Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (PA) Residency Program

Welcome to the Albert Einstein Medical Center and the Emergency Medicine PA Residency Program. We are very proud to be part of one of the few Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant (PA) Residency Programs in the country and would like to share with you some of our program’s distinguished attributes.

Our vibrant urban setting, affords us the opportunity to care for a diverse and challenging patient population presenting with various medical needs. Because Einstein houses a Level I Trauma Center, our residents frequently treat trauma patients with multiple and severe injuries while working closely with other disciplines including surgery and orthopedics. Some of the many resources available while working in the emergency department include: advanced airway management equipment, comprehensive emergency ultrasound, and active cardiac catheterization lab, and a dedicated radiology suite with a dedicated CT scanner.

However, it is not only by virtue of our location and outstanding facilities that our residents are provided assorted advanced learning and training opportunities throughout their tenure here. Via weekly conferences and various other forums, our residents receive specialized training in areas not offered in other residency programs. These advanced skill and knowledge-base building opportunities allow our residents to become uniquely qualified to assume increasing responsibility within the ED and, ultimately, to become comfortable managing patients, including the critically ill, simultaneously.

Additionally, our residents are fortunate to receive hands on mentoring by some of the country’s most distinguished leaders in emergency medicine. In fact, many of our current staff have received special recognition for their outstanding work; conducted national presentations; contributed to and written chapters in nationally recognized textbooks, such as Emergency Airway Management, Tintinalli, Roberts and Hedges; Rosen’s; and the EMRA Antibiotic Guide - now distributed to approximately 20,000 residents, medical students, and faculty nationwide. Several of our PA’s and attendings hold leadership positions within the hospital. Our PA Residency Director functions as the Clinical Manager of the PAs in four of our emergency departments, she is a member of the AAPA, has been elected to the national Board of Directors of SEMPA (Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants), and is an adjunct professor at Philadelphia University. Our Medical Director is Maria Halluska-Handy, who is the Assistant Residency Director for the EM-physician residency training program and she is an American College of Emergency Physicians Teaching Fellow. She received her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann University School of Medicine and completed her residency training at Drexel University College of Medicine. Undoubtedly, the rich inter-disciplinary collaboration and our dedication to ongoing professional development, which are integral parts of our program philosophy, truly make our PA residency program one to emulate.

Lastly, Philadelphia and the surrounding communities provide many avenues for enjoyment outside the hospital. Many sports and concert arenas, theaters, fine restaurants, local museums, and historic attractions make Philadelphia a unique and culturally rich place to live and to work. New York City, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and numerous beaches are within an easy drive. It is easy to see why Philadelphia attracts so many visitors and has become one of the most sought-after cities in which to live!

We know that many factors will influence your decisions in choosing the program that is right for you. We are confident that Einstein offers the diversity, challenge, training, staff, and geography like no other program can provide. We wish you the best of luck as you enter this exciting time in your professional development and look forward to meeting you during the interview process.

Sincerely,

Lynn M Scherer, PA-C, MS                             Maria Halluska-Handy, MD