

What type of benefits do I get as a resident?

Health, dental and eye medical insurance, malpractice insurance, life/disability, benefits and a sample contract. Please visit our GME website for additional resident benefit information.

How is ultrasound incorporated into the residency?

Residents participate in an ultrasound course during the July Orientation month. Afterward, they are encouraged to use ultrasound each and every shift. Our ultrasound director and ultrasound QA/QI committee reviews all of the studies, grades them and offers teaching points when appropriate. The residents also have a two-week ultrasound rotation during the second year to further hone and develop their skills.

Is there an orientation month or block for new interns?

Yes, there is a four weeks-long orientation block for new interns in July. All new emergency department interns will work a reduced number of clinical shifts in July and participate in an extended number of labs, simulations and orientation activities to help in the transition from senior medical students to functioning emergency medicine interns.

Does the residency cover textbook purchases and memberships?

The residency covers resident memberships to ACEP, SAEM, AAEM and EMRA. The residents are also provided with the emergency medicine textbook by Tintinalli. In addition, ECG Weekly, HIPPO EM, EMRAP and Rosh Review for board preparation are provided. For Interns, the cost of USMLE Step 3 and Prep is covered. For Senior Residents, a stipend is provided to cover board review material for post-graduation.

Where will I rotate for my emergency medicine experience?

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital is the primary rotation site for adult and pediatric emergency medicine. There is also the opportunity to rotate in a free-standing emergency department as a senior resident to gain experience in this work environment. Residents are also able to use their elective time when approved by the hospital for rotation in other emergency department settings.

What type of critical care experience do I get during my training?

Interns rotate through the MICU at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital to develop a foundation of critical care and to develop their procedural skills. As a second-year resident you would rotate through the TICU to provide experience in managing critical trauma and surgical patients and through the PICU to manage sick children.

As a third-year resident you rotate through the MICU and manage your own medical and surgical patients and supervise junior residents in the care of ICU patients under the guidance of the ICU attending.

How often do you use simulation during residency?

Simulation is used extensively to help develop clinical skills, procedural competency and enhance teamwork and leadership abilities. The residency also promotes resident involvement in regional and national simulation competitions.