title: Autonomous departments of emergency medicine in contemporary academic medical centers.
abstract: There are currently 20 autonomous departments of emergency medicine in United States medical schools. EDs seeking autonomous status should institute a faculty development program to channel faculty energy into worthwhile research projects; establish protected time for clinical faculty to increase research productivity; develop expertise to compete for extramural funding; initiate an intramural research program so that faculty can learn the basics of grantsmanship; teach health care issues in ambulatory medicine; become involved in interdisciplinary teaching programs and curriculum development; maintain the present faculty commitment to 24-hour attending coverage; and develop university-based programs that originate from the ED. Program directors should establish liaisons with the medical school dean to acquaint him with the advantages of an autonomous department of emergency medicine; attempt to assess other relationships within the medical school to determine support for emergency medicine and to uncover and address opposition to autonomous departmental status; attempt to serve on medical school committees to meet other faculty, solve problems with them and develop trusting relationships; and develop broad-based support for autonomous departmental status both within and outside of the university. By devising and following a deliberate approach to attaining departmental status, emergency medicine will be assured of continued growth in the important decade ahead.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rusnak
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007857:Leadership; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States