We have been busy preparing for the unchartered territory of virtual medical student interview season by participating in online meet and greets through the EMRA Residency Program Fair at the end of September. Dr. Kristina Eastman, PGY-3 compiled several video montages highlighting the perks of joining the Aventura EM team, with the assistance of several co-residents as well as our ultrasound gurus, Drs. Huy Tran and Guarav Patel. Clerkship Director Dr. Annalee Baker created a stellar online booth for the program fair, in addition to stealing the show as a medical expert on two national news interviews with CNN and Newsy Reports, providing her insight and perspective regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Jessica Cook, Simulation Director, starred in a virtual tour demonstrating the ins and outs of our state-of-the-art simulation program at Broward Simulation Center. She also mentored our rising star, Dr. Nicolas Ulloa, PGY-2, in publishing two articles: “A clinical challenge in the emergency department: a case of Klebsiella infective endocarditis presenting with splenic abscess” in the Cureus Journal, as well as “Altitude induced pulmonary hypertension” with StatPearls. Dr. Benjamin Pirotte, PGY-2 co-wrote and published “Refusal of care” in StatPearls with his mentor, Assistant Clerkship Director, Dr. Scarlet Benson. Dr. Benson also co-wrote and edited a FOAMed article with emdocs.net with Dr. Ioana Rider, PGY-3 titled, “Evidence-based disposition in acute heart failure.” Dr. Laura Tortora, Toxicology Director, was not only awarded Teaching Attending of the Year by the graduating senior class of 2020, but also had two posters accepted for cases submitted to virtual toxicology conferences: “Beads from snow: a case of cerebral vasospasm from cocaine use,” for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Medical Toxicology, and “Antimuscarinic toxicity due to lupini bean ingestion,” with Education Director, Dr. Laurence Dubensky, and former resident, Dr. Ulrika Agnew, at the North American Conference of Clinical Toxicology.

We are excited about this interview season, although we expect there will be unique challenges associated with the need for virtual interviews and limited socialization, and recognize the additional stress this might place on medical students, as well as the interviewing residents and faculty. We look forward to working together as a team with our residency and hospital, as well as our fellow EM community, to overcome this challenge, as resilience is one of the strong points within our specialty! ■