A Message from our Program Director

Welcome! I am happy that you found our website and are possibly considering us for your specialty training.  I am proud of our program, and feel we offer an outstanding opportunity for you to build the foundation of your career.  I would like to mention a few things about our program, and then some suggestions as you move through this important time of audition rotations, applications and interviews.  

Our program started in 1993 with twelve positions.  We were originally accredited through the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Our base hospital at that time was Flint Osteopathic Hospital.  As often occurs, health systems develop and merge, and in 1997 our facility consolidated and moved to a new hospital in Grand Blanc, MI.  This new facility, Genesys Regional Medical Center, is our current base institution.  Over the years our program has developed into a 24 resident program.  In 2007, we became accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This means that we are recognized by both the AOA as well as the ACGME, and need to meet the rigorous standards of both organizations. We were the fourth emergency medicine residency program in the country to attain this dually-accredited status.  Today, there are only a total of five such programs that hold this same standard.  We feel that this, together with an incredibly dedicated faculty and cohesive resident group, is what allows us to offer a premier Emergency Medicine program in the country in which to train.  

As a student entering the application process this can all be overwhelming.  I would offer a few suggestions of advice. The first recommendation is to apply early.  We are catering to applicants who will go through the Osteopathic Match process as well as applicants that are going through the Allopathic Match.  These matches occur about a month apart, but that means we need to expose ourselves to all applicants earlier, and that pushes our timeline up.  Second, for any potential residency to which you are interested in applying, I would highly suggest spending time in that program’s emergency department.  I know schedules are tight and some schools are more flexible than others, but investing some time at the department (even a day) will allow you to get a feel for the culture of the program, meet the residents and faculty in a less formal setting, and help you decide if this is a good “fit” for you.  It also will demonstrate to the program your level of interest. Third, look at program quality.  The education that you receive is going to mold you into the physician you will be for the rest of your career.  Be willing to live with and sacrifice certain conditions if it means receiving the best educational foundation (yes, even a cold winter in Michigan). It will be worthwhile if you walk away with great emergency medicine clinical skills and being marketable to any emergency department anywhere in the country. The graduates of our program have received positions in states all over the US. 

I hope this helps you as you move through this process.  Please feel free to reach out to me or anyone in our program for information or advice (even if it is not about our program).  Life is a long journey, and it is important that you make the best decisions in choosing the right specialty and the right program in which to train. Our job as educators is to not only educate, but to also help you make the decisions that are right for YOU.  Best of luck and I hope our paths cross in the future.

Alan Janssen, DO FACOEP-D, FACEP, FAAEM

Program Director