A Survey of Graduates of Combined Emergency Medicine–Pediatrics Residency Programs: An Update

Publication date: Available online 5 August 2016
Source:The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s): Ashley M. Strobel, Rose M. Chasm, Dale P. Woolridge
BackgroundIn 1998, emergency medicine–pediatrics (EM-PEDS) graduates were no longer eligible for the pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) sub-board certification examination. There is a paucity of guidance regarding the various training options for medical students who are interested in PEM.ObjectivesWe sought to to determine attitudes and personal satisfaction of graduates from EM-PEDS combined training programs.MethodsWe surveyed 71 graduates from three EM-PEDS residences in the United States.ResultsAll respondents consider their combined training to be an asset when seeking a job, 92% find it to be an asset to their career, and 88% think it provided added flexibility to job searches. The most commonly reported shortcoming was their ineligibility for the PEM sub-board certification. The lack of this designation was perceived to be a detriment to securing academic positions in dedicated children's hospitals. When surveyed regarding which training offers the better skill set for the practice of PEM, 90% (44/49) stated combined EM-PEDS training. When asked which training track gives them the better professional advancement in PEM, 52% (23/44) chose combined EM-PEDS residency, 27% (12/44) chose a pediatrics residency followed by a PEM fellowship, and 25% (11/44) chose an EM residency then a PEM fellowship. No EM-PEDS respondents considered PEM fellowship training after the completion of the dual training program.ConclusionEM-PEDS graduates found combined training to be an asset in their career. They felt that it provided flexibility in job searches, and that it was ideal training for the skill set required for the practice of PEM. EM-PEDS graduates' practices varied, including mixed settings, free-standing children's hospitals, and community emergency departments.



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