Emergency Medicine (EM)

Life is good in the Emergency Department (ED). They do not like it when you call it ER or emergency room (whatever). I am in the middle of a month long rotation at an inner city emergency department. I am using this rotation to hopefully "wow" them so they consider my application when I apply. It is like a month long interview. This makes the experience a little more intense because you are on edge and trying to impress everyone. I really do like EM. It feels like I was born to do this. 

I just completed the first week of the rotation. I have had so much exposure and hands on experience. The attending physicians tend to give you more respect and trust you slightly more as a 4th year medical student. During my 1st shift I was talking to the head doctor of the ED and he basically told me that I have free reign and can do as much as I would like and the only way I would get in any trouble is if I get in over my head and do not ask for help. My first couple of shifts they watched me closely to make sure that they could trust me and also evaluate my abilities / knowledge. This of course was not openly discussed but by my third shift I felt that I had gained their trust and the "set me free" to work like a resident which is still under supervision but I was able to do and see a lot more.

I like the excitement and the constantly changing environment of the ED. You never know what is going to come through the door. It could be a gun shot wound (GSW), a laceration, MI, stroke, motor vehicle accident (MVA) or a headache. You see it all. It is fast paced and always changing. You either love it or hate it. I guess I fall into the "love it" category". It is never boring. Another great thing about the ED is that you get to do lots of procedures, put in central lines, laceration repairs, intubate, cardioversion, set broken bones, chest tubes, nasogastric tubes, ultrasound guided procedures, etc. So far this week I have done several wound repairs with sutures and staples, paracentesis (draining fluid out of the belly), chest tube for a collapsed lung, several nasogastric tubes, chest compressions, set fractured bones, fix a dislocated shoulder and it has only bee 1 week.