Enhancing Emergency Medicine Resident Transitions: The Impact of Structured Orientation Programs on Comfort and Preparedness

TL;DR

Structured orientation programs help emergency medicine residents feel more prepared and confident when transitioning to new roles during their training.

Contribution

This study demonstrates that role-specific orientation sessions significantly improve residents' comfort and preparedness during career transitions in emergency medicine.

Findings

All three orientation sessions significantly improved residents' self-reported comfort with clinical, supervisory, and system-based skills.

PGY-4 residents showed the largest gains in billing and medico-legal preparedness when transitioning to attending roles.

Orientation sessions increased PGY-2 residents' preparedness for managing critical conditions and PGY-3 residents' confidence in procedural supervision.

Abstract

Emergency medicine (EM) training programs vary in how residents are exposed to clinical responsibilities. Transitioning to new roles often causes stress and uncertainty. Structured orientation programs may alleviate these challenges.

We implemented three role‐specific orientation sessions targeting post‐graduate year (PGY)‐2, PGY‐3, and PGY‐4 EM residents at a 4‐year residency program. Pre‐ and post‐surveys measured comfort with clinical, supervisory, and system‐based skills. Paired t‐tests assessed changes.

All three orientation sessions significantly improved self‐reported comfort across various domains. Participating PGY‐2 residents (n = 10) showed increased preparedness for managing critical conditions. PGY‐3 residents (n = 6) demonstrated improved confidence in procedural supervision and knowledge of rare procedures. PGY‐4 residents (n = 11) transitioning to attending roles showed the largest gains, particularly in billing and medico‐legal domains.

Structured orientation improves EM resident readiness for role transitions. These findings support the integration of targeted educational interventions to enhance performance and preparedness.