The University of Tennessee, Memphis Emergency Medicine Program prides itself on training highly motivated residents to care for complex, critically ill patients in a unique environment, combining a close-knit residency feel with a tertiary referral university setting. Resident physicians are directly supervised by attendings in a one-on-one manner while simultaneously being given the autonomy to utilize evidence-based learning to construct a distinctive plan for each of their patients. Resident physicians are also encouraged to find their own niche in emergency medicine and use this to build upon the residency program itself. 

     Residents are viewed as members of a team rather than as a lower piece of a hierarchal construct, and are encouraged to give feedback regarding all areas of the program, which is routinely utilized to make adjustments and innovations in the learning environment, utilizing the unique skills of each resident. Furthermore, without minimizing the attending physician’s role, residents are encouraged to teach fellow residents, students, and occasionally off-service fellows and attendings in areas of aptitude, as they become comfortable with their own abilities. Our residents excel procedurally within our critically ill patient population, significantly exceeding graduation requirements early on, making our residents exceptionally qualified to instruct other providers in a safe, supervised environment. 

     Our goal is to recruit motivated, hard-working individuals who are excited to build upon the program so as to leave a tangible, lasting impression that may be beneficial for those that follow and who enjoy a cohesive group of individuals who are willing to move beyond traditional teacher-learner boundaries. We believe that each learner has unique qualities that, when identified and magnified, will allow them to become lifelong teachers and leaders regardless of their professional goals, sustaining each individual’s commitment and satisfaction in the field of emergency medicine.