The EM/IM block schedule is designed to accommodate the training requirements of both EM and IM.  Combined residents spend the same amount of time – or more – on the floors, in the units, in the ED, and in Clinic as do categorical residents in each program.  Additionally, our residents participate in other required and elective rotations in each specialty (i.e Ultrasound, EMS, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonary Medicine, Sports Medicine, etc).  Residents on their clinic blocks cover the Invasive Procedure Team (IPT) at LIJ Medical Center every morning (clinic starts after lunch).  This team was founded by EM/IM residents in 2010 in order to facilitate care for patients waiting on bedside procedures (paracentesis, lumbar puncture, thoracentesis, midline venous access, central venous access, arthrocentesis).

The 2 + 8

Year 1 and year 5 are scheduled on a four week rotation so that each block last 2 or 4 weeks.  Years 2, 3, and 4 are scheduled on a 2 + 8 cycle – residents have 2 weeks of clinic every 8 weeks. If the first hemiblock of the year is 2 weeks of clinic, it will be followed by 8 weeks of other stuff. For example: Two weeks of clinic could be followed by 2 weeks vacation, 4 weeks floors, 2 weeks Ultrasound (Total = 8 weeks). Then this resident would have 2 weeks of clinic again, followed by 8 more weeks of other rotations.

We developed this scheduling solution to allow for some predictability and regularity, to ensure that we meet all training requirements including ambulatory medicine, and in order to eliminate the need for EM/IM residents to attend to clinic while also covering inpatients on the wards.  The 2+8 also provides for protected Wellness Days (2 half days every clinic block).

Schedule Notes

• Every year includes 4 weeks of vacation.
• All EM/IM residents (with their EM peers) spend 4 weeks at UMD Shock Trauma (housing provided).
• The EM program schedules some Pediatric EM shifts within General EM blocks, even if there are no specific PEM blocks assigned.
• Emergency Medicine rotations are generally split 50/50 between North Shore University Hospital and LIJ Medical Center. 
• Internal Medicine rotations are mostly done at LIJ Medical Center.
• ICU rotations are split between North Shore University Hospital and LIJ Medical Center.
• EM/IM residents also rotate at community sites for EM and for Critical Care. 
• The EM/IM Clinic is held at the Northwell Health MSGO (Medical Specialties at Glen Oaks) 
• All numbers below represent number of WEEKS spent on each rotation during each year.
• The schedule: Block-schedule-EMIM-and-EMIMCC-2021