Atlantic Health System/Morristown Medical Center Program

Morristown Medical Center’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program has a long-standing history, being established in 1978, making it New Jersey’s oldest ACGME accredited program. The program is structured to provide first-class training in a tertiary medical center, where residents benefit from both academic and clinical mentorship. The residency emphasizes a team-based approach to learning, leveraging the latest assessment tools within a modern emergency department setting. Alumni of the program have successfully advanced to significant roles as directors of emergency departments, academic emergency physicians, and specialists who have completed fellowships in diverse areas such as emergency medical services, emergency ultrasound, hyperbaric medicine, toxicology, critical care, and pediatric emergency medicine 1.

The Department of Emergency Medicine at Morristown Medical Center operates a comprehensive emergency department, with 89 treatment rooms and additional overflow capacity for up to 60 patients. Each year, the department sees over 100,000 patients and is recognized as a NJ State designated Comprehensive Stroke Center and an American College of Surgeons Level 1 Trauma Center. Additionally, it has been awarded the Emergency Nursing Association Lantern Award, demonstrating its high standards of care 1.

Curriculum and Rotations

The residency program's curriculum includes a mix of lectures, conferences, and hands-on rotations. Morning reports are held daily to review cases and cover core emergency medicine principles, while weekly conferences concentrate on critical emergency medicine content, supplemented by monthly skills labs and journal clubs 4.

For PGY-1 residents, the training includes seven blocks in the emergency department, featuring various shifts in both adult and pediatric emergency settings, alongside rotations in medical and surgical intensive care units and emergency medical services. As residents progress into PGY-2 and PGY-3 years, they will spend increased time in emergency settings with additional flexibility for elective rotations. For example, PGY-2 includes rural medicine shifts, and PGY-3 allows rotations in specialized areas such as trauma and toxicology 6.

Research Opportunities

Residents are encouraged to engage in research, with faculty support available for projects that can lead to presentations at national conferences. Each resident is expected to collaborate and contribute to research projects during their training period, enhancing their clinical and academic experience 6.

Application Process

The Morristown Medical Center's Emergency Medicine Residency accepts applications for eight PGY-1 positions through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The application must include essential components such as a personal statement, medical school transcripts, letters of reference—including one from an emergency medicine physician—and proof of USMLE or COMLEX scores. Interviews are conducted by invitation only and typically run from early November to the end of January, primarily on Tuesdays 2.

Competitiveness and Special Requirements

The program is generally considered competitive but is also known for being friendly towards applicants from diverse backgrounds, including DOs and International Medical Graduates (IMGs). There are no specific restrictions on the year of graduation, but applicants should be aware of the program's expectations of academic performance as reflected in USMLE or COMLEX scores 2.

Visa Support

The program offers visa sponsorships for qualified international residents, facilitating the application process for J-1 and H-1B visa types. This ensures that talented individuals from across the globe can apply and join the residency program without being hindered by visa issues, promoting diversity and a global perspective within the residency 3.

Faculty and Mentorship

The faculty at the Morristown Medical Center’s Emergency Medicine Residency comprises a diverse group of board-certified attending physicians who bring different specialties to the training environment. Faculty members include experts in various aspects of emergency medicine, enhancing the educational experience by offering mentorship and guidance to residents throughout their training 5.