Who runs the department?

It goes without saying that the attending on duty ultimately run the department. However, our programs focuses strongly on encouraging autonomy, and our senior residents are given a large amount of responsibility. In our ECC area, the PGY-3 COD (Chief of the Day) is responsible for keeping track of the junior residents’ patients, advising junior residents on work-ups, and facilitating department flow with the nursing staff.

In Flex care, which generally experiences lower acuity patients (but can definitely have sick ones), PGY-2s primarily run the show as the COD. They help to facilitate care with PGY-1s and PA within this area. The Flex COD is also on the hospital Code Blue team, and will respond to all inpatient codes with the Flex attending. During codes, the Flex COD will be responsible for airway management.

In the Pediatric ED, PGY3s will spend time as the department senior, overseeing emergency medicine and pediatrics junior residents and working in collaboration with pediatric emergency medicine fellows.