The Emergency Medicine rotation provides an opportunity for Internal Medicine residents to apply their knowledge and skills in a clinical setting and to a patient population markedly different from either the clinic or inpatient ward. The Emergency Department is an arena in which the traditional method of history followed by exam followed by labs and tests followed by broad differential diagnosis followed by definitive testing followed by treatment is not practical. Often, some of these proceed simultaneously while others do not occur at all; the goal is rapid stabilization and timely disposition of the patient, with or without a specific diagnosis. While it is impossible for anyone to become an emergency physician after a 4 week rotation, it is expected that the Internal Medicine resident will gain exposure to and work toward proficiency in all aspects of emergency care of the adult patient. In addition, it is expected that the Internal Medicine resident will serve as a liaison to and representative of the Medicine Department, providing guidance to EM residents and staff in areas of IM expertise.