An Emergency Physician’s Path: What to Expect After an Emergency Medicine Residency

A career in emergency medicine can be truly rewarding, despite the long hours and adverse conditions. The decision to embark on this journey typically starts during medical school, usually with the allure of resuscitations and life-saving procedures performed in the fast-paced environment of the emergency department. During an emergency medicine residency, the young physician is faced with career decisions that may involve working in a community or academic emergency department setting, or pursuing specialization through fellowship. Following residency and fellowship training, the emergency physician may decide to purely work clinically in an emergency department, or combine clinical responsibilities with administrative, education or research pursuits.

This unique text provides medical students, residents, fellows and attending physicians with a comprehensive guide to be successful in a career in emergency medicine. Sections include the history of emergencymedicine, choosing a career in emergency medicine from a medical student’s point of view, pursuing fellowship and additional training, community and academic careers in emergency medicine, career options in emergency medicine, critical skills in emergency medicine, research/scholarship, being a teacher, and carving a path in emergency medicine. All chapters are written by experts in the field, representing emergency departments throughout North America.

Robert P. Olympia, MD, Departments of Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
Robert Olympia, a native of the greater Philadelphia area, completed his General Pediatrics residency at the DuPont Hospital for Children and his Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. Although proud of the almost 20 years spent at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center working clinically in the emergency department as well as his role as an educator, researcher, and mentor, he is most proud of his family - wife Jodi, and daughters Abigail and Madelyn.

Elizabeth Barrall Werley, MD, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
Elizabeth Barrall Werley, MD, FACEP, completed her Emergency Medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ. She then worked clinically in a community setting at Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, PA, where she also served as EMS Medical Director. Upon transitioning to Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center, she found her passion for medical education and academic medicine, previously serving as the Associate Program Director then the Program Director for Penn State’s Emergency Medicine residency, and now holding a teaching role within the Penn State College of Medicine’s Health Systems Science Office. She also enjoys advancing the field of emergency medicine through active involvement and leadership roles within several emergency medicine organizations, both regionally and nationally.

Jeffrey S. Lubin, MD, MPH, Departments of Emergency Medicine & Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
Jeffrey Lubin completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Brown University and his Emergency Medical Services Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to clinical work in the Emergency Department, he has spent his career in a variety of leadership positions, including as a Prehospital Division Chief, Director of an MD/MPH Dual Degree program, Director of Quality, and Research Director.

Kahyun Yoon-Flannery, DO, MPH, FACS, Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Camden, NJ, USA
Kahyun Yoon-Flannery, DO, MPH, FACS is the Co-Director of the Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center and the Director of Quality and Process Improvement at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper in Camden, NJ. Dr. Flannery also serves as the Vice Chair of the Membership Committee for the American Society of Breast Surgeons as well as a site reviewer for the National Accreditation Program of Breast Centers (NAPBC) and the Society of Surgical Oncology. She lives with her husband of almost 20 years, Peter, and their 4 kids, Ella, Leo, Max and Nathan, who remind her everyday that family is above all else.