The EMERGE program utilizes a multifaceted approach of didactics, experiential learning, and mentorship/career development to achieve the program goals.
EMERGE Scholars receive a foundation in research ethics through the completion of CITI human subjects ethics training and NIH Good Clinical Practice Training. They also attend the monthly EM Journal Club in which a critical review of the literature is conducted to answer a clinical question in emergency care. The monthly EM Research Seminar series also allows them to observe advanced research presentations from faculty investigators.
Emergency Care Research (ECR) Fundamentals Series: The ECR Fundamentals series consists of weekly lunch didactic lectures/discussions focusing on key fundamental aspects of clinical research with a special attention to the unique aspects of emergency care research. These lectures are given primarily by the EMERGE Program Director but also incorporate other Program Faculty Mentors. Lecture topics currently include:
• EMERGE Bootcamp
• Introduction to Emergency Care Research
• Considerations in Emergency Care Study Design
• Ethics in Emergency Care Research
• Recruitment and Retention Strategies in Emergency Care Research
• Data Analysis and Dissemination
• Instruction to Research Funding
Mentored Research Project – The cornerstone for the EMERGE program is a mentored clinical research project undertaken by the EMERGE Scholars to gain experience in emergency care topic areas and methodology. EMERGE Faculty Mentors meet with the EMERGE Scholars at least once a week to review progress on the project. The EMERGE Scholars write an abstract and present a 15 minute presentation at an EMERGE research symposium to give them experience in research dissemination which occurs at national conferences. EMERGE Faculty Mentors have been selected with experience with emergency care research as well as experience with EMERGE Scholar mentoring. The research of these EMERGE Faculty Mentors ranges from data driven research, to observational studies, to acute clinical trials. Topic areas of this research from which the EMERGE Scholars can choose a project includes stroke, respiratory failure, sedation, immune response to respiratory infections, COVID/influenza vaccine effectiveness, gun violence prevention, patient safety and quality, skin infections, disaster medicine, emergency procedures, cardiac arrest, opioid use disorder, traumatic brain injury, social determinants of health, and health equity.
Emergency Medicine Clinical Shadow Shifts – EMERGE Scholars shadow program mentors during 4-hour emergency department clinical shifts weekly providing the EMERGE Scholars with 24 hours of clinical shadowing in the acute care environment.
Emergency Care Research Shadow Shifts – EMERGE Scholars also shadow Emergency Care Research Core (ECRC Staff) during 4 hour shifts weekly. These 24 hours of shadowing provide EMERGE Scholars with hands-on exposure to prospective clinical study enrollment in the emergency environment including screening, consent processes, data collection, and sample collection and processing. This also allows them to see the real-life manifestation of the ethics and methodology foundations covered in the didactics series.
Optional Subspecialty Shadow Shifts – EMERGE Scholars also choose shadow opportunities in subspecialty areas within emergency care including toxicology and addiction medicine, neurologic emergencies, emergency ultrasound, critical care, and emergency medical services/disaster medicine.
EMERGE Scholars meet at least weekly with their EMERGE Faculty Mentor to review conduction of the ECR Project. The EMERGE Program Director also has mentorship meetings with all program participants regularly throughout the program to discuss progress in the program and career goals.
Careers in Focus Series: Weekly lunch sessions are held to introduce the EMERGE Scholars to possible career choices in emergency medicine and emergency care research. EMERGE Faculty Mentors representing diverse career opportunities tell their career stories and provide advice on building a career in their respective areas. Possible Careers in Focus presentations may include:
| Stacey House, MD, PhD | Careers in Research Administration in EM |
| Opeolu Adeoye, MD, MS | Careers in Administration and Clinical Trials Research |
| Kristen Mueller, MD | Health Policy and Injury Prevention Research in EM |
| Philip Mudd, MD, PhD | Building a Translational Science Career in EM |
| Richard Griffey, MD, MPH | Careers in Patient Safety and Quality |
| Enyo Ablordeppey, MD, MPH | Combining EM, Critical Care, and De-implementation Science |
| Brian Fuller, MD, MSCI | Combining EM, Critical Care, and Research |
| Peter Panagos, MD | Building Collaborative Research in Stroke |
| Laura Heitsch, MD | Biobanking and Stroke Genetics |
| Kevin Baumgartner, MD | Careers in Toxicology Research |
| Brendan Watson, MD, PhD | Basic Science Research in EM |
| Daniel Theodoro, MD, MSCI | Emergency Ultrasound and Procedure Research |
| Stephen Liang, MD | Careers in EM and Infectious Disease |
