Research Overview

Research activities are an increasingly important component of all residency-training programs.  Residents are expected to be familiar with basic research designs, research ethics, statistical concepts, and methods for conducting literature searches.  The ability to read critically research articles is now recognized as a necessary skill for keeping abreast with new knowledge and standards of treatment.  The Emergency Medicine Residency Program (EMRP) has a research participation requirement of all its residents. Multiple resources are in place to assist with the formulation, execution, and completion of research projects.  Those interested in research will find the Baton Rouge/New Orleans environment to be rich in research opportunities.
 
The EMRP periodically is awarded contracts to run clinical trial studies.  The EMRP recently served as one of 30 sites for the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration (MARC) study of the effectiveness of Biaxin as a treatment for Community Acquired Pneumonia.  MARC is based at the EMNet Coordinating Center (ECC) at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston under the direction of Dr. Carlos Camargo of Harvard University.  We expect to participate in additional clinical trial studies through MARC in the future, and expect residents to take an active role in these studies. 

EMRP residents are also participating in a study sponsored by the Baton Rouge Mayor’s Office and the State Drug task force to assess the incidence of designer drug overdoses in emergency departments.  EMRP residents are also working with the Centers for Disease Control on a study examining factors influencing vaccine use.