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Advocacy and Patient Support

UW Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) faculty and residents are broadly engaged in patient advocacy and patient support throughout the region. Previously, residents organized a volunteer day at Seattle’s Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), an organization dedicated to providing integrated services including housing, emergency shelter, crisis intervention, and health care to thousands of homeless and formerly homeless people every day. ​Residents cleaned the shelter and prepared dinner for those staying at the shelter.

Senior residents and faculty volunteer their time to work with the University of Washington medical students to see Aloha Inn residents.

  • Al-Shifa Clinic: Al-Shifa is a student-run clinic for underserved, predominantly immigrant communities.
  • Aloha Inn: The Aloha Inn provides transitional housing for 66 formerly homeless residents and has an inter-professional, student-run free clinic. 

Community servicevolunteering

Residents and attendings volunteer to provide medical coverage for local athletic events such as the Rock and Roll Marathon, Tough Mudder, Seattle Marathon, and other community events. This provides a fun and unique opportunity to bring skills from the ED into the field and support these participants in their recreation efforts. 

Emotional Alchemy Storytelling Events (EASE)

EASE is a by residents, for residents gathering focused on sharing stories and community building. EASE aims to create a space where residents can freely share difficult experiences, hardships, and joys experienced in emergency medicine. EASE evenings take place every other month throughout the year.

Faculty and resident relationship building: Mt. Rainier Dayski trip

There’s snow in the Pacific Northwest into late June, so faculty, residents, and incoming interns got together last June for a UW DEM skiing and hiking day. The trek to Camp Muir is a Pacific Northwest classic with absolutely beautiful views.

Brewing the intern beer

Starting with the inaugural intern class, a former member of the residency leadership team brewed a special beer for the incoming interns. Current interns are enlisted to help with the brew by Dr. Bjorn Watsjold, and brew day is a day of celebration as the current class gets ready to transition. Brews have included “Aubergenie in a Bottle” and the “Harborview Handshake Hefeweizen” just to name a few.

Women in EM/Title IX

Title IX, our residency’s Women in EM group, was started as a result of resident inspiration to increase the support of career development for women in Emergency Medicine. The group is organized and supported by faculty, including Drs. Liza Rosenman, Marie Vrablik, Lauren Whiteside, Sachita Shah, and Jamie Shandro. 

The group meets quarterly for dinner or brunch for a discussion on an educational topic or on particular issues faced by women in medicine, particularly emergency medicine.

Residency Wellness Resources

There are many resources available to support resident wellness and life outside of the clinical setting.

Here are some of the programs available to UW residents: