The University of the West Indies Doctor of Medicine in Emergency Medicine (DM-EM) program began in 1990 in Barbados. The need for trained EM physicians had been recognized for some time, and the program subsequently became available in Jamaica in 1997, Trinidad in 2005, and the Bahamas in 2008. Since the program’s beginning, 36 residents have graduated in Barbados, 52 in Jamaica, 11 in Trinidad, and 8 in the Bahamas. The program remains successful across all campuses, and while the graduates have dispersed among the Caribbean Islands, there is an expressed need for more EM doctors in this region.
The DM-EM program is a four-year residency program. To qualify, applicants must have a medical degree from a recognised medical institution and must have completed an internship at a reputable medical hospital. Residents rotate through the emergency room for at least six months each year, with the remaining time spent in other subspecialty areas such as anaesthesia, internal medicine, and surgery, among others.
Aside from rotations, residents participate in academic sessions ranging from didactic resident presentations on specific topics to case presentations by residents, small group tutorials with consultants, and lectures by emergency medicine and subspecialty consultants. Residents also participate in and attend quarterly ground rounds, which are organized by a chief resident.
The Rosh Review question bank will be particularly helpful as residents study for their part I summative examination, which is typically taken after the second year of the program. This exam includes multiple-choice questions and data interpretation questions involving clinical data such as skills assessments, X-rays, and CT scans, among others. After successful completion of the exam, residents are encouraged to participate in an external emergency room elective rotation outside of the Caribbean.
Rosh Review is honored to be part of the education of these doctors.