Emergency Medicine (EMER MED) < University of Wisconsin-Madison

EMER MED 699 — INDEPENDENT STUDY

1-4 credits.

Provides the opportunity to engage in basic emergency medicine research, developing skills in study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Offers practical experience applying scientific methods to clinical questions and fosters critical thinking and problem-solving.

Requisites: Consent of instructor

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, unlimited number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Apply concepts learned in coursework to real life situations
Audience: Undergraduate

2. Read and effectively search scientific literature
Audience: Undergraduate

3. Develop critical, analytical, and independent thinking skills
Audience: Undergraduate

4. Critically review emergency medicine research protocols
Audience: Undergraduate

EMER MED 909 — EMERGENCY MEDICINE INTERNSHIP PREP COURSE

1 credit.

Designed to highlight, review, and allow practice of key concepts in Emergency Medicine. Practice with case simulation, case discussion, didactics, panel discussions, and procedural skills to prepare for success in the first few weeks of an Emergency Medicine residency. Will lead and participate in simulations. Explore critical interplay between medical care and communication. Discuss common challenges encountered early in residency and throughout an EM career, and develop individualized plans to address these challenges.

Requisites: MED SC-M 810, 811, 812, 813, and EMER MED 961

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Diagnose and manage common and critical medical conditions
Audience: Graduate

2. Practice initial orders for acute situations
Audience: Graduate

3. Develop competency as a potential first responder to urgent or emergent patient care situations
Audience: Graduate

4. Accurately interpret and apply laboratory information to clinical scenarios
Audience: Graduate

5. Demonstrate effective communication with peers, patients, families and all members of the healthcare team
Audience: Graduate

6. Develop competency in providing meaningful feedback to peers in clinical environment
Audience: Graduate

7. Develop strategies to address the stresses of transitioning to internship during residency and throughout medical career
Audience: Graduate

8. Develop a framework for performing basic procedures in the Emergency Department
Audience: Graduate

9. Develop ultrasound skills that can be used to aid in stabilization and diagnosis of critically ill patients
Audience: Graduate

10. Develop an approach to evaluating and stabilizing ill pediatric patients
Audience: Graduate

11. Demonstrate familiarity with basic procedures commonly performed in the Emergency Department (intubation, central venous catheter placement, etc.)
Audience: Graduate

12. Demonstrate familiarity with the medications that are utilized during procedural sedation and Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) in the Emergency Department
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 911 — INTRODUCTION TO PREHOSPITAL MEDICINE AND DETERMINANTS OF UTILIZATION OF THE PREHOSPITAL SYSTEM

2 credits.

Provides a unique opportunity to gain experience in the prehospital system while applying public health knowledge to identify factors influencing patient use of this system. Exposure to prehospital care and insight into the environments where patients live and work. Includes observation of patient care, post-transport interviews in the emergency department, and analysis of social and environmental determinants that lead to activation of the prehospital system.

EMER MED 912 — GUATEMALA HEALTH ADVANCED ELECTIVE

2 credits.

Builds on skills developed during the first-year Guatemala Service Learning experience. Partners with the San Lucas Mission to provide traveling health clinics around the southern and eastern sides of Lake Atitlan. Includes a leadership role in the Service Learning trip. Intended for M4 or Phase 3 medical learners with intermediate Spanish-language skills. Exceptions considered on a case-by-case basis by the Clerkship Director.

EMER MED 913 — GUATEMALA PUBLIC HEALTH FIELD PROJECT

2 credits.

Design and implement a public health field project in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala, providing traveling health clinics to indigenous Mayan populations in collaboration with the San Lucas Mission. Intended for M4 or Phase 3 medical participants in the Guatemala Service Learning Experience with intermediate Spanish-language skills.

EMER MED 914 — WILDERNESS MEDICINE

2 credits.

Covers Altitude Illnesses, Hyper- and Hypothermia, Toxicology, Envenomations, general trauma, and more. Focus on medical decision-making that can be executed early in disease or injury processes, in austere environments, with a focus on acute stabilization and evacuation to appropriate medical care. Learn foundational backcountry skills such as land navigation; fire and stove operation; water and waste management; and Leave-No-Trace principles.

