Clinical Curriculum

Nothing can better prepare you for your career after residency than a high-volume, high-acuity clinical experience during residency. The majority of the clinical training occurs at University Medical Center (UMC) of Southern Nevada, the premier academic and tertiary care hospital in Nevada with a trauma catchment area that includes the entire state, as well as parts of UT, AZ and CA.  Our emergency departments are high-energy and fast-paced with a diverse patient population that brings exposure to an equally diverse range of pathology.

We are one of the few 3-year Emergency Medicine residencies to offer a 4-week elective rotation during the PGY-2 year, in addition to a second elective in the PGY-3 year, which affords our residents an opportunity to gain exposure to areas of interest earlier in their training, so they can make a more informed decision regarding potential fellowships.

Our first-year residents are afforded the opportunity to evaluate patients of any acuity level, including the critically ill, and spend 25 weeks in the Emergency Department. Other areas of focus include 4 weeks of trauma surgery (spent at the only Level 1 trauma center in the state), as well as 8 weeks on critical care services. The year also includes 2 weeks each of ENT, neurosurgery and OB-Gyn, as well as 1 week of anesthesia and 1 week of ED ultrasound. Our PGY-1 residents receive a very well-rounded experience, and many complete the year having logged enough procedures to fulfill multiple graduation requirements. PGY-1's have 17 shifts (12 hours) per EM block.

The second year at UNLV consists of an increased emphasis on EM, with 26 weeks spent in the Emergency Department. Our curriculum stays ahead of the curve with 8 more weeks of critical care training. The trauma ICU, which is consistently rated as one of the best rotation experiences, permits significant resident autonomy and affords a high number of procedures. PGY-2s travel to Denver for 4 weeks to rotate at the Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Center, one of the premier toxicology sites in the nation. PGY-2's have 17 shifts (12 hours) per EM block. 

The final year of training truly prepares all UNLV Emergency Medicine residents for long-term success as leaders and masters of resuscitation.  The majority of the year is spent in the ED (31 weeks total) with an additional 4 weeks of trauma surgery and 4 weeks of pediatric ICU – continuing the emphasis on critical care.  While in the ED, senior residents run the department, with increased focus on teaching junior residents and rotating medical students. PGY-3's have 16 shifts (12 hours) per EM block. 

Didactic Curriculum

Weekly Grand Rounds

EM Grand Rounds are held weekly on Wednesday mornings in our departmental conference room.  Faculty, residents and departmental staff are invited, and this is protected time (no clinical duties) for the emergency medicine residents.  Our conference is constantly evolving in order to remain at the cutting-edge of education and provide the highest-yield learning for our residents.  This time is fun and collaborative, and often leads to lively discussions.  Regular features include:

• ACES: boards-style quizzes and review
• Case Conference Series
• Core Content Lectures
• Radiology Rounds
• EKG Rounds

• Morbidity and Mortality Conference
• Ultrasound Lectures and Skills Labs
• High-fidelity Simulation
• Asynchronous Learning and Small-group Sessions
• Research Methodologies Series
• Guest Lectures via Videoconference

Mock Oral Boards

One of the many goals of residency training in emergency medicine is preparation for passage of the ABEM (American Board of Emergency Medicine) certification examinations. To this end, our residents participate in Mock Oral Boards once per quarter during Wednesday Grand Rounds. Under the direction of Dr. Berkeley, the cases are designed to challenge the residents, as well as develop consistent and effective test-taking habits via regular practice.  Many of our faculty, including Drs. Baydoun, Berkeley, Patel, and Young, have served as faculty instructors at the national AAEM Oral Boards Review Course.

Our graduates are fully prepared to take the ABEM Oral Boards Examination with a 100% overall pass rate, and the Mock Oral Boards series helps ensure they are confident in their test-taking abilities.

Simulation Lab

The Nevada System of Higher Education operates a multi-disciplinary, multi-institution Simulation Center clinical skills laboratory, which is used on a regular basis by the Emergency Medicine residency. Simulation days occur quarterly and are usually held in conjunction with emergency ultrasound skills labs. Jordana Haber, M.D., our Simulation Director, has developed a comprehensive battery of challenging and  engaging scenarios. This is not about the adoption of technology for its own sake, but rather the enhancement of training by providing an opportunity for residents to develop resuscitation leadership skills and master the management of high-risk ED scenarios.

The 31,000 square-foot facility houses a fully integrated space for high fidelity simulation, standardized patient instruction, and procedural skills development. There are separate debriefing rooms that also allow remote viewing of simulations in action, classrooms for instruction sessions, as well as a lecture hall. The simulation facility is also used by other residents and medical students from the UNLV, as well as nursing students from UNLV and Nevada State College.

Journal Club

Held on the 4th Tuesday of each month at the home of one of our faculty or at a local park, EM Journal Club provides an opportunity for faculty, residents, and students to get together in a relaxed and informal environment to discuss pertinent EM literature and topics.  Journal Club is led by David Slattery, M.D., the departmental Research Director, and helps residents put into practice the critical appraisal skills taught in the research lecture series. Lively debate regarding evidence-based medicine is the norm, as the group critically reviews the recent scientific literature in order to determine its applicability to real-world clinical practice in the ED.