Teaching is an integral part of this residency program, and many opportunities exist within each specialty to benefit from and contribute to the educational process. All residents receive an academic appointment that coincides with their level of training. Additionally, each resident is responsible for a number of formal and informal presentations during their rotations. This takes the form of teaching students and other residents in rounds and morning reports, noon conferences, specific rotations as a dedicated teaching resident in both specialties, and opportunities to participate as faculty in the UIC College of Medicine’s Essentials of Clinical Medicine course for M1’s and M2’s. The Internal Medicine program has a daily conference, while Emergency Medicine has weekly conferences on Thursday mornings. Residents are responsible for attending the didactic activities of the specialty on which they are rotating. Throughout the year, however, opportunities may arise wherein the residents will be excused from clinical duties to attend a special educational opportunity on the opposing specialty.
As part of the completion requirements, each combined IM/EM resident will serve as Chief Resident during his/her PGY-5 year. During this time, each Chief Resident is responsible to prepare and deliver Combined Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds. These special conferences are attended by the faculty and residents of each respective program. As Chief Residents, they also assist the other combined residents with day-to-day concerns such as scheduling and play a prominent role in the educational programs of each specialty.
The more junior residents of the program also play a role in the educational activities of the residency. Journal clubs are held throughout the year as a rolling group chat with articles selected by each of the residents with faculty support. Coordination of this activity is supported through the Chief’s role.