Tell us a little about your program and the facilities where residents work.
The University of Utah Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency is a dynamic 3-year program designed to prepare physicians for excellence in any practice setting. Our home base is the University of Utah Health Hospital, a premier tertiary care center and Level 1 trauma center in Salt Lake City. Here, residents gain experience managing the most complex cases in a high-acuity environment.
Training extends beyond our flagship hospital to include Intermountain Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center and the leading regional referral center for the Intermountain Healthcare System. For pediatric care, residents rotate through two Primary Children’s Hospitals, a nationally recognized pediatric referral center and Level 1 pediatric trauma center located adjacent to the University hospital. Additional rotations at the Salt Lake VA Medical Center provide exposure to veteran care and broaden clinical experience and Mountain West Medical Center for critical access experience.
Our mission is simple yet ambitious: to graduate well-rounded, highly competent emergency physicians who can practice independently and confidently. We emphasize mastery in the recognition, evaluation, resuscitation, and stabilization of acute illness and injury across all patient populations. Beyond clinical excellence, we foster academic growth, encourage meaningful research contributions, and promote leadership within the specialty, locally, regionally, and nationally.
How would you describe your program’s culture?
At the heart of our program is a culture built on kindness, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We take pride in shaping not only highly skilled physicians but also fulfilled, resilient individuals. Our community thrives on diversity, welcoming a wide range of backgrounds and experiences that enrich learning and foster innovation. Above all, we prioritize a supportive, family-like atmosphere where colleagues lift each other up, both professionally and personally, creating an environment where everyone can succeed and feel valued. Here are some select quotes from our residents about our culture:
"We’re more than just colleagues – we’re a tribe of hardworking, supportive individuals who have each other’s backs inside and outside the hospital."
"As a family we lift each other up, we show up for the important things, we cheer on each other’s successes and take time to vent about the failures."
"Our culture is one of a family – we work hard together, we laugh and have fun together, and we build each other up when we’re down."
Tell us about the elective experience at your program?
A Residency That Lets You Chart Your Own Course
Our program is truly a “choose-your-own-adventure” experience. Graduates leave ready to thrive in diverse settings: about one-third pursue fellowship training, another third join community practices, and the rest serve in critical access hospitals.
What sets us apart?
Despite being a three-year program, we offer three weeks of elective time in both PGY2 and PGY3 years, giving residents the freedom to tailor their training to their future goals. Whether you dream of academic medicine, rural care, or global health, this flexibility helps you shape your path.
Here are some of our most popular electives:
- Search and Rescue in the Grand Tetons
- Global Health rotations in Vietnam and Botswana
- Ski Patrol in the Wasatch
- Tropical Medicine in Hawaii
- Indian Health Services in Shiprock and Chinle
We also offer hospital-based electives in high-demand subspecialties, and opportunities to focus on research or exam preparation. This is a program designed for exploration, growth, and creating the career you envision.
Which fellowships are offered at your institution?
We currently offer 11 Fellowship Programs:
- Addiction Medicine
- Critical Care (Anesthesia)
- Emergency Medical Services
- Global Health
- Hospice and Palliative Care
- Medical Education
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Resuscitation Research
- Sports Medicine
- Ultrasound
- Wilderness
What sets your program apart from others? What are some new changes to your program?
Innovative Training Opportunities That Set Us Apart
- Event Medicine Expansion
Our residents don’t just learn in the hospital; they take their skills to the heart of the action. Thanks to our exclusive contract with the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, home to the NHL Mammoths, NBA Jazz, and countless concerts and events, residents gain hands-on experience in event medicine during their EMS week as interns. For those who want more, the opportunities continue throughout residency. - Street Medicine
Compassion meets innovation in our Street Medicine program, founded by Dr. Michael Morgan at the University of Utah. Residents complete two immersive shifts during their intern year, providing care to underserved populations, and can continue participating as they advance through training. - Interventional Radiology Rotation for Central Access
Collaboration is key to exceptional care. We’ve partnered with our Interventional Radiology colleagues to create a one-week central access rotation for interns who are averaging an impressive 20 central lines per week. This experience builds confidence and technical mastery early in training. - Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Anesthesia
With the opening of a new children’s hospital in Lehi, UT, our PGY2 and PGY3 residents now rotate there for their pediatric emergency medicine months. In their third year, they complete a two-week PICU/Pediatric Anesthesia rotation, gaining unparalleled experience with 50–60 pediatric intubations, skills that set them apart in any practice setting. - Orthopedic Training in the Wasatch
Nestled in the stunning Wasatch Mountains, our program offers a unique opportunity for orthopedic experience at ski clinics. During winter months, residents manage trauma straight off the slopes, performing reductions, sedations, and splinting in real time. When snowstorms close roads, these clinics transform into critical access sites in austere environments, providing invaluable hands-on training. Residents work directly with emergency medicine and sports medicine faculty, honing skills that few programs can match.