View From the Outside
The University recently started the search for the Chair of Surgery, and we were asked to come up with an elevator speech to highlight the department to potential candidates. As we did this exercise, I wondered what the elevator speech would be for WSU EM…… and it start with this, “I would happily have a beer with any of my faculty.” Not an insignificant statement at all. Many departments have huge chasms with their faculty and often some are not able to even get into the same room together. I would follow with this flurry.
For a relatively small department, we are a top 10 in the nation for NIH funded emergency departments over the last 5 years, we are the highest-ranked department in the SOM for funding within their specialty and we house the top funded researcher in the university. Our effort for the Clinical and Sciences Translation Award, (CTSA) designation is spearheaded by EM physicians, likely the only one ever with EM as the lead. WSU has been trying to get the CTSA designation for years and failed.
The CTSA is essentially the NIH’s designation for a top tier research institution. Piling on: we have the highest ranked clerkship in the SOM and have been in the top 4 percentile of EM clerkships in the nation for over a decade. WSU EM has the most prolific and most sought-after teachers at the SOM, unofficially confirmed by the vice dean of education. Our group even taught procedures to the SOM cardiovascular interest group when they could not recruit surgeons. We house 2 top tier legacy residencies, who are the best residents in the DMC and have been since its inception.
Our 6 fellowships are highly sought after and impactfully expand our clinical acumen and are changing the way we practice. And homestretch: Our faculty are among the best clinicians with the DMC and our faculty’s expertise is as far and wide as our specialty. More importantly, our faculty are not in it for the money, but we are here to train the next generation of EM physicians and scientists.
Our community outreach is exemplary, and our Department is the most engaged in the University, including Global health, First Aid First, Street Medicine, Mobile Health Unit, student athlete screening, HIV screening and CPR training that led to Detroit being one of the few municipalities to earn the AHA Heart Safe Community designation.
Our toxicologists and Addiction Medicine section are changing the way we care for patients inside and outside of the hospital with cutting edge treatments and 80% follow up rate for ED referrals from our peer recovery coaches.
Big finish: I am convinced that our clerkship is so great because our residents are engaged, quality teachers. I am convinced our residents are such good clinicians and teachers because our faculty are dedicated and knowledgeable. I believe the department is excellent because it is greater than the sum of its parts. Within the next 2 years we will searching for a new chair and looking at the quality of our department, I think I could sell this job to anyone. In light of the recent turmoil, I will quote myself regarding our last round of disruption, “It is a good time to be a great department”. Thank you each and every one of you for your contributions to the best department in the WSU SOM!!!
Brian J. O'Neil, MD, FACEP, FAHA
Dayanandan Endowed Chair & Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine
Wayne State University School of Medicine