Didactics

Didactic conferences meet every Wednesday (7-12 pm), and procedure labs are offered monthly to augment didactic time.  Conferences are presented by faculty and residents from the Department of Emergency Medicine, faculty from other Emergency Departments, and guest lecturers from other Departments at UVA. The didactic curriculum is based on the ABEM Emergency Medicine Core Content and will be covered every 18 months.  Additional conference topics regularly covered every month include:

The didactic program is supplemented with a monthly journal club. Each session focuses on a particular topic in emergency medicine and is usually hosted at a local restaurant. Papers are distributed ahead of time for critique and review during the session.

A series of mock oral board sessions are also provided twice a year, primarily intended for the graduating PGY3 residents in preparation for their upcoming board certification examinations.

Procedure workshops are held on a monthly basis, and allow for discussion and practice of critical emergency procedures. Prior workshops have included Mock Code Practice, ACLS, PALS, Emergency Ultrasound, ENT & Ophthalmologic procedures, ATLS, ED Equipment and ECG, Mass Casualty & Disaster Drill and Difficult Airway Skills.

Emergency Medicine residents on rotation in the Emergency Department are free of clinical duties in order to attend conference (i.e. attendance is required). Residents on “off service” rotations have individual schedules based on agreements with their off-service department.