The UC Irvine Emergency Medicine Residency Program has events throughout the year for residents to connect professionally and socially with one another.

Resident Orientation

Resident orientation is held the week prior to the start of first year. Throughout the week, there are social events including a welcome dinner at the home of residency leadership.

Resident Family Socials

Each of our residency families are made up of a mixture of department faculty, fellows and residents. These families provide each other with wellness checks, socials and mentorship throughout the entirety of residency.

Mammoth Mountain EM Conference (PGY-1)

This four-day conference is hosted by the department annually in March near Mammoth Mountain, California. We highly encourage PGY-1 residents to attend and participate in the myriad of wide-ranging conference sessions.

Resident Retreat (PGY-2)

This retreat is held annually in late Fall for PGY-2 residents for teaching and chief resident training, along with peer-bonding activities.

ACEP Scientific Assembly Conference (PGY-3)

This four-day conference is typically held annually in October, and we highly encourage PGY-3 residents to attend and connect with peers from around the country.

SIM Wars

This is an entertaining, interactive, educational competition held annually by the program, wherein resident teams face off in scripted scenarios to demonstrate clinical skills, teamwork, communication and problem-solving activities.

Sonolympics

This is an annual event wherein residents face a series of combination point-of-care ultrasound contests and trivia challenges.

Wilderness Games

These are annual games held by Dr. Robert Katzer and Dr. Isabel Algaze in San Onofre, California that challenge residents on a series of wilderness-based EM cases.

Scavenger Hunts & Escape Rooms

These are exciting, interactive sessions held throughout the year during weekly Grand Rounds, wherein residents engage in solving puzzling and obtaining clues through themed emergency medicine questions.

Department Retreat

This retreat is held annually during early Fall and gives department residents, fellows and faculty the opportunity for feedback, team-bonding activities and fun in the sun.

Resident Appreciation Day

This day is held annually to celebrate the amazing residents in the program. Residents often choose to have a beach day barbeque and relax with each other in the California sun.

Holiday Party

The department's annual holiday party is held in December for all residents, fellows, faculty and staff to celebrate the holiday season. Currently, we host this event at The Hacienda in Santa Ana.

Graduation Banquet

The End of Year Graduation Banquet is a celebratory dinner to honor graduating residents. All residents are invited, along with the families of the graduating class. We also use this time to present residents, fellows, faculty and staff with awards for exemplary work from the previous academic year.

Beach Days, BBQs, & Happy Hours

Residents and faculty organize a multitude of picnics, beach hangouts, BBQs and happy hours throughout each year. A favorite happy hour location for our residents is the nearby Golden Road Brewery.