University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Program

The Emergency Medicine Residency at Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, was established in 2012 and is designed to develop physician leaders who are adept at addressing both individual patient needs and systemic challenges in healthcare. This three-year program produces eight graduates annually, providing a dynamic and learner-centered experience.

Program Overview

The residency emphasizes a comprehensive educational framework that includes a strong teaching component, excellent attending-to-resident ratios, and multiple hospital training sites. This approach equips residents with the requisite skills to operate in diverse healthcare environments post-graduation. Serving vulnerable populations forms a core part of the training, aligning medical practice with community needs.

Curriculum

The curriculum features numerous educational components aimed at fostering leadership and clinical excellence. Residents participate in a block curriculum with extensive exposure in emergency medicine across the four primary training sites. As part of the formal education, weekly didactics merge clinical practice with evidence-based medicine. Small group learning sessions are tailored per resident class to focus on essential skills, research, and administrative aspects of emergency medicine.

The training schedule allocates significant time for clinical rotations including a mix of emergency medicine and critical care specialties. Each year features rotations across various hospitals including Dell Seton Medical Center, Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin, and Dell Children's Medical Center, ensuring exposure to adult and pediatric cases alike.1

Training Sites

Residents benefit from diverse training environments:

• Dell Seton Medical Center: A 211-bed teaching hospital and Central Texas’ sole Level 1 trauma center, Dell Seton serves as the primary teaching site. It handles over 70,000 emergency visits yearly and is undergoing a significant expansion to enhance capacity and service delivery.
• Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin: With 534 beds and extensive medical resources, this center handles around 35,000 emergency visits annually and provides extensive surgical and specialty care.
• Dell Children’s Medical Center: Known for its pediatric emergency services, this facility accommodates approximately 79,000 visits annually and offers specialized programs for pediatric emergencies including an affiliated fellowship.
• Ascension Seton Highland Lakes: This critical access hospital offers a unique rural emergency medicine rotation for PGY-3 residents, enriching their practice in low-resource settings.
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Research and Scholarly Activity

Research plays a vital role within the residency. The faculty and residents are actively engaged in scholarly pursuits that span various domains, including high-profile studies published in reputable journals. Collaborative opportunities abound, with residents encouraged to participate in research initiatives and present findings.3

Competitiveness and Application Process

The program values diversity in its residents, welcoming applicants from both MD and DO backgrounds, as well as international medical graduates (IMGs). The program encourages a range of experiences, including those with prior residency training in other specialties. Applicants are reviewed based on a complete application submitted through ERAS, which must include USMLE or COMLEX transcripts, letters of recommendation from emergency medicine rotations, and a personal statement.4

Eligibility requirements include maintaining an overall strong academic record and the desirable completion of medical school within a specified timeframe, alongside a maximum of one failed STEP examination attempt.

For international candidates, the program provides visa sponsorship options, specifically J-1 visas, facilitating participation for qualified applicants.5

Resident Life

Austin's vibrant culture enhances the residency experience, as it is consistently rated among the best cities to live in, featuring numerous recreational activities, a thriving food scene, and an active lifestyle. Residents receive numerous benefits, including memberships in professional organizations and access to extensive medical resources, thereby augmenting their medical education and networking opportunities.6