GW Emergency Medicine Residents work primarily in two emergency departments: the George Washington University Hospital and the INOVA Fairfax Hospital. Time is also spent at Children's National and the VA Medical Center. Each hospital offers a diverse patient population which provides a broad training experience.
The George Washington University Hospital
The George Washington University Hospital, which was built in August 2002, is certified as a Level 1 trauma center, a JCAHCO-certified stroke center, and a DC-certified STEMI Center. The Emergency Department (ED) receives over 85,000 patients yearly. Approximately 19% of patients are admitted with a high volume of critically ill patients. Residents work nine-hour shifts during the week and 12-hour shifts on the weekends. The program’s conference day is Wednesday, during which there are 4.5 hours of scheduled didactic sessions each week. There are three attendings on duty during the busiest part of the day for supervision and bedside teaching. Junior residents are responsible for seeing both less complicated and critically ill patients alike. They are supervised by both attendings and senior residents. Additionally, the senior residents aid in managing the more critically ill patients, assisting with invasive procedures, and leading the trauma team on days assigned to the emergency medicine residents.
In addition to the ED, the following rotations are at the GW Hospital:
- Cardiology/CCU
- ICU (At GW we have a mixed ICU, so you will experience SICU, MICU, and NeuroICU during this rotation)
- Adult anesthesia
- Trauma Surgery
- ED ultrasound
- EMS
- Toxicology (with the National Capital Poison Center)
- Teaching Resident/QA
- Obstetrics
INOVA Fairfax Hospital
INOVA Fairfax is a 833-bed medical center located in Fairfax, Virginia, about 10 miles from GW. It is Northern Virginia's only Level 1 trauma center. It also includes a Women's and Children's Hospital, the INOVA Heart and Vascular Institute, and one of the nation's busiest obstetrics programs. The emergency department has undergone an expansion and renovation and serves more than 80,000 patients each year. Our residents work in the major side of the ED and the Pediatric ED. Both are well staffed with attending board certified emergency physicians. Hours and shifts are similar to the GW ED.
In addition to the ED, the following rotations are at Inova Fairfax Hospital:
- Pediatric ED
- General Emergency Medicine
- ICU
- Trauma ICU
- Pediatric ICU
Children's National Health System
Children's National Health System (Children's National) is a world-class pediatric tertiary care hospital and referral center for pediatric trauma, cancer, burns, neonatology, specialty care, and critical care. The ED serves more than 80,000 children per year. In the pediatric ED our residents are supervised and taught by both pediatric emergency medicine attendings and pediatric emergency medicine fellows. As all types of pediatric patients are seen, this rotation helps to develop the resident's clinical accumen for both simple and complex pediatric emergency patients.
In addition to the ED our residents rotate in pediatric anesthesia at Children's National.
The Washington VA Medical Center
This PGY-1 rotation is in a low-volume, high-acuity ED that serves the veteran population in the D.C. metropolitan area. Interns work one-on-one with an ED attending physician. It is a wonderful opportunity to understand the differences in patient management decisions that occur in an integrated, closed, delivery system compared to those in an ED in a university or community hospital.