This is a three-year program based in Las Vegas, NV. At this program, residents train in beautiful community hospitals and gain experience in a dedicated pediatric ED. Dr. Olivieri shares his insights into this distinctive, resident-focused program.
Tell us a little about yourself, your program and the facilities where residents train.
Our program aims to produce exceptional EM attendings, and set them up for a long career in Emergency Medicine. We stay laser focused on our residents each year, to the point where we feel every single graduate could safely care for our loved ones, if ever needed. That's the ultimate goal.
I completed an Education Fellowship with All-NYC EM, a mini fellowship in Policy with ACEP/EMRA, am a reviewer for the Journal of Emergency Medicine, and an Associate Regional Medical Director with Envision. I moved to Las Vegas in 2017, and have absolutely loved Nevada. I’m passionate about education, and the exponential effects education can have for our patients, and for our future leaders in Emergency Medicine.
Our broad clinical experience prepares residents to take any job upon graduation. We have incorporated complex adult EDs, busy pediatric EDs, rural EM, and freestanding ED experiences. Due to our breadth of acuity and high expectations, residents can feel confident stepping into any ER upon graduation.
What sets your program apart from others? What is something students may not know about your program?
We are truly a hidden gem. We have the support of consultants and resources of a major metropolitan city, yet still practice true, community Emergency Medicine. We have zero competition for procedures, which our residents greatly benefit from. You’ll do all of your own reductions, chest tubes, lines, intubations, nerve blocks, etc.
We embrace the administrative side of Emergency Medicine. I believe one of the biggest pitfalls facing EM is not telling smart people why we are doing things. We hope to pull the curtain back, share the background for various administrative topics, and allow residents to work through these challenges long before they have their first attending shift.
We want residents to own their education. We acknowledge everyone learns differently, and while one resident may feel confident with pediatrics, others may crave more time in our high acuity, Pediatric ED. We let residents choose a portion of their time between ED, Pediatrics, and Freestandings, to ensure our trainees own a part of their journey.
What kinds of research opportunities exist? Do you look for residency candidates with research experience?
We offer formal research and multiple QI/QA opportunities. All residents are required to perform scholarly activity as an ACGME requirement. Past residents have won local awards, and presented their award-winning projects at conferences such as ACEP and CORD. While research is certainly available for interested applicants, it is definitely not required. There are plenty of other opportunities for applicants to express themselves and complete their scholarly activity.
How does your program view wellness? How would you describe your program’s culture?
Wellness is an integral part of our program’s culture. We believe wellness isn’t about escaping from work, but about making your work life better. Our Vice Academic Chair, Dr. Kevin George, also holds the important role as our Director of Wellness. His bright energy and love of the program is contagious and he leads a formal wellness session every month. These range to everything from poignant topics like imposter syndrome to the classic game “Operation! Competition.” Wellness on a day-to-day basis is also something we hold sincerely through our mentorship program and supportive culture. Every single one of our core faculty and our former chief residents are always approachable and available for everything from offering advice about jobs and fellowship to offering a listening ear after a tough shift. Our program’s culture is shaped by genuineness, and camaraderie. Our residents become our lifelong friends and so many of them are excited to return to Vegas or stay on as our colleagues.
How open are you to resident feedback?
We are a program that is not just open to feedback; we wholeheartedly embrace it. When residents are proactively giving us constructive feedback, it shows that they are passionate about creating the best possible program for themselves and their future classmates. A huge part of our past successes has come from the feedback of our former residents and graduates. Our culture from core faculty and program leadership is one of “please call, text, email, with us anytime.”
What range of USMLE/COMLEX Step/Level 2 scores do you look for in an applicant for the program?
We are deeply committed to a holistic approach when reviewing applicants and do not have a cut-off nor range. Both COMLEX and USMLE are equally considered. While board examination scores do correlate with the likelihood of passing written EM boards after residency, they do not measure many other important intangible characteristics that make an incredible EM physician.
What qualities does your program look for in applicants?
Applicants everywhere should be hard working, and have a love for Emergency Medicine. If I were to pick one additional quality for our applicants, it would be humility (i.e. a lack of ego). So often, our first impression is wrong. If a resident can focus on patient safety, instead of being right, they’ll be set up for success at Valley Health System. We can always teach procedures and clinical medicine, but humility, hard work, and compassion are what set the best resident physicians apart.