Objectives to direct the training of emergency medicine residents on off-service rotations

Up to 50% of the 36 months of resident training in emergency medicine may be on off-service rotations. The experience on these rotations can lack educational content and opportunity pertinent to emergency medicine. The resident rarely has readily available and structured guidance to optimize training in terms of the anticipated needs of the specialty. In response to this problem, the authors have written curricula containing subject content listings, objectives, and supplied references for 16 off-service rotations. A plan for implementing the materials and an example from the obstetrics-gynecology rotation is given. After 12 months' experience, the authors have subjective responses from residents and off-service program directors that support the value of this information. Positive reports include: Residents having a better understanding of faculty expectations, improved “consistency of experience,” residents appreciating the added attention, improved performance, and expanded reading efforts. One expressed concern is “too much to read.” The project continues to evolve.