North Florida EM has had a busy, yet exciting summer. The previous PGY-3 class had their graduation ceremony in June. It was incredible to hear stories of how these physicians had grown over the past few years in residency. We are so proud of how far they have come and are excited to see them continue to excel as fellows and attendings in their respective jobs. A few weeks later, we welcomed our new intern class for orientation and then their first day of residency! Throughout the entire month of July, interns participated in EM intern bootcamp, learning the basics of EM ultrasound, common procedures and basic foundations.

Our residents and faculty had to rise to the challenge of the spike in COVID cases we experienced this summer. We saw record-breaking volumes of patients across all of our sites, including the main ED and our freestanding EDs. While this was a difficult time for many of us, it has been incredible to watch each person step up and tackle the challenge head-on. Our faculty has also provided incredible support for residents during this time, ensuring that each resident’s concerns are heard and everyone continues to have an excellent learning experience.

Despite the difficulties of the past few months, our program has emphasized resident wellness. The PGY-2 class had their wellness retreat for four days at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando. We also had our program’s annual summer Wellness Day at Ginnie Springs at the end of August. Both of these events were great chances to rest and recharge while spending time with our co-residents. We’re looking forward to the last few months of the year and are hopeful that we will be able to continue gathering in-person for didactics and other events outside of work as COVID cases start to downtrend and vaccination rates increase. ■