UCLA Emergency Medicine Residency Program: Comprehensive Training for Future Leaders

The UCLA Emergency Medicine (Ronald Reagan/Olive View) Residency Program is dedicated to providing an exceptional medical education. This is achieved by offering a diverse and well-rounded range of experiences to its residents. The program emphasizes a "liberal arts" approach to training, providing residents with ample elective time to explore areas of interest and cultivate expertise in specific domains within emergency medicine.

Program Overview and Work Schedule

The UCLA Emergency Medicine Residency Program distinguishes itself through its commitment to a balanced and varied educational experience. Residents are evenly distributed between Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, gaining exposure to different patient populations and practice settings. This structure provides a comprehensive and complete emergency medicine training experience.

Training Sites

The program utilizes three distinct Emergency Departments to ensure a comprehensive educational experience:

Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center: A Level 1 Trauma and Quaternary care referral center.
Olive View-UCLA Medical Center: A County and Safety Net hospital, also one of the three primary Safety Net DHS sites in Los Angeles County.
Antelope Valley Medical Center: A busy and high-acuity community hospital in North LA County, offering senior residents increased autonomy and a capstone clinical experience.

Each site is carefully chosen to provide exposure to different patient demographics, pathologies, practice environments, and educational opportunities. This ensures that graduates are well-prepared to practice anywhere.

Curriculum and Pathways

The curriculum incorporates a "liberal arts" approach, allowing residents 20 weeks of elective time to pursue individual interests and develop specialized skills in specific areas of Emergency Medicine. To facilitate this exploration, residents can choose from various "Pathways," connecting them with mentors and alumni in different EM subspecialties. These pathways offer structure and mentorship in areas such as:

Medical Education
Critical Care
Administration
Toxicology
Ultrasound

The available pathways are continuously expanding to meet the evolving needs and interests of the residents.

Conference and Learning Experiences

Weekly conferences are designed to reflect the breadth of the training program. These include journal clubs held at faculty homes and EMS days on Los Angeles beaches, providing diverse and complementary learning experiences. Conferences frequently incorporate interactive elements such as simulation, workshops, procedural training, and cadaver labs.

The program encourages residents to become involved in the medical school, residency program, national organizations, and the local community. This includes teaching ultrasound to medical students, providing care to refugees and migrants, and mentoring local high school students interested in medicine.

Emerging Infections Fellowship Program

Infectious diseases represent a significant portion of emergency department (ED) care. Respiratory, urinary, and skin and soft tissue infections are among the top diagnoses in US ED visits. Sepsis, a leading cause of death in the US, often presents through the ED. The ED serves as the front line during epidemics and pandemics, highlighting the importance of infectious disease expertise in emergency medicine.

The UCLA Emergency Medicine Emerging Infections Fellowship Program aims to train specialist leaders in infectious diseases who will:

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Educate providers, including emergency medicine residents and community physicians.
Conduct research on ED infections in collaboration with public health agencies like the CDC, supported by federal agencies like the NIH.
Complete an MPH in Epidemiology (or possess an equivalent degree).

The fellowship is supported by the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Graduate Fellowship.

Background of UCLA Infectious Diseases Education and Research

The UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine has a strong history of leadership in infectious diseases education and research. Drs. David Talan and Gregory Moran, faculty members for over 30 years, were among the first residency- and fellowship-trained, board-certified specialists in both Emergency Medicine and Infectious Diseases.

The group's research, including work with EMERGEncy ID NET, has resulted in over 100 peer-reviewed publications. These publications cover topics such as the bacteriology of animal and human bite infections, treatment of pyelonephritis and MRSA infections, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The group collaborates with molecular diagnostics companies to develop point-of-care tests for rapid infectious disease diagnosis. They also conduct NIH-supported research on the immunological response to staphylococcal skin infections and are involved in the development of an anti-staphylococcal toxoid vaccine.

Drs. Talan and Moran have actively educated Emergency Medicine residents and community physicians through conferences and lectures. They have also contributed to Emergency Medicine textbooks and podcasts. The UCLA group has collaborated with the University of Iowa to study patient-directed antibiotic duration for acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis.

