General InformationAbout Emergency Medicine (EM)
Existing as part of the SUNY Upstate Medical University, the Upstate Emergency Medicine Residency Program was established in 1991 as a three year training program. The first graduating class of six residents completed their training in 1995. Alumni have spread throughout the United States and have found jobs in a variety of clinical settings including fellowship positions.
Now graduating ten residents per year, the Upstate EM program has enjoyed the honor of maintaining accreditation by the Residency Review Committee (RRC) since its inception.
Situated in Syracuse, New York, the Upstate EM program provides its residents with one of the highest quality learning environments in both academic and community settings. The Department of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University exists to promote the specialty of Emergency Medicine and related specialties through excellence in scholarly patient care, education, and research. Just as the field of Emergency Medicine is always changing, the EM program at Upstate is equally dynamic:
- In 1993 the Emergency Medicine Training Center was established.
- In 2002 the Center for Emergency Preparedness was created
- In August 2005 the Alternate site Emergency Department at the New York State Fairgrounds, sponsored in part by SUNY Upstate and the university's Center for Emergency Preparedness, was opened.
- In November 2005 the EM-STAT (Emergency Medicine: Simulation Technology and Training) Center was created.
Clinical Training Sites
Resident education occurs at University Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital, the Central New York Regional Certified Poison Center, and EM-STAT. These clinical sites allow for a wide variety of patient interactions. Indigent and insured, urban and rural, primary and tertiary care patients are all found in these various clinical sites, giving Upstate EM Residents a large breadth of experience and preparing them well for future practice in nearly any clinical environment from large academic centers to small community EDs.
Hands-on Vehicle Extrication Experience
Vehicular trauma, often requiring extrication and spinal immobilization, may account for a majority of trauma patients presenting to University Hospital Emergency Department. In 1997, program coordinators identified a need to enhance the prehospital knowledge and interaction between Emergency Medicine residents and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers specifically looking at vehicle extrication. Since that time, the program has evolved into a unique, "hands-on" experience, providing all Emergency Medicine residents in our program with the opportunity to spend time at the Manlius Volunteer Fire Department learning the basics of vehicle extrication.
Research
The Department of Emergency Medicine at Upstate has many current research activities, including serving as a primary research location for a number of national studies. Residents are encouraged to participate in research projects. Additionally, laboratory space is available within the Department of Emergency Medicine. Please see our research page for more detail.
Program Faculty and Staff
Gary Johnson, MD, FACEP Assoc. Professor, Residency Program Director
Thomas Lavoie, MD, FACEP, Assistant Professor, Assistant Residency Program Director
Diane B. Hartzog, Residency Coordinator (315) 464-6204
Resident Salaries & Benefits 2007-2008
| EM-1 (Internship) | $42,479 |
| EM-2 | $45,659 |
| EM-3 | $47,771 |
Residents also receive a monthly meal allowance and are eligible for health, dental, and vision coverage. A variety of retirement investment plans are available to residents, with matching funds provided by the medical university. Stipends are available to those residents who serve as instructors for various courses presented through The EM-STAT Center.
Application Process
Applications to the Upstate EM program should be completed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Click here for more info regarding application requirements, deadlines and FAQs.
Moonlighting
While resident education is the highest priority in a residency program, moonlighting may be permitted under certain circumstances, with the written permission of the department chair.
Central New York
In addition to providing a wide variety of academic resources, residents have found that living in Syracuse provides many of the advantages of urban life while allowing for easy access to the countryside of Central New York. Many brand-name retail stores and restaurants can be found at any of Syracuse's many shopping malls. A trip into Armory Square or Clinton Square provides residents with access to a bustling nightlife at a variety of bars, pubs, and dance clubs. For those with a flair for the visual and performing arts, there is a professional theater--Syracuse Stage, the Syracuse Symphony and Opera, the internationally-renowned Everson Museum of Art, Historic Landmark Theater, and numerous summer musical festivals downtown. Sports enthusiasts aren't left out, with Syracuse University's NCAA Division I sports at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse Skychiefs AAA baseball, and Syracuse Crunch AHL hockey. Animal lovers too, can find enjoyment with a visit to the American Zoological Association accredited Rosamond-Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park or watching the local wildlife at any of the areas numerous state parks.
In addition, the Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario, Adirondack Mountains and numerous state parks offer outstanding opportunities for mountain biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, and sampling the region's fantastic wine country; all within an easy drive from Syracuse. And for those willing to spend a bit more time on the road, the cities of Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Montreal are all less than 6 hours by car!
