Critical Care Pathway

The mission of the Critical Care Pathway in Emergency Medicine is to offer Emergency Medicine (EM) residents comprehensive exposure to the field of critical care medicine through mentorship, academic opportunity, clinical experience, and research support in order to develop the next generation of Emergency Medicine-Critical Care Medicine (EM-CCM) trained physicians.

• Develop additional clinical knowledge and procedural skills relevant to a career in Critical Care medicine
• Provide exposure to unique Critical Care practice environments and care models
• Partner with and support multidisciplinary Critical Care providers on research and quality improvement projects aimed to improve care of the critically ill
• Prepare trainees for the Critical Care fellowship application process
• Provide dedicated mentorship by EM-CCM faculty members to residents interested in pursuing additional training in critical care medicine

Clinical Experience

In addition to the four required ICU residency rotations, residents interested in pursing a critical care medicine fellowship have the opportunity to rotate through several unique intensive care units (ICU) during selective months. Available ICUs include the neurointensive care unit, cardiac care unit, and cardiothoracic and vascular surgery intensive care units. During these rotations, residents are exposed to clinical knowledge and applications of:

Acute post-stroke management

Intracranial pressure monitoring devices

Mechanical circulatory support devices:

• Impellas
• Intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP)
• Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs)
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Post-cardiac surgery management including heart and lung transplant

Education

Residents participate in, attend, and/or lead a number of educational activities including EM-CCM curriculum lectures, journal clubs, Emory Critical Care Center grand rounds, Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine and Anesthesiology grand rounds, multidisciplinary Critical Care interest group meetings, international tele-medicine didactics, and Critical Care simulation sessions. They also are encouraged to participate in the Critical Care clerkship didactic and simulation sessions for fourth year medical students.

Scholarship

With the support of EM-CCM faculty mentors, participants are required to complete one scholarly project of publishable quality relevant to the care of critically ill patients. The project may also serve as the participant’s required individual scholarly activity for residency graduation. The abundance of Critical Care research opportunities at Emory affords participants vast opportunities for publication. Participants are encouraged to develop case reviews and literature reviews for submission to peer-reviewed journals or other organized (i.e. professional) publications. Further scholarship is encouraged through membership in national and regional organizations such as the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and SCCM’s Southeast Chapter.

Mentorship

Residents are paired directly with EM-CCM faculty or fellow mentors who are passionate about Critical Care and resident education. The goal of this relationship is to provide direction, insight, and advice regarding a career in EM-CCM. The mentor will provide guidance for scholarly project development and other research, clinical, or educational endeavors. Mentors review curricula vitae and personal statements during the fellowship application process and assist with mock interviews and program selection.  

Please visit the Emory Emergency Medicine Residency's Instagram account to see the Instagram Live on Critical Care at Emory EM. Learn more about the critical care pathway and mentorship.

If you are interested in learning more about the Critical Care Pathway, please reach out to pathway leadership.