Fellowship Description

Start Date: July 1, 2026
Qualifications: Current 4th-year Emergency Medicine residents in an ACGME-accredited residency program or physicians who have completed a 3-year accredited program with at least one year of work experience.
Duration: One year
Faculty Appointment: Clinical Instructor of Medicine in the UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine.
Compensation: Tuition and healthcare benefits for the UCLA School of Public Health, an annual stipend for housing ($25,000), salary ($70,000), and laptop/software ($1,200). Fellows will also work one 8-hour shift per week in the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center emergency department, compensated at approximately $185/hour.

Duties and Deliverables

The fellow will participate in a range of didactic, research, and supplemental experiences, including:

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MPH in Epidemiology: Completion of a 1-year MPH program at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (for fellows without a prior degree).
EMERGEncy ID NET Project: The fellow will develop and implement a new project, such as "Management of Vaginitis Among Women Presenting to US Emergency Departments and Comparison of Clinical Outcomes by Appropriateness of Initial Treatment Based on Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing."
Research Activities: Participation in research meetings and contributions to ongoing studies, including:
- Study of Antibiotics You Stop for Treatment Of Pyelonephritis (SAYSTOP)
- ANalysis of Toxin Immunology of recurrent STAPHylococcal infection (ANTI-STAPH)
- Phase II Anti-Staphylococcal Toxoid Vaccine Trial
- Regular contributions to the Annals of Emergency Medicine section, “Update on Emerging Infections from the CDC.”
Grant Application: The fellow will be assisted in identifying a research question and completing an NIH proposal for an ED-based infectious diseases clinical trial.
Didactic Instruction: Weekly 1-hour instruction from Drs. Talan and Moran, based on the "Advanced ID for Emergency Medicine" series, with contributions from Dr. Matt Waxman on tropical medicine.
Case Conferences: Monthly presentation and review of interesting ID cases at weekly residency conferences.
Inpatient Consultation Rotation: A 4-week rotation on the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center Infectious Diseases consultation service.
Microbiology Laboratory Rotation: A 2-week rotation in the UCLA microbiology laboratory, focusing on methods relevant to ED infectious diseases testing and rapid diagnostics. Visits to Biofire and Cepheid will also be explored.
Progress Evaluation: Regular meetings with the Fellowship Director.

Fellowship Programs

UCLA and its affiliates offer various fellowship opportunities for advanced training in emergency medicine subspecialties, including administration, education, research, ultrasound, informatics, social/global medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, and critical care. Many fellowships are one year in duration, with some offering a two-year option that includes a degree in a relevant field.

UCLA Department-wide Fellowships:

IDHEAL (UCLA/OVMC/Harbor)
Ultrasound (UCLA/OVMC/Harbor/VA)

UCLA (Ronald Reagan / Olive View) Fellowships:

Administration (UCLA)
Clinical Informatics (UCLA)
Critical Care (UCLA Anesthesia)
Medical Education & Simulation (UCLA)
National Clinician Scholars (UCLA)
Research (UCLA)
Space Medicine (UCLA)
Toxicology (UCLA)

Harbor-UCLA Fellowships:

EMS/Disaster Medicine (Harbor)
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (Harbor)

Medical Student Courses

UCLA Emergency Medicine provides a wide array of educational opportunities for medical students at multiple locations. These include a Core Clerkship in Emergency Medicine for all UCLA students, sub-internships at premier residency programs, and focused studies in research, ultrasound, and pediatric emergency medicine. A virtual clerkship is also available for students unable to travel to Los Angeles.

Courses offered include:

Emergency Medicine Core Clerkship (EM000)

Residency Training: Year by Year

The residency program is structured to provide a progressive and comprehensive training experience, building from a strong clinical foundation to advanced expertise and autonomy.

R1 Year

The R1 year focuses on building a strong clinical foundation through a diverse and comprehensive experience. The year begins with "Intern Bootcamp," a two-week orientation program to Ronald Reagan-UCLA Medical Center and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, featuring core lectures, procedure skill building, and introductory shifts. Interns spend a total of 26 weeks in the Emergency Department, receiving close faculty supervision and clinical teaching, allowing them to manage high-acuity patients from the start.

