title: Characteristics of emergency medicine resident orientation programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence, duration, composition, and goals of emergency medicine resident orientation programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven-item, descriptive mail surveys were sent by the education committee of SAEM to the program directors of all emergency medicine residency programs approved by the RRC as of January 1992.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine of 86 survey instruments (80%) were returned. Orientation programs were offered in 64 residencies, 41 PGY1-3 programs, five PGY1-4 programs, and 18 PGY2-4 programs. Results are tabulated below. [table: see text] No statistically significant difference between groups was found. Seven different special courses were offered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resident orientation programs are used in 93% of surveyed programs in emergency medicine. Orientation programs consist mainly of lectures and special courses. There is great variability in the length, composition, goals, and associated courses offered. Orientation programs do not differ significantly by postgraduate year in which the residency begins.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Albuquerque 87131-5246, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brillman
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sklar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viccellio
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006040:Goals; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D009516:New Mexico; D009518:New York; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States