When I was at Regions on my away rotation as a medical student, I was absolutely blown away by the competency and clinical acumen of both residents and staff. They seamlessly handled both acuity and volume with ease, proving to me that I would receive excellent training during my years here. Put that alongside the character of the people who work here, from pharmacists to ED techs and nurses, I knew this was the place for me. Even as a student, I was always well received in the department, encouraged to ask questions, and supported each and every day. Now a few months into residency, I can say that it is even better as a resident and I am so glad to have matched at Regions!

As a New Yorker who had never been to the Midwest, I ended up at Regions through a fortunate happenstance. I was looking for a toxicology away rotation on VSLO as a fourth-year student and this place came up. I applied not knowing where Minnesota was on the map and not expecting to come here, but I heard back almost right away and decided to say yes (for the plot of it all). When I got here, I was immediately struck by the nature of the people and the program — our people love what we do, are kind and uplifting of one another, and genuinely happy to be here. I felt as though I was immediately welcomed into a large but close family, and it felt like home after only a few weeks. Although not on an EM Sub-I, they wanted me to do a shift in the ED to see what working here would be like. Again, I felt welcomed, taken seriously, and permitted to feel excited and empowered while still a student. They made room for me to do a sub-I a couple of months later despite having a full schedule of students, and I came back and experienced the same, but for a month. Still, I was going to stay in the Northeast, but changed my rank list when I realized that I couldn’t get Regions out of my head and felt that I would be jealous of the residents that did match here. We’re excited to meet and maybe be lucky enough to work with you someday!

One of the main reasons I chose the Regions program was because of their reputation for training emergency medicine physicians who can manage patients of all ages presenting with a variety of illnesses and injuries. During my rotation, it was evident that Regions’ residents see an even mix of complex medical and multisystem trauma along with common “bread and butter” presentations leaving them adequately prepared to work in whatever setting they desire. My rotation also allowed me to see that residents were happy, supportive of each other, loved to do things together outside of residency, and did not appear to be exhausted. Everyone I interacted with treated me as if I was part of the Regions family. Now as a resident, it is even more evident to me that the program goes above and beyond to ensure that we as residents are trained to be exceptional physicians. I am beyond grateful for this dedication and to have such intelligent, supportive, and fun co-residents by my side to complete this journey with.

Every shift in the emergency department is different than the last, which was my initial draws to the specialty – the variety keeps me excited and engaged. Perhaps most impactful, though, has been the incredible privilege of caring for patients in their most vulnerable states. Just one month into my residency and I’ve already felt an overwhelming sense of support from everyone around me in the department – nurses, techs, and pharmacists alike. The commitment of our program leadership, staff, and teachers, both on and off shift, is truly exceptional. It’s clear that they genuinely care about my growth as a physician and as a person. And I can’t forget to mention my amazing co-residents! Their encouragement, community, and support make the experience even better.  I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of the Region’s residency program and look forward to continuing this journey with such a fantastic team by my side!