Frequently Asked Questions

The program was approved by the Residency Review Committee for Emergency Medicine in February 1989 and fully reaccredited in 1992, 1996 and 1999. Starting In 2005, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved the residency to participate in a pilot program with an eight-year accreditation cycle, one of only 34 in the country, indicating the highest level of confidence in the training program. At this time, we are fully accredited with no citations.

Yes. We are a fully independent department, both within the hospital and medical school. We are proud of our efforts to secure our own departmental status in 2002, the first of the five UC Health Sciences campuses to earn such independence.

Our rotations are on a four-week block schedule. Shift lengths in the Emergency Department are generally 9, 10, 11 or 12 hours, with an average shift length of 9.6 hours. Our shift lengths vary to maximize wellness and efficiency. Typically, our first-year residents work 19 or 20 shifts per block; second-year residents work 20 shifts per block; and third-year residents work 17 shifts per block. Residents also receive four weeks of vacation annually. Vacation blocks are typically 15, 15 and 14, respectively.

Our program uses a waterfall shift schedule in the UCI Medical Center Emergency Department that provides numerous benefits to residents on shift, including but not limited to:

• Improved individual flow due to a period of minimal interruptions at the beginning/end of a shift so the resident(s) leaving can better focus on patient sign-outs, while the incoming resident(s) focus on new patients.
• Improved patient safety by minimizing the number of active sign-outs.
• A larger number of residents in triage allowing more opportunities for “first touch” and autonomy.

The schedule allows the resident to pursue academic, leadership and teaching interests beyond the clinical arena. This is essential to their professional growth.

Full-time faculty members are present 24 hours a day with triple coverage between 10 a.m. and midnight. All faculty members are board certified in emergency medicine, and most have completed fellowships in related fields. Other board certifications held by our faculty members include infectious disease, internal medicine, medical toxicology, geriatrics and pediatrics. UCI emergency medicine residents are fortunate to have a nearly 1:1 faculty/resident ratio.

As the only Level 1 Trauma Center in Orange County, our robust trauma experience is one of the strengths of the program. Training is designed to provide the full spectrum of trauma care, not just initial emergency department stabilization. Residents serve as an integral member of a dedicated trauma team, act as the first advanced trauma provider in the field and provide trauma care in the ED. They also provide trauma critical care in the surgical intensive care unit after initial stabilization.

We offer emergency medicine fellowships in the following subspecialty areas:

• Clinical Informatics (ACGME)
• Critical Care (ACGME)
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine (ACGME)
• Administrative
• Multimedia Design Education Technology (SAEM-approved)
• Education and Faculty Development
• EMS
• Medical Simulation
• Ultrasound (EUFAC-accredited)
• Wilderness Medicine (WMS-approved)

These fellowships add to the rich academic environment available to our residents, affording them the opportunity to participate in local, regional and national research and policy issues.

Our simulation curriculum is an integral part of the residency program, offering our residents an additional method of absorbing medical knowledge. These monthly sessions are combined with our ultrasound training program. We offer highly engaging weekly didactics using a combination of games, team-based learning and other interactive sessions. Our residents are part of a fast-paced emergency department and obtain experience and education in resource utilization and emergency department flow.