As I have progressed through school, I have come to appreciate how specialization affects the care that physicians are able to provide patients. My experiences have led me to believe that an exceptional physician is one who has the ability to manage several patients, both acutely and chronically, in response to the pathophysiology and evolving course of their illnesses. Internal medicine and emergency medicine are, in ways, opposing approaches to patient care. Internal medicine physicians must manage multiple chronic conditions through various stages of the disease, while emergency room physicians must stabilize the acutely ill patient with a focus on their immediate condition. Dual training in both disciplines provides a broad knowledge base …show more content…
By seeing how EM/IM physicians manage these challenges, I have become increasingly drawn to dual residency programs. In particular, I am attracted to the opportunities that such training provides for continuity of care, from triage to discharge. This training can give one the necessary composure on the wards when stabilizing the decompensating patient and managing a large volume of patients efficiently. It instills the confidence to perform procedures often consulted for on the floors – something that can provide quicker and more resourceful care to prevent long-term stays. The knowledge of how chronic conditions can have an acute presentation whether in clinic or the emergency room is another equally important aspect one develops. It allows a seamless transition to the emergency room where a deeper knowledge of chronic disease will lead to a more appropriate acute treatment and how that can interact with the pathophysiology of chronic conditions. This is something that I have found can be overlooked due to the urgent nature of the department but can lead to a more favorable long-term outcome. Similarly, it provides the emergency physician with the confidence to manage a patient who presents with multiple chronic conditions that need to be managed at