Top 10 Emergency Medicine Residency Programs In America

If you are a prospective physician of emergency medicine looking to find your perfect residency program, take a look into our list of the top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America.

While you’re at it, feel free to also check out our article on the best surgical residency programs in the world.

Emergency medicine is a field of work that requires a great deal of training and expertise. Practitioners must be able to exercise great steadfastness in the face of extreme pressure and uncertain circumstances. The few times I have been to an emergency room were pleasant experiences— relatively speaking— because of the professionalism and relaxed bedside manner of the doctors that attended to me. It makes a huge difference to the patient’s entire experience when their emergency room doctor has been properly trained in both the medical area of medicine, as well as the area pertaining to compassion and patient experience. A top residency program should provide both.

In our ranking of emergency medicine residency programs, we went straight to a source that interviews doctors themselves: Doximity, a network of over half a million doctors working in America. Doximity has a wonderful resource to help students find the best residency program for their preferred specialty called the Residency Navigator, where over 52,000 physicians participate in a survey and nominate the best residency program for a given department.

In order to select the programs to appear on our list of top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America, we noted those appearing on Doximity and cross-referenced them with those appearing on Start Class. In order to determine the order of the items in our list, we compared the rankings of the programs from both websites. The results below reflect the averaging of these rankings.

Continue reading to learn more about top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America.

10. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine

This university tends to be a popular option, as the cost of attendance is notably lower than most schools for medicine in America. According to their website, they train their emergency doctors by utilizing real-life simulation practices, so they can get a feel for different environments, preparing them for the diversity of real-life emergencies. Patient and family-centered care are also things they anchor their programs on.

9. Alameda County Medical Center

Since 1927, this health institution has been training outstanding physicians in various specializations, including emergency medicine. According to their website, they are affiliated with the University of California. This medical center also has competitive residency programs for internal medicine and oral surgery. They boast a full-time research and teaching body for each residency program.

8. University of California (San Diego) School of Medicine

UC San Diego’s residency for emergency medicine was founded in 1990. They recruit 9 residents for the 4-year residency program they offer, and promise intensive training and teaching for all residents. Their website points to the fact that they have honed their programs to be among the best in the country.

7. Los Angeles County Harbor – UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Medical Center’s emergency medicine residency program is one of the very oldest in America, established in 1978. According to their website, they aim to produce residents who not only care about being the best in the field, but also those who care for the community. Their training programs are based on both excellence and passion for the job.

6. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Located in Maryland, Johns Hopkins, the number 6 on our list of top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America provides one of the best emergency medicine residency programs in America. They have an extraordinarily dynamic program, as stated on their website. They also offer Focused Advanced Specialty Training, which provides dedicated mentors to ensure focused and intensive training for every program.

5. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

The residency program offered by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine was the very first program of its kind in the country. They only recruit residents from the top medical schools, which reflects their high standards for admission. They also have suburban clinics to teach their residents about emergency medicine in the community.

4. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Like most residency programs, Washington University offers a 4-year residency training program for emergency medicine specialization. This institution only takes 12 residents per year, and also handles interviews by invitation. They have among the highest standards in the US, which makes it no wonder that they produce competitive physicians.

3. Denver Health Medical Center

The residency programs offered by Denver Health Medical Center are among the most competitive in the country. They offer emergency medicine residency programs under various specializations including pediatrics, surgery, and cardiology. Needless to say, their residents enjoy a diverse set of training that is intensive enough to bring out their absolute best.

2. University of Southern California – LAC+USC Medical Center

Because the LAC+USC Medical Center tends to house patients suffering from severe conditions, residency programs in the USC are naturally on the intensive side. This setting is one that gives their residents a good look into extreme emergency situations, which can fully prepare them for the worst things they may encounter in their careers. Come senior year, residents are given full clinical responsibility, which will equip them to be the best physicians they can possibly be.

1. Pritzker School of Medicine – University of Chicago

The mission of the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago is to serve with compassion and excellence. They not only produce resident physicians who are competent, but also make sure they finish their residency with a newfound compassion for people and their community. Values and competitive curriculum make the Pritzker School of Medicine the top pick for our list.

Wherever you plan you take your residency, be sure to select the program that fits you as an individual. Whatever your ideal schedule, learning style, or dream hometown may be, there is sure to be a wonderful option for you on our list of top 10 emergency medicine residency programs in America.