Newsletters

POSTED: September 20th, 2023
POSTED IN: 2023 Quarter 3, EM Pulse - The Official Newsletter of MOCEP,

Established in 1973, we are proud to have one of the oldest EM residency programs in the country. In September 2023, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary and are planning a large celebration for our alumni, current faculty, and residents. Being a well-established program doesn’t mean we don’t change or grow; we strive to stay up-to-date and innovative. We are proud of how we continue to grow and pride ourselves in having residents and faculty who continually strive to make our program and department better. As such, we are excited to share that we have started a new Wellness Elective, or “WELLective” that is off to a smashing start! PGY-2 or -3 residents can take this 2-week elective, which emphasizes an evidence-based approach to learning knowledge/skills related to one of our three wellness pillars:  healthy lifestyles, career development, and community service. Our didactics continue to be a program strength and this year we continue to have regular virtual conference days that provide flexibility and convenience for busy residents and faculty. Adult learning theory guides our curriculum design. One-hour lectures are a rarity for us. We have incorporated a large amount of case-based learning, mini-didactics, and hands-on learning. We spend at least one conference day per month at our simulation center – these days focus on critical care simulation scenarios (adult and pediatric) as well as procedural training. We encourage our residents to do asynchronous learning, which permits them flexibility on how and when to learn EM core content. We are also excited to now offer a Medical Education Fellowship (currently we have our second class of fellows); the fellowship is led by two of our faculty with Masters in Health Professions Education. Fellows develop special expertise in teaching and feedback, medical education research and leadership, which directly and positively impact our residents and department. This year, we have some exciting leadership changes.  In July 2023, Dr. Emily Hillman stepped into the PD position. Dr. Hillman has extensive leadership and GME experience including:  Assistant then Associate PD for nine years, CCC Chair, Clerkship Director,  and Director of Simulation for the UMKC SOM. She has a Masters in Health Professions Education and has held leadership positions on both regional and national levels.  Dr. Amy Stubbs will move from PD to Senior Associate PD position to assist with the transition and to continue meaningfully contributing to the residency. Dr. O’Rourke will be stepping back from his role as Associate Program Director to focus on being the Director of ED Operations and QI work. Dr. Melanie Camejo will continue with the leadership team and will be promoted from Assistant to Associate PD. Dr. James O’Brien has started a new role as our Assistant PD. Ms. Christina Mayne continues as our Residency Program Manager. This year, she completed her Masters Degree in Information Science/Learning Technologies from the University of Missouri. Our residency program is grateful for her knowledge, skills and expertise – she is a true asset! As we look towards the next year, our mission remains the same; to cultivate compassionate and competent EM specialists through a comprehensive training program that focuses on the development of strong clinical skills, teamwork and evidence-based medicine. Our motto is “Ex traditione, excellentia”, Latin for “from tradition, excellence”. This year, we welcomed a new class of12 EM residents, and they are off to a fantastic start. Our residents spend most of their clinical time at our primary teaching site, University Health-Truman Medical Center (UH-TMC). UH-TMC is an urban safety-net, Level 1 Trauma center with a diverse patient population. Residents also gain outstanding pediatric experience at the nationally renowned Children’s Mercy Hospital. Our residents are well-prepared to work and excel in any setting post-graduation; from high-volume trauma centers to low-resource rural sites, and from academic to community settings. One of our program’s greatest strengths is its people, both faculty and residents. We attract residents who are bright, energetic, and highly motivated, yet also maintain a friendly, laid-back “Midwest” vibe. Our residents come from all regions and backgrounds to become a cohesive, tight-knit group who genuinely enjoy each other’s company, both at work and at play. The same can be said of our faculty, who are known for their dedication, approachability, and passion for teaching. We are looking forward to this next academic year and so grateful to continue to train the best of the best, in the best specialty in medicine. Emily Hillman, MD, MHPE Residency Program Director University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine University Health-Truman Medical Center