Senior Medical Student

In general there is nothing you have to do as a medical student to prepare for a career in observation medicine. Your focus should be on being successful as a residency applicant and gaining experience as an emergency medicine (EM) clinician. Some things you can do if this is already an area of interest are:

• Try to complete a rotation in an emergency department with an observation unit (EDOU).
• Ask if you can shadow or otherwise experience clinical care in the EDOU.
• Some institutions will have an observation medicine elective. While not necessary, this is a great way to get exposure.
• When applying and interviewing for an EM residency position, ask if residents will get exposure to observation medicine. Ask if there is a way you could be more involved in the management of the OU as a resident.