R2 Year

The R2 year emphasizes mastery of caring for critically ill patients, increasing efficiency in the Emergency Department, and developing expertise in advanced procedures. R2s lead medical resuscitations and have priority for advanced procedures like chest tubes, procedural sedation, and central venous access. A two-week rotation at Antelope Valley Hospital provides further experience with procedures, critical traumas, and resuscitations. During ICU months, R2s function as seniors and code leaders. The Social Emergency Medicine rotation provides the opportunity to learn about social determinants of health, structural violence, and caring for vulnerable patients. Residents also gain experience with pediatric patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Elective time is available for residents to develop interests or advance clinical skills.

R3 Year

The R3 year is designed for residents to become experts in Emergency Medicine. As seniors, they learn to efficiently manage and oversee the Emergency Department, mentoring junior residents and teaching medical students. The year includes dedicated training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine (at CHLA) and Community Emergency Medicine (at Antelope Valley Hospital). A toxicology rotation, led by toxicology faculty, is also incorporated. Six weeks of elective time allows residents to further explore their passions and interests within Emergency Medicine.

R4 Year

The R4 year allows residents to pursue individual interests while developing autonomy and responsibility, preparing them for independent practice. R4s transition to a supervisory role, teaching junior residents and overseeing department flow. Twelve weeks of elective time allows for exploration of individual passions, including international opportunities. Examples of rotations include Surgical ICU, Wilderness Medicine, Hyperbaric Medicine, EMS, AirSquad Critical Transport, Aerospace Medicine at NASA, Rural Emergency Medicine in Hawaii, and Global Health Rotations in various countries. Teaching resident shifts provide a preview of working as an attending in an academic ED, supervising medical students and junior residents.

IDHEAL: International and Domestic Health Equity and Leadership

IDHEAL is a section of the All-UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine formed in 2016, with the mission of promoting health equity and eliminating health disparities locally, nationally, and globally.

Participating Institutions

Olive View-UCLA Medical Center: A public safety net hospital serving the San Fernando Valley. Residents spend 50% of their training at OV-UCLA. The ED has 51 beds and sees approximately 60,000 patients per year.
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center: A safety net hospital serving the South Bay of Los Angeles. The high-volume, high-acuity Emergency Department sees approximately 90,000 annual patient visits. It is a Level 1 Trauma Center, Pediatric Trauma Center, Pediatric Critical Medical Center, Disaster Resource Center, Stroke Center, Academic STEMI Receiving Center, and Nursing and Paramedic Training Center.

Health Equity Fellowship

The objective of this fellowship is to produce leaders in academic emergency medicine who have the tools to reduce health disparities. This includes understanding the impact of social forces on health. The two-year fellowship combines the resources of UCLA with clinical opportunities at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Curriculum

The curriculum focuses on developing skills in:

Academic Writing/Grant Writing
Public Speaking
Project Design
Research Methodology
Advocacy
Foundations in Social Determinants
Leadership
Health Policy

Fellows will complete a two-year master’s program (MPH or MSHPM).

Clinical Responsibilities

Clinical sites are Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Fellows will supervise residents and medical students on most clinical shifts.

Academic Responsibilities

At a minimum, fellows must:

Develop one grand rounds lecture on their topic of focus.
Complete one piece of publication-quality academic writing.
Develop an original idea into a feasible project or a sub-section of an ongoing project and see the project to fruition.
Participate in regular section meetings and journal clubs.
Contribute to the mentorship team for medical students and residents interested in health equity.

Evaluation Process

Fellows will have an assigned mentor and an advisory committee.

Program Faculty

The fellowship program is co-directed by Kabir Yadav, MDCM, MS, MSHS, FACEP at Harbor-UCLA and Breena Taira, MD, MPH, CPH, FACEP at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates must have completed a four-year residency or a three-year residency with more than 1 year of post-residency clinical experience. Applicants must be licensed to practice medicine in California before the start date of the fellowship.

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