Curriculum, Scheduling, Rotations, and More
Welcome to the UCF/HCA North Florida Emergency Medicine Residency! As the chief residents, we are excited to tell you about our program and show you why we love training at North Florida. Our program is more than just a residency; we are a family. Our close-knit group includes attendings, residents, APPs, nurses, paramedics, and all the ED staff. This family atmosphere makes coming to work every day enjoyable!
Curriculum
Our curriculum incorporates many models of interactive learning, including a flipped-classroom format, small-group sessions, simulation, written board review, oral board review, attending and guest lectures, case reports, and question banks. We strive to stay up-to-date on the most recent research, protocols, and advances in our specialty!
Flipped Classroom Format
Each week, residents are sent links to articles, podcasts, and chapters that will help them to prepare for the upcoming didactic session. Using a flipped classroom format helps residents in multiple ways. You have the choice of which resource you use to study! The material you learn outside the classroom is reinforced with patient-centered presentations and deep dives, sharing real-world experiences to help you internalize the material.
Learning Resources
Our residents have access to EM: RAP, Hippo Education, Peer IX, Rosh Review, Tintinalli’s e-book, the National Emergency Medicine Board Review course, Carol River’s Oral Board Review course, and more!
Protected Conference Time
Faculty will cover the ED to ensure that you will be able to attend the conference each week. Not only do residents learn and review during the conference, but they also enjoy a delicious breakfast each week and appreciate the time to connect with co-residents and faculty outside the department.
Systems-Based Curriculum Schedule
Our didactic and flipped classrooms are designed around a systems-based and then problem-based approach to curriculum. This allows learners to deep dive into each topic and experience it in several ways—small groups, sims, lectures, assigned Q-bank questions, etc.
Advancing Skills at Every Stage
Alongside this curriculum model, residents receive targeted education based on their residency year to help them grow into expert clinicians.
PGY-1s go through “Intern Bootcamp” during their first month of residency. Here, they are brought up to speed on clinical workups, procedures, and how to thrive in a high-acuity emergency department. In addition to receiving ACLS, ATLS, and PALS training, our interns attend the Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) course in Orlando.
PGY-2s go through small-group teaching sessions with attendings during conferences to prepare them for oral board cases. PGY-2 residents complete the Premier EKG Workshop to prepare for the third year and get to attend the FCEP conference, Symposium by the Sea.
PGY-3s learn how to teach junior residents and medical students, and as the year progresses, they receive targeted education on transitioning to independent medical practice. They also receive a board prep course and attend the ACEP conference.
Didactics
Our didactic curriculum is designed around a systems-based and then problems-based approach. PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents are assigned lectures to present at conferences, and PGY-1 residents present a case presentation of their choosing. Conference time is protected time! Our faculty covers the ED so residents can attend weekly conferences. Conference is a great time to mingle with your colleagues and to learn in a safe, fun environment.
Resources
All residents receive a subscription to Rosh Review and the Difficult Airway Course every year.
Additionally, residents are provided with an array of other resources to allow them to study in a way that is best for them. These include EM: Rap, Hippo Education, Peer IX, Tintinalli’s e-book, the National Emergency Medicine Board Review course, Carol River’s Oral Board Review course, and more!
Research
Residents are required to complete a scholarly project, as well as a quality improvement (QI) project and presentation, by the time they graduate. This introduces residents to the academic research process and further solidifies this knowledge for residents who are well-versed in research. The QI project gives residents a chance to invest back in their program by recognizing a need or process that could be improved and identifying and implementing a solution. We work hand-in-hand with our Quality Improvement Director, Dr. Setty, as well as our Research Director, Dr. Zhou.
Shift Hours/Requirements
Shifts vary in length between 9-hour and 12-hour shifts, with the majority of shifts being 9- or 10-hour shifts.
Each class must meet a certain number of hours per block, with fewer hours required as you progress through PGY-2 and PGY-3 years. These requirements are applicable to ED blocks only; the hourly requirements and hour limits differ on off-service rotations such as ICU or Trauma.
Block Schedule and Rotations
Each year consists of 13 blocks. Each block is 28 days long, which allows every resident to experience every rotation for the same amount of time. It also allows our residents to have more time in the ED vs. a month-to-month schedule!
PGY-1 residents will have 3 weeks of vacation during their intern year. This is scheduled 1 week at a time during designated “vacation blocks.”
PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents have 4 weeks of vacation during their 2nd and 3rd years. This is also scheduled 1 week at a time during designated “vacation blocks.”
PGY-3 residents may also choose to focus on a specific track for the 3rd year. These include administration, research, ultrasound, and EMS.
Rotations by Year
PGY-1
| Rotation | Total Duration |
|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine | 7 blocks |
| Stroke/STEMI * | 1 block |
| Anesthesia/Ultrasound * | 1 block |
| OB/GYN * | 1 block |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine** | 1 block |
| Trauma*** | 1 block |
| Medical ICU | 1 block |
PGY-2
| Rotation | Total Duration |
|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine** | 7 blocks |
| EMS* | 1 block |
| EM/Ultrasound* | 1 block |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine** | 1 block |
| Trauma*** | 1 block |
| Cardiac ICU | 1 block |
| Pediatric ICU | 1 block |
PGY-3
| Rotation | Total Duration |
|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine** | 9 blocks |
| EM Elective* | 1 block |
| EM Selective* | 1 block |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine** | 1 block |
| Medical ICU | 1 block |
*Indicates a vacation block.
**Nemours Children’s Hospital, Orlando, FL—Residents will have an apartment funded by the residency.
***Ocala Regional Medical Center, Ocala, FL—Residents will have an apartment funded by the residency.