We are a four-year, bicampus Emergency Medicine residency offering training in the Emergency Departments at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Columbia University Medical Center. Between our two campuses, our Emergency Departments treat more than 250,000 patients annually, and provide unparalleled breadth to the academic, research, and clinical experiences for our Emergency Medicine residents.
Intern year at NYP-Columbia & Cornell is designed to provide you with the foundational clinical experience and skills for the rest of your residency and career as an emergency physician.
The academic year begins with 4 weeks of orientation that includes a mixture of classroom didactics, simulation, shadowing shifts, and, of course, social events to help you get to know your NYPEM family members. Rotations include core experiences in medical critical care at Cornell, formal ultrasound training with dedicated fellowship-trained faculty, EMS and pre-hospital experience with our own NYP EMS service, an anesthesia rotation for airway management experience, and pediatric emergency medicine with at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York with dedicated pediatric emergency medicine faculty and fellows. It is at the heart of our program that the PGY1 resident gets the first attempt for all procedures.
The goal during PGY2 is to enhance the knowledge, efficiency, and technical skills specific to Emergency Medicine.
PGY2 Emergency Department rotations are designed to promote efficiency and autonomy for our residents, and to allow for procedural and technical growth. Residents will gain exposure to caring for critically ill patients through rotations in various intensive care units. Second-year residents are encouraged to start honing specific skillsets during their Selective rotation, which includes clinical experiences in ophthalmology, orthopedics, radiology, or ultrasound. Additionally, PGY2s have a toxicology rotation which includes dedicated fellowship-trained faculty at both Cornell and Columbia, as well as a rotation with the NYC Poison Control Center.
During PGY3, residents manage all critically ill patients that present to both emergency departments (“resus resident”). At Columbia, PGY3s staff the Critical Care Resuscitation area, where all unstable or critically ill patients are sent for initial evaluation, resuscitation, and stabilization. At Cornell, PGY-3s are in charge of both medical resuscitations as well as any trauma or burn resuscitations that get sent to the ED area they are supervising for that shift. Additionally, during the PGY-3 year, residents begin oversight of patient care delivered by medical students, off-service interns, as well as first and second year EM residents. There are additional experiences in obstetrics, telehealth, and pediatric anesthesia. During the PGY3 year, pediatric shifts are integrated into ED blocks for continuity of skills.
During PGY4, emphasis is placed on mastering clinical emergency medicine and developing leadership skills.
During this year, PGY4s are responsible for supervising the department, which includes balancing patient flow, supervising and teaching medical students and junior residents, and leading resuscitations. PGY4 residents can also further explore their academic niche and enhance their academic profile for post-residency career searches or fellowships through the Academic Practice Tracks. PGY4s are also given 8 weeks of elective time to delve into any personal interests within Emergency Medicine.
