Junior Resident

Must-complete tasks for the junior resident in their PGY1 and/or PGY2 year include:

• Attend Conferences: Attending the national organization conferences is not strictly required but highly encouraged as a form of networking and to see potential job opportunities. Some residents obtain interviews with groups or hospitals from these national conferences during their senior years. Programs may have built-in time or expectations to attend professional conferences during certain academic training years, but it is not an ACGME requirement for residents to attend.
• Network: Networking is not strictly required for residents but there may be opportunities for residents to do so by attending events such as professional conferences, recruitment-sponsored journal clubs, or wellness events. Talk to graduates of your program about the landscape of community emergency medicine (EM), like which groups/hospitals/etc. to explore. Seek out mentors who can help guide you through not only residency but also towards your future career goals.
• Explore Interests: Begin identifying and getting involved in your interests within EM and start to decide whether you plan on pursuing a fellowship. If you have elective time in your program, use that time to help hone skills that may be helpful while working in the community and/or use that opportunity to get hands-on with a subspecialty.