What is the interaction like between residents and faculty?

Teaching comes directly from board certified attending emergency physicians. We have a diverse and dynamic faculty who are dedicated to you and your education. In addition, a number of group experiences are planned in order to foster mentorship and collegiality between residents and faculty members, as we feel strongly that this forms an important part of the overall residency experience.

What is your Departmental status within the hospital and at the School of Medicine?

The Department of Emergency Medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC), MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH) and Georgetown University School of Medicine enjoy full departmental status and have a completely integrated Faculty, with Mark Smith, MD serving as the Chair of our physician group and Professor & Chairman of our academic department.

How are the ancillary services at Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital?

Both MWHC and MGUH are world-class medical centers with a full armamentarium of ancillary services at your disposal. The nursing staff is very clinically experienced, and are accustomed to routinely working with students, interns and residents.

Do you have enough time outside of the hospital to study and to have a personal life?

Our training philosophy incorporates the importance of continual learning through self-study and wellness through breadth of life experience. We feel that these outside factors directly relate to improved patient care and to the development of a well-rounded clinician who will achieve a high degree of overall career satisfaction.

Where do most of the residents in this program live?

The greater Washington, DC region provides numerous living options. Our faculty and residents live primarily in Washington, DC, suburban Maryland (Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties) or Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax County).

If I come here, will I pass the boards?

The goal of residency training is to ultimately develop clinicians who are experts in the practice of Emergency Medicine. This includes achievement of Board Certification in the specialty. Our clinical and didactic curriculum focuses on the development of all necessary skills and knowledge essential to accomplishing this goal. To date, all of our graduates have passed the boards.

Who manages airways at your institution?

At our institutions, emergency airways in the ED are managed by emergency physicians. We have a rich history in Emergency Medicine practice and training. We have developed and maintained collegial relationships with other Departments within our institutions over the course of decades. As such, we are fortunate to have excellent working relationships with physicians representing diverse medical specialties, including anesthesia and trauma. Both medical and trauma airways are managed by our residents and attendings.

Will I have the opportunity to ride on helicopters during the EMS/Emergency Preparedness Rotation?

Our department operates MedStar Transport, one of the busiest hospital-based aeromedical transport services in the country. Ample opportunities exist for helicopter and ground transport during training. Residents can also gain more in-depth experience during an elective month (EM-2 or EM-3 Year). Importantly, there is no required flight time of any form at any time during training.

How far away are the affiliated institutions?

MedStar Washington Hospital Center is located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, DC. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is approximately 5 miles west (20-25 minute drive at peak traffic times) in the historic Georgetown neighborhood along the Potomac River. Children’s National Medical Center shares the same medical campus as MedStar Washington Hospital Center and is directly adjacent to the MWHC ED. Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, approximately 20 miles northwest of MWHC (30-35 minute drive at peak traffic times). INOVA Fairfax Hospital is located in Falls Church, Virginia, approximately 20 minutes away from most locations within Washington, DC. Residents also rotate at Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore, and a 1 bedroom apartment solely for our residents is provided in Baltimore. This apartment is within walking distance to hospital.

View a map of our affiliates.

Additional questions? Feel free to enter them below

Send us your inquiry on our contact page. We will contact you individually and also post your question and answer on this very page.