Is UIC – EM a 3-year or 4-year program? UIC – EM is a 3-year categorical residency.

What sets the UIC – EM apart from other residency programs?
Chicago has a population of 2.8 million people, making it our nation’s third-largest city. UIC’s EM Program takes advantage of Chicago’s countless medical resources. Our residents have the unique privilege of training in our distinctive sites that make up our four-hospital consortium: University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health), Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center, and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

This multi-site training undoubtedly makes UIC stand apart from other EM residency programs.

How many residents are accepted every year?
The EM program has 15 residents per year (45 EM residents) and 3 EM/IM residents per year (15 EM/IM residents) for a total of 60 residents.

What is with the Brown Coat?
Unique to the EM residents at UIC, the brown lab coat sets us apart from other specialties. It is a highly visible and easily recognizable symbol of our residency, seen on the floors, in the ICU, and in Emergency Departments around the city. The Brown coat holds a reputation for teamwork, assertiveness, and adaptability. It also hides the coffee stains extremely well.

How are the formal didactics structured?
Conference occurs every Thursday from 7 am – 12 pm at one of the four clinical sites (UIC, IMMC, LCM, LGH). This is protected time for all residents regardless of their rotation. Conferences include lectures by Faculty, M&M, and Grand Rounds by 3rd-year residents, as well as small group workshops, oral board review, and sessions at the UIC Simulation Center.

Are there research requirements?
Yes, we require the completion of a scholarly project that students can complete in their area of interest; various projects will satisfy this requirement.

What is your Ultrasound experience like for residents?
We have Ultrasound available at all of our sites with multiple certified attendings to provide focused teaching. First-year residents spend one month on an ultrasound rotation, during which they spend afternoons in the ED performing ultrasounds on any clinically relevant patients. They also review ultrasounds once a week with the ultrasound fellow and attending.

Will I get enough exposure to trauma?
Two of our main sites, Illinois Masonic and Lutheran General, are Level 1 Trauma centers where our interns rotate through the trauma service. The ED is responsible for airways at both of the sites, while the trauma team is responsible for the remainder of the evaluation and management. Second-year residents rotate at Advocate Christ, which is a large-volume Level 1 Trauma center, and during this rotation, we are the senior residents in charge of all trauma resuscitations. Residents get plenty of exposure to trauma patients between the three sites and feel comfortable with routine trauma procedures.

How many sites will I rotate through? Four hospitals:

• University of Illinois Hospital is composed of a 455-licensed bed general medical and surgical facility with over 600 active physicians, a Level 2 Trauma Center, and home to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois (CHUI) that consists of a 101-bed specialty pediatric hospital with a 55-bed NICU.
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center is an integrated trauma site that is also the city’s flagship hospital for mental health. Its ER has an entire wing devoted to mental health.
• OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center is a high-acuity hospital that is a Primary Stroke and STEMI center and an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics.
• Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Each hospital site houses an array of specialties and sub-specialties and serves a distinct patient population.

Where do residents live, and how do we commute to the different sites?
Residents live in multiple Chicago neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs. Most residents use their own vehicles, but some use public transportation and the like. However, a car would be recommended when working at one of the suburban clinical sites or during non-typical business hours.

Do I need a car?
While having a car is not absolutely required, you will most likely require a car.  While UIC, LCM, and IL Masonic are in Chicago, Lutheran General is in Park Ridge and is not readily accessible by public transport.  Your month at Christ in your 2nd year will also be a drive and will require your own transport. A few residents in the past have been able to get by with renting cars as needed, but most residents have a car.

How are my off-service rotations structured?
During our intern year, some off-service rotations included OB, Ortho, CCU, and MICU. These rotations are carefully selected to provide us with the best amount of training and acuity. The leadership is very cognizant of ensuring our education and growth and is always receptive to changes.

Do I have international medicine opportunities through the program?
The faculty are very supportive of residents’ international interests. If you are particularly interested, there is a Global Health Track you can apply for during your intern year that involves journal clubs with UIC residents interested in Global Health from other specialties (medicine, peds, etc.) as well as sessions with EM residents interested in international medicine from other residency programs around Chicago. There are yearly trips to Haiti and Uganda for which the residents can apply, and a scholarship is available for a third-year international elective. There is also a formal fellowship open through UIC, and faculty are familiar with other international fellowships around the country.

If I am interested in a fellowship, what resources do I have available to pursue these interests?
If you are interested in EM-specific fellowships such as toxicology, EMS, international health, or ultrasound, then we have several faculty who will guide you with establishing research endeavors and mentorship, as well as offer opportunities to spend time with these individuals, so you know precisely what the fellowship will entail. If you are interested in a fellowship that we don’t have at UIC, we have well-connected faculty who can get you in touch with people across the country in the field of your interest. Basically, the options are there for you, and we will give you the resources to pursue whatever your subspecialty interest in EM might be.