Our residency is enriched by our unique residents and all they contribute to our program.
Here are just a few of the activities that make our program truly special and an excellent community in which to train.
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.
This year, 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.
The SHIFA Aloha Inn Clinic occurs twice a month at the Aloha Inn, a transitional housing program for formerly homeless adults. Senior residents and faculty volunteer their time to work with University of Washington medical students to see Aloha Inn residents.
Community service
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 the joys experienced in emergency medicine. EASE evenings take place every other month throughout the year.
Faculty and resident relationship building: Mt. Rainier Day
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.
Dr. Martin Makela’s summer boat outings
A favorite summertime tradition, Dr. Martin Makela takes residents and faculty out on his boat every Wednesday during the summer. They cruise around Lake Union, stop for fish and chips at Ivar’s, and revel in the beauty of Seattle summers.
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.