Community ED vs. Academic/University-Based ED?  You don’t have to choose.  At Nebraska residents work in the busiest ED in the region (annual census ~49.5K), with a patient population that combines tertiary referral center/academic institution/county hospital EM with community ED practice.  In fact, the Nebraska Medical Center ED was built between two hospitals- one of the leading private community hospitals in the region, Clarkson Hospital, and the a top academic institution in our state, the University of Nebraska Medical Center/University Hospital.  The new ED, a state-of-the-art facility designed by our EM faculty for optimal patient care and resident learning, now serves the combined patient populations for the two former hospitals.

Small Program Relationships vs. Big Program Opportunities?  Residents training at Nebraska are a part of a close-knit group of residents and staff while still enjoying big program benefits such as a toxicology program/poison center, full basic science research capabilities, an ultrasound program led by a fellowship trained ultrasonographer, a comprehensive pediatric clinical experience including both high acuity ED and inpatient pediatric intensive care, and an innovative educational program that has developed procedure training models and interactive didactics that meet the specific needs of the learners in the program.

Toxicology:  The Nebraska Regional Poison Control Center is staffed by two ABMT certified toxicologists who you will also work with on your shifts in the ED.  The poison center provides medical direction for a multi-state state region as well as the western Pacific. 

Pediatric EM:  What’s best?  Learning pediatric EM in a Children’s Hospital ED one month out of the year or in an ED that sees both peds and adults on every shift you work?  Who knows for sure, so our residents will do both.  Our base ED sees ~25% pediatric patient with the highest acuity in the region.  But, we further strengthen your pediatric experience through pediatric intensive care and a new pediatric ED experience to begin in 2008 at Children’s Hospital of Omaha.

Ultrasound Education:  We devote a month of the EM1 year to comprehensive US training directed by our fellowship-trained ultrasonographer.  We have also developed cadaveric models that allow our residents to hone their ultrasound-guided procedure skills in an environment conducive to deliberate practice and learning.

Research:  Basic Science or Clinical?  Residents can do both at Nebraska.  We offer the opportunity for our residents to participate in basic science investigations with a full research laboratory in the Durham Research Center.  Our department includes a Ph.D. research scientist and support personnel necessary for our residents to succeed in their first steps toward an academic career.

Urban vs. Suburban or Rural Community?  Our residents experience both during their residency, and then make a more informed decision regarding location and type of practice once they graduate.  We offer a clinical EM experience that is uniquely Nebraska: the rural EM experience in Scottsbluff or North Platte.  Our residents see firsthand what practicing EM as a solo practitioner in a busy ED where they are the go-to physician for an entire community and region.

The Beach or the Mountains?  Our residents don’t have to stress over this one.  At Nebraska we have neither to distract our residents from becoming the best EPs they can be.  In all seriousness, Nebraska provides an environment that balances the stresses inherent to residency training with a low stress living environment that includes a low-cost-of-living, short commute times, and safe neighborhoods. 

For our potential applicants, we encourage them to consider participating in an externship experience in our ED, in order to make a more informed residency choice.

Thank you for your interest and support of our program.   

Michael C. Wadman, M.D., FACEP
Associate Professor and Program Director
Emergency Medicine Residency Program
University of Nebraska College of Medicine