Requisites: MED SC-M 810, 811, 812, and 813

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Fall 2025

Learning Outcomes: 1. DEMONSTRATE an appreciation of “Leave No Trace” principles in the backcountry, and how these ethics guide not only an individual’s approach to outdoor stewardship, but also how the first principle – “Plan Ahead and Prepare” – informs a medical provider’s approach to wilderness medicine.
Audience: Graduate

2. UTILIZE basic backcountry knowledge, skills, and materials – such as navigation and emergency communication skills, water management, fire construction, waste management and sanitation – not only to illness and injury, but also to prevent illness and injury in resource-limited settings.
Audience: Graduate

3. DISPLAY appropriate decision-making, risk-management, and leadership qualities when addressing environmental hazards such as extremes of temperature, precipitation, storms, altitude, wildlife, and dangerous moving water conditions.
Audience: Graduate

4. PRACTICE basic backcountry skills that are foundational to safe enjoyment of the outdoors, such as land navigation using a map and compass, water treatment, stove operation, fire building, river crossings, knot tying, and gear maintenance.
Audience: Graduate

5. APPLY knowledge from didactic and hands-on topics, specifically trauma topics, hypothermia, drowning and submersion, to common water hazards in a pool session led by a team of experienced whitewater kayakers and a rope session led by a team of experienced climbers.
Audience: Graduate

6. APPROACH the injured patient safely in a backcountry setting using a standardized algorithm, the Patient Assessment System, paying attention to scene safety concerns, as well as standard primary and secondary surveys, care plan development, and frequent reassessment.
Audience: Graduate

7. MANAGE a patient with multisystem trauma with standard and improvised means, including spinal trauma with manual and improvised spinal immobilization, blunt chest injuries with needle decompression and occlusive dressings, pelvic injuries with improvised pelvic binding, and orthopedic injuries with improvised splinting, particularly traction splinting of the femur.
Audience: Graduate

8. DIFFERENTIATE high altitude illnesses, specifically acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral edema, and high altitude pulmonary edema, based on standard diagnostic criteria; appreciate the importance of graded ascent in prevention of these processes; and reinforce the basic medical therapy of these conditions, including descent.
Audience: Graduate

9. RECOGNIZE serious diving injuries, specifically decompression sickness, nitrogen narcosis, and gas emboli; understand the importance of prevention of these injuries with appropriate planning and dive table usage; and reinforce basic medical therapy for these conditions both in austere and urban settings.
Audience: Graduate

10. IDENTIFY dangerous mushrooms (amanita, psilocybins, gyromitrins), plants (anticholinergic, nicotinic, cardio-toxic varieties), arachnids (black widow and brown recluse spiders, centruroides and androctonus scorpions), snakes (viperidae and elapidae), and marine organisms (cnidaria, hydrozoa, echinodermata, mollusca); differentiate their toxidromes; and understand basic treatment strategies.
Audience: Graduate

11. DIFFERENTIATE degrees of hypothermia, cold and freezing injuries, and hyperthermia by understanding standard physiology and diagnostic criteria, and utilize creative means to treat these injuries in low-resource settings.
Audience: Graduate

12. PREDICT the risk of lightning injuries based on meteorological conditions, learn the appropriate preventative responses to oncoming thunderstorm activity, and appropriately triage victims in a mass casualty lightning strike scenario.
Audience: Graduate

13. DISTINGUISH four different methods of water treatment – heat, filtration, chemical treatment, and UV treatment – understand benefits and limitations of each, and the common gastrointestinal pathogens that they might prevent.
Audience: Graduate

14. RECOGNIZE the significance of animal encounters in the backcountry, apply smart backpacking strategies to minimize unwanted encounters with predators, master the differentiation between common North American bears, and practice appropriate behavioral responses to surprise bear encounters.
Audience: Graduate

15. DESCRIBE the progression of anaphylactic shock, know common risk factors, appreciate the importance of immediate treatment, and correlate symptoms with Hymenoptera envenomation.
Audience: Graduate

16. APPLY an understanding of Search-And-Rescue operations while addressing pre-trip planning, backcountry risk-management and decision-making, as a means of minimizing risk and optimizing chances of rescue.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 919 — INDIVIDUALIZED PHASE 3 CLINICAL ELECTIVE IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

2-4 credits.

