I am graduating in December and I am going to take a position in an ER residency program. I have had conflicting advice about this, so I thought I would go to the source and ask everyone here.
The choices are the "Big-Bad, only level one trauma in the area, indigent care hospital", a well respected children's hospital, and a metro hospital that does a little of everything, but is master of none.
I think at the first hospital I would see it all, do it all, and be somewhat exhausted and taken advantage of. Probably worth it, though, for the first few years of learning.
The second hospital is a very good facility, I know things are done right, but I also think that my learning would be more limited in terms of pediatric only, and I think as an ER it's a little slower paced.
The third hospital seems like it has a good program, but they don't have nearly as much trauma, and while they do have a small pediatric section they do only minor emergencies there, everything else goes downtown.
Should I start slow? Or, should I start out with the first place and just learn as much as I can right off the bat? As far as my interests go, I love the ER and I like trauma. I like adults and children. In the course of my career, I hope to work with both populations, eventually. The only other concern I have is that within the next few years I hope to have a child. I imagine that doing so would bring about the same challenges in any of these work settings.
Any opinions are welcome. I am shadowing at both of the adult hospitals next week. I had clinicals at the Children's Hospital. I have to decide very soon.
