Emergency Medicine Residents of Ohio (EMRO)

Emergency Medicine Residents of Ohio (EMRO) is an organization within the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The goal of EMRO is to help meet the needs of Ohio's emergency medicine residents. EMRO also provides residents with career-enhancing resources, including education, opportunities for political activity and networking with emergency medicine attendings and residents throughout the state.

The EMRO Committee makes recommendations and proposals to the Ohio ACEP Board of Directors. These recommendations and proposals involve actions that will benefit Ohio's emergency medicine residents.

Any emergency medicine resident who joins Ohio ACEP automatically becomes a member of EMRO. Ohio ACEP encourages all the members of EMRO to attend quarterly EMRO Committee meetings. Ohio ACEP will reimburse residents for their mileage to and from the meetings which take place at Ohio ACEP headquarters in Columbus. Lunch is free for all that attend the meeting. Residents are also welcome to attend the annual member meeting.

EMRO also has a voice and vote on the Ohio ACEP Board of Directors. Each year, the members of EMRO elect one of their own to serve as the EMRO representative on the Board. 

 

 
Dear Ohio Emergency Medicine Residents,
As your new Ohio ACEP Chapter Resident Representative I would like to introduce myself. My name is Mary Werick, I am a third year chief resident at the Case Western/MetroHealth program in Cleveland. I am a native of Texas, completed my Doctorate of Medicine at SUNY Buffalo in New York and was raised in Connecticut. Having been a resident of many states I can say I am truly honored to be representing the Emergency Medicine residents of Ohio through one of the most involved and active chapters of ACEP in the nation. It is my hope that I can represent you all fully and fairly. I encourage your participation in this great chapter, please feel free to contact me with any concerns or contributions you may have regarding what is most certainly not just our career but our passion – Emergency Medicine.
I will be in touch with you all very soon and am excited to be representing you all!
Dr. Mary Werick
Sincerely,
 
Mary Michael Werick, MD
PGY-3 Chief Resident
Case Western Reserve/MetroHealth Medical Center/Cleveland Clinic

 

 

 

Life After Residency – It’s closer than you think!

contributed by: Mary Michael Werick, MD (Ohio ACEP Resident Representative)

As the end approaches, we can’t help but have a few questions about our future.  There is no hard and fast clinical decision rule or algorithm for choosing a job, which leaves many of us lost in a haze of recruitment flyers and endless options. Fellowship or not? Academic or community? Independent contractor or employee status? After much debate and questioning countless staff, I’ve found that while there is no algorithm, there are a few pearls to share that may be particularly useful to those residents approaching their final year (things I wish I had known in my second year). It may seem like graduation is a long way away but now is the time to start thinking about what you want your career to be.

 

1. Location, Location, Location …

Just as with real estate, location is often the number one driving force behind your job search. Whichever region you choose, be proactive in your job search. It’s best to call to inquire about jobs directly, search EM job websites, go to career fairs or find a headhunter. Would you like to travel before putting down roots?  If so, consider a locum tenens position; there are several companies that exclusively staff local and international positions, particularly in New Zealand and Australia. Once you’ve made this decision you’re 50% of the way there.

 

2. Academic or Community

Whether to choose academic or community medicine is also key. If you’ve enjoyed teaching your underclassmen, doing research and publishing, and you feel most at ease in a large academic institution with countless resources at your disposal, then consider a teaching position at a residency program. However; if you’d like to work more independently, do all of your own procedures and possibly even sleep (gasp) during a nice, slow 24 hour shift in the country, consider community medicine. Statistics show that most of us will elect a community setting. If you’re not sure which you prefer, consider moonlighting at a community ED in your area during your final year. This is the best way to practice independently and test the community waters before signing a contract.

 

3. Independent Contractor vs. Employee

You will find there are basically two types of positions available in emergency medicine, aside from academic vs. community: positions in which you are signed on as an independent contractor (IC) and positions in which you are considered an employee of a hospital/group. The difference between the two is basically this – as an employee your health, life and disability insurance are included in your benefits, possibly along with a retirement fund option, and your taxes are withdrawn automatically. Many prefer the simplicity of this package deal as well as the stability of being an employee with a more set schedule. As an independent contractor you will purchase insurance and benefits separately. However, you may earn slightly more with an independent contracting position as well as having a more flexible schedule. While IC will not include a set benefits package, most will at least include malpractice insurance with tail. “Tail” means insurance which covers any liabilities incurred during your tenure at that position. Most groups work in conjunction with a company that offers benefits at a discounted rate.

 

4. Getting your foot in the door

As with most specialties, networking is key. You’ve spent 3-4 years working closely with some of the best and brightest in your field and, hopefully, you’ve impressed them on some level. Ask for their advice and assistance with your job search. It is likely that they will be able to offer some valuable contacts and assistance. Don’t be afraid to do your own networking. ACEP meetings are a great place to meet with presidents of staffing companies, recruiters and other academic program leaders. Make friends with your colleagues and keep in touch – EM is a small, close-knit community and the contacts made in residency are sure to come in handy.

 

5. Ask all the right questions

So you’ve got an interview – congratulations! Here are a few questions you may want to ask during your site visit:

  • What are the practice members’ levels of training and expertise? How long have they been with the practice?
  • What type of medical equipment is available to you?
  • At which hospitals do the physicians have staff privileges? Are specialists available?
  • Can you eventually have an ownership position in the practice?
  • Where do the referrals come from?
  • What are the benefits of being a partner? What might the liabilities be?
  • What has their turnover rate been for the last couple of years? Have any physicians separated just prior to partnership being offered? If so, under what circumstances?
  • What is the typical patient load for each physician? 
  • What is the evening and weekend schedule?
  • What are the productivity expectations of the group for the incoming physician?
  • What are the threshold numbers? Are there incentives for exceeding the expectations? Alternatively, are there ramifications if you don’t meet expectations? If so, what are they?
  • Are there mandatory CME requirements? What is the paid time off for CME? Is there a CME allowance? If so, how much?
  • What is included in the benefit package?  a) days of vacation time; b) number of paid holidays, and what are they; c) health, dental, vision insurance costs and who pays; d) retirement contribution and vendor or administrator used (is it a matching plan or partially contributory or totally funded by the group); e) number of sick days permitted; f) is there long and short term disability.
  • What type of professional liability insurance coverage is provided (who pays the tail insurance premium if you leave for any reason, such as retirement or changing jobs)?
  • Does the practice and/or area qualify for any state or federal loan forgiveness programs?

 

6. Love your Lawyer

Whether you choose independent, employee, community or academic, be sure you know what you’re comfortable with and what you’re willing to take on. Before you sign a commitment statement or contract, review it with a lawyer who specializes in medical contracts and can negotiate terms for you. For example, a non-compete clause may be included in your contract and limits where and for whom you may work. Many democratic, physician-run groups offer an option to “buy in” to their company. Be sure to review the terms of becoming partner – some groups have a nebulous agreement to appoint you partner when they feel you’ve contributed enough (time, money, effort or whatever currency they see fit), while others state clearly that all that is required is two years’ work or the willingness to drop a few thousand dollars on stocks. Maybe you don’t know what you want from a contract right now, but don’t eschew the need for a little lawyerly advice – you could save yourself a big headache down the road with an ounce of prevention.

 

7. Don’t Panic

Nothing is permanent. If you end up in a place where you feel uncomfortable, or you realize you aren’t happy geographically, there is always time to change your mind, look around and try again.