Care for emergency medicine patients in the Emergency Department. Participate in multidisciplinary work to transition patients to the next level of care. Evaluate and manage patients requiring collaboration with consulting specialties. Complete other patient care related learning activities as assigned by instructors (e.g., literature reviews, presentations on specific topics); these are dependent on the individual student, attending physician, and clinical site.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, unlimited number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2025

Learning Outcomes: 1. Perform a hypothesis driven history and complete a targeted exam.
Audience: Graduate

2. Develop and present a weighted differential diagnosis, diagnostic and treatment plans.
Audience: Graduate

3. Adapt differential diagnosis and plans to changing patient circumstances and data
Audience: Graduate

4. Complete written documentation in a comprehensive, concise, accurate and timely manner.
Audience: Graduate

5. Review, interpret and present current literature to support patient care.
Audience: Graduate

6. Develop clinically relevant questions to advance learning.
Audience: Graduate

7. Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians and non-physician team members.
Audience: Graduate

8. Engage patients in shared decision making regarding tests, orders and procedures.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 920 — ART AND SCIENCE OF RESUSCITATION

2 credits.

Develops skills in leadership and communication for managing resuscitations and understanding the science behind Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) in critical illness. Includes hands-on practice in CPR, bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation, intraosseous (I/O) access, and airway management, with simulation used to teach teamwork, communication, and Crisis Resource Management in various resuscitation scenarios, including leading a code team.

Requisites: MED SC-M 810, 811, 812, and 813

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe and understand ACLS resuscitation protocols and resuscitation skills
Audience: Graduate

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of Teamwork and Communication using the Crisis Resource Management model
Audience: Graduate

3. Through hands on simulation scenarios, identify physiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology of common causes of cardiac arrest
Audience: Graduate

4. Through hands on simulation scenarios, articulate the scientific basis of ACLS protocols
Audience: Graduate

5. Through review of the primary literature, develop an understanding of the scientific basis of modern resuscitation algorithms.
Audience: Graduate

6. Demonstrate how to successfully lead a simulated resuscitation scenario
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 930 — WILDERNESS MEDICINE

1 credit.

Introduces students to the epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical practice of Wilderness Medicine: the care of patients in remote environments lacking typical health care resources, often under harsh conditions.

EMER MED 940 — PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE ELECTIVE

2 credits.

Clinical experience in the Pediatric Emergency Department setting. With guidance and supervision, provide primary and autonomous evaluation and care for the full spectrum of ED pediatric. Pediatric bronchiolitis, asthma, croup, appendicitis, orthopedic injuries, lacerations, and other common presentations.

Requisites: MED SC-M 810, 811, 812, and 813

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the path and options for a career in pediatric emergency medicine.
Audience: Graduate

2. Help plan and deliver the treatment of acutely ill pediatric patients in an emergency department setting.
Audience: Graduate

3. Perform a hypothesis-driven history and complete a targeted exam.
Audience: Graduate

4. Develop and present a weighted differential diagnosis with an emphasis on pediatric diagnoses
Audience: Graduate

5. Present a diagnostic plan, including laboratory and imaging modalities.
Audience: Graduate

6. Present a treatment plan, including symptom management, disease modification, and disposition.
Audience: Graduate

7. Interpret imaging and laboratory findings and communicate results to patients and team members.
Audience: Graduate

8. Complete written documentation in a comprehensive, concise, accurate, and timely manner.
Audience: Graduate

9. Review, interpret, and present current literature to support patient care.
Audience: Graduate

10. Develop clinically relevant questions to advance learning.
Audience: Graduate

11. Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians, and non-physician team members.
Audience: Graduate

12. Communicate and collaborate with consultants and/or primary team and other providers to coordinate care.
Audience: Graduate

13. Engage families in shared decision-making regarding tests, orders and procedures.
Audience: Graduate

14. Identify the problems associated with medical jargon and use commonly understood language when communicating with patients and families.
Audience: Graduate

15. Recognize limitations and seek assistance as appropriate.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 958 — INTRODUCTION TO BEDSIDE ULTRASOUND ELECTIVE

2 credits.

