Emergency Medicine Research

Current active projects involve Emergency Medicine systems in Russia, Europe, Central and South America, as well as CME programs in Italy. The International Emergency Medicine program has also recently received grant funding from the United Nations to promote Emergency Medicine worldwide.

The University of Florence/Harvard Project in Emergency Medicine

The University of Florence/Harvard Project in Emergency Medicine is a grant-funded project between the Tuscan Ministry of Health, the University of Florence, Careggi Hospital, BIDMC and Harvard Medical International. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop Emergency Medicine as a training specialty at the University of Florence and to certify all emergency physicians currently practicing in emergency departments in Tuscany. Certification will be achieved by completing a year-long certification program through the University of Florence. BIDMC Emergency Medicine faculty visit Florence monthly to participate in clinical bedside teaching and to lecture at the weekly didactic conferences. Funded electives are available to all residents during their PGY3 year. 

Harvard Humanitarian Studies Initiative for Residents

Residents can take part in the Harvard Humanitarian Studies Initiative for Residents. This program trains residents in humanitarian response to disaster and refugee crises. This two year educational program includes a two-week intensive course on humanitarian issues followed by a month-long international field placement in a humanitarian setting.

Inpatient Toxicology Program

In July 2000, an Inpatient Medical Toxicology program was established at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This service is run by three full-time, board-certified toxicologists who are faculty of the BIDMC Department of Emergency Medicine.

During the toxicology rotation, residents receive specialized training in the care of acutely ill poisoned patients. Residents rotate through the adult inpatient service at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Massachusetts Poison Control Center at Children's Hospital Boston. They perform bedside toxicology consultation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and phone consultation at the poison center. Daily didactic sessions are provided in the form of bedside teaching, poison center case discussions, toxicology journal club, required reading material, and a monthly interdisciplinary case conference. Residents are required to present an in-depth review of a topic in medical toxicology at the conclusion of their rotation and are encouraged to publish their review in the poison center newsletter, Clinical Toxicology Review.

The Emergency Medicine Informatics Research Lab at BIDMC is a translational informatics lab that specializes in the rapid translation of novel technologies into clinical practice. Our lab has particular expertise in machine learning, user interface design, clinical informatics, and research methodology.

Critical Care Transport Collaborative Outcomes Research Effort (CCT CORE) is a cooperative research group founded in 2008 with support from MedEvac Foundation International. CCT CORE's chief aim is to facilitate greater communication and collaboration in critical care transport (especially helicopter EMS) outcomes research. CCT CORE's ongoing work is supported by the Division of EMS (including the EMS fellowship program) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

To learn more, email Dr. Stephen Thomas.