Focus on learning and practicing skills in clinical ultrasound (US) in the Emergency Department setting, under direct supervision by Emergency Medicine faculty. Receive teaching in core clinical US skills including evaluation of the aorta, echocardiography, gallbladder, renal, inferior vena cava, female pelvis, FAST, deep vein thrombosis, ocular, and lung exams. Complete hands-on scanning with ultrasound-trained faculty focusing on the above areas of expertise.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Correctly interpret ultrasound images with regards to pathology vs normal.
Audience: Graduate

2. Correctly acquire the appropriate views for the above listed Clinical US areas of interest.
Audience: Graduate

3. Explain the limitations of Clinical US.
Audience: Graduate

4. Describe how Clinical US is applicable in bedside evaluation and applications in clinical decision-making.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 959 — EMERGENCY MEDICINE REGIONAL SITE

2-4 credits.

Learn and gain clinical experience in the Emergency Department setting. Evaluate and care for the full spectrum of Emergency Department patients under the guidance and supervision of Emergency Medicine attending physicians.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, unlimited number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Gain experience in the treatment of acutely ill patients in an Emergency Department setting.
Audience: Graduate

2. Perform a hypothesis driven history and complete a targeted exam.
Audience: Graduate

3. Develop and present a weighted differential diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

4. Using clinical evidence, adapt and justify the working diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

5. Present a diagnostic plan including laboratory and imaging modalities.
Audience: Graduate

6. Present a treatment plan including symptom management, disease modification, and disposition.
Audience: Graduate

7. Correctly interpret imaging and laboratory findings and communicate results to patients and team members.
Audience: Graduate

8. Complete written documentation in a comprehensive, concise, accurate and timely manner.
Audience: Graduate

9. Review, interpret and present current literature to support patient care.
Audience: Graduate

10. Develop clinically relevant questions to advance learning.
Audience: Graduate

11. Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians and non-physician team members.
Audience: Graduate

12. Communicate and collaborate with consultants and/or primary team and other providers to coordinate care.
Audience: Graduate

13. Engage patients in shared decision making regarding tests, orders and procedures.
Audience: Graduate

14. Avoid medical jargon when communicating with patients and families.
Audience: Graduate

15. Recognize limitations and seek assistance as appropriate.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 960 — BASIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE (EM) ELECTIVE

2 credits.

Learn and gain clinical experience in the Emergency Department setting. Evaluate and care for the full spectrum of Emergency Department patients primarily and autonomously under the guidance and supervision of Emergency Medicine Attendings.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Gain experience in the treatment of acutely ill patients in an Emergency Department setting.
Audience: Graduate

2. Perform a hypothesis driven history and complete a targeted exam.
Audience: Graduate

3. Develop and present a weighted differential diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

4. Using clinical evidence, adapt and justify the working diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

5. Present a diagnostic plan including laboratory and imaging modalities.
Audience: Graduate

6. Present a treatment plan including symptom management, disease modification, and disposition.
Audience: Graduate

7. Correctly interpret imaging and laboratory findings and communicate results to patients and team members.
Audience: Graduate

8. Complete written documentation in a comprehensive, concise, accurate and timely manner.
Audience: Graduate

9. Review, interpret and present current literature to support patient care.
Audience: Graduate

10. Develop clinically relevant questions to advance learning.
Audience: Graduate

11. Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians and non-physician team members.
Audience: Graduate

12. Communicate and collaborate with consultants and/or primary team and other providers to coordinate care.
Audience: Graduate

13. Engage patients in shared decision making regarding tests, orders and procedures.
Audience: Graduate

14. Avoid medical jargon when communicating with patients and families.
Audience: Graduate

15. Recognize limitations and seek assistance as appropriate.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 961 — ADVANCED EM ELECTIVE

4 credits.

Learn and gain clinical experience in the Emergency Department setting. Evaluate and care for the full spectrum of Emergency Department patients primarily and autonomously under the guidance and supervision of Emergency Medicine Attendings.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Gain experience in the treatment of acutely ill patients in an Emergency Department setting.
Audience: Graduate

2. Perform a hypothesis driven history and complete a targeted exam.
Audience: Graduate

3. Develop and present a weighted differential diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

4. Using clinical evidence, adapt and justify the working diagnosis.
Audience: Graduate

5. Present a diagnostic plan including laboratory and imaging modalities.
Audience: Graduate

6. Present a treatment plan including symptom management, disease modification, and disposition.
Audience: Graduate

7. Correctly interpret imaging and laboratory findings and communicate results to patients and team members.
Audience: Graduate

8. Complete written documentation in a comprehensive, concise, accurate and timely manner.
Audience: Graduate

9. Review, interpret and present current literature to support patient care.
Audience: Graduate

10. Develop clinically relevant questions to advance learning.
Audience: Graduate

11. Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians and non-physician team members.
Audience: Graduate

12. Communicate and collaborate with consultants and/or primary team and other providers to coordinate care.
Audience: Graduate

13. Engage patients in shared decision making regarding tests, orders and procedures.
Audience: Graduate

14. Avoid medical jargon when communicating with patients and families.
Audience: Graduate

15. Recognize limitations and seek assistance as appropriate.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 970 — TEACHING IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

2-4 credits.

Develop clinical education skills and knowledge by teaching junior (Phase 2) medical students in a clinical setting. Learn effective teaching techniques. Become familiar with using and adept at researching the primary literature in health professions education. Understand effective approaches to providing feedback while spending clinical time advising and mentoring junior (Phase 2) students who are on their Acute Care Block (ACB) rotations in the Emergency Department (ED). Develop novel instructional, curricular, and interpersonal skills as an educator and use this knowledge to improve the clinical learning environment for future junior (Phase 2) students. Effectively assist junior (Phase 2) students with their approaches to undifferentiated patients in the ED, including developing an initial diagnostic and treatment plan, navigating a complex healthcare system, and setting personal learning goals in a clinical environment.

Requisites: EMER MED 961

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: No

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify and implement evidence-based teaching methods in health professions education
Audience: Graduate

2. Assist junior medical students with approaching ED patients in a real-life clinical setting
Audience: Graduate

3. Provide specific and actionable feedback to other students based on their performance
Audience: Graduate

4. Create brief educational didactic for an audience of junior medical students
Audience: Graduate

5. Provide appropriate guidance and coaching for a junior medical student working in the ED regarding the diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated ED patients presenting with a variety of common chief complaints.
Audience: Graduate

6. Assess a junior medical student’s performance and give effective (e.g., specific, actionable) feedback
Audience: Graduate

7. Implement a variety of instructional methods available in a real-life clinical setting.
Audience: Graduate

8. Facilitate simulated ED patient encounters and subsequent debriefing for Phase II medical students.
Audience: Graduate

9. Identify effective strategies for creating and giving educational content (e.g., blog posts, presentations)
Audience: Graduate

10. Understand career pathways involving health professions education and academic medicine
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 990 — INDEPENDENT READING AND RESEARCH IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

2-8 credits.

Individual Master or PhD student interests and research provide the opportunity to work with faculty members. Tailored to each specific student research proposal/project.

Requisites: Graduate/professional standing

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, unlimited number of completions

Learning Outcomes: 1. Engage in clinical research through an apprenticeship-style learning experience with a physician-scientist mentor.
Audience: Graduate

2. Understand clinical research design by writing or contributing to a research proposal.
Audience: Graduate

3. Develop skills in the analysis of clinical research data.
Audience: Graduate

4. Develop a plan for communicating the results of the clinical research project.
Audience: Graduate

5. Improve verbal and written communication skills by preparing findings to be able to present clinical research experience and results.
Audience: Graduate

6. Formulate a hypothesis or specific objective if the study does not involve hypothesis generating research.
Audience: Graduate

7. Conduct a thorough literature review of the specific research question.
Audience: Graduate

8. Select and apply statistical methodologies appropriate for the proposed analyses.
Audience: Graduate

9. Interpret results correctly and in context of previous findings from literature review.
Audience: Graduate

EMER MED 998 — INDEPENDENT STUDY

1-8 credits.

Offers MD students interested in emergency medicine an opportunity to participate in advanced and translational research. Expands basic research knowledge and exposes MD students to current advanced research.

Requisites: Consent of instructor

Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement

Repeatable for Credit: Yes, unlimited number of completions

Last Taught: Spring 2026

Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop practical research skills that can be used across multiple disciplines.
Audience: Graduate

2. Read and effectively search scientific literature
Audience: Graduate

3. Understand and adhere to ethical standards of research conduct
Audience: Graduate

4. Assist with data reviewing and analysis
Audience: Graduate

5. Critically review emergency medicine research protocols
Audience: Graduate