Frequently Asked Questions

Please also see our Application Process page.

What is your application deadline?

September 24, in ResidencyCAS.

Does the program accept osteopathic applicants?

Yes, we accept both allopathic and osteopathic candidates.

By what criteria are residents selected?

Our program utilizes a holistic application review, with a goal to recruit diverse trainees with a passion for emergency medicine.

How are your interviews scheduled? How will I be notified of an invitation for a Northwest Arkansas interview?

Upon review of applications, candidates selected for interview will be notified by email.

Do you hire outside of the NRMP Match?

We are participating exclusively in the NRMP Match.

Do you offer observerships, externships or volunteer research work?

Visiting student rotations are available for M4s. If interested, please apply for a rotation through our main campus in Little Rock.

Institution: Univ of Arkansas COM

Specialty: Emergency Medicine

Course #: EMER-8496V

Location: UAMS-Washington Regional

Are there any prerequisites for applying?

We require applicants to submit USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX level 1 scores, along with the MSPE letter, and at least three letters of recommendation to have full consideration. Applicants must complete USMLE Step 2 or COMLEX Level 2 by the end of January. There is no minimum USMLE or COMLEX score. We do not believe that a test score reflects the quality of a physician.

This residency program sponsors J-1 visas. For information on other non-immigrant visa types, or if you have questions, visit the UAMS Immigration Services page, or contact UAMS Immigration Services at AskImmigration@uams.edu.

May I visit your campus for a second look?

We offer second look visits in February, after we have completed our rank order list. Visits are not required and do not affect our ranking. They are intended for you to meet the faculty, tour Washington Regional, and get a feel for Northwest Arkansas.

What are the salary and benefits? 

Residents are employed by UAMS, and salaries and chief resident stipends are the same across our institution, regardless of the residency or fellowship specialty. The salaries for the 2025-2026 academic year are:
PGY1: $61,281
PGY2: $63,640
PGY3: $66,102

Chief residents receive an additional $1,000 stipend.

Residents are employees of UAMS and receive 21 days of vacation and 12 sick days annually. These days may not be rolled over to the following academic year. Residents are also given five additional vacation days they can use over the course of their residency. Medical, Parental, or Caregiver leave provides residents with six weeks of paid leave that can be used one time during residency. Residents receive comprehensive medical and dental benefits. Please see summary of benefits for more details.

Are there funds to support resident education or research?

Yes, residents receive a $1,000 per year e-fund that can be used for conference attendance, books, publication submission fees, or similar costs. This e-fund does not roll over to the following academic year.

What does the program provide that I don’t need to pay for with my e-fund?

The residency program provides the certification/recertification fees for PALS, ATLS, BLS, and ACLS. We provide access to Q-banks for USLME Step 3 or COMLEX 3 for one year. If you do not pass step 3 during this subscription period, you may use your e-fund to pay for a new subscription. We also provide ample resources to prepare you for your board certification that can be used both in didactics and for independent study. Resident membership in EMRA, ACEP, SAEM, and AAEM is also provided by the program. Residents also have access to Rosh Review and EM:RAP. Residents can access the UAMS Library in person at the UAMS Northwest Campus in Fayetteville or can access the UAMS Library, which provides access to 118 research and clinical databases, 17,616 electronic journals, and 1640 electronic books. Should you need a physical book from the library in Little Rock, our Fayetteville-based librarian can get it for you.

How is the parking situation?

You can park for free at all rotation sites. At Washington Regional, residents may park directly behind the ED.

How far do I have to travel for rotations?

Nearly all rotations occur at Washington Regional. Pediatric emergency medicine rotations take place at Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital in Springdale, which is a 10-15 minute drive from our primary site. Residents do a two-week EMS rotation with Central EMS, based in Fayetteville. There is one PICU rotation at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Our residency program covers the cost of travel and lodging during this rotation.

Where do most residents end up living and do they buy or rent?

Most of the clinical training experiences are located in Fayetteville and Springdale. We recommend residents look for housing in this area. There are many options for sale or rent.

What are the work hours like?

Residents work nine-hour shifts on weekdays and a mix of nine- and 12-hour shifts on weekends. The nine-hour shifts are scheduled 6a-3p, 2p-11p, 10p-7a, so that there is overlap between shifts to allow residents to wrap up their patient care at work, not at home or after scheduled work hours.

PGY-1 residents work 19 shifts during a WRMC ED block, PGY-2 residents work 18 shifts per ED block, and PGY-3 residents work 17 shifts per ED block. There are no required off-service rotations with overnight call for PGY-3 residents.

What is the culture like at Washington Regional?

Washington Regional is a great place to train and work! The hospital leadership are incredibly supportive of GME. We have a 6400 square foot GME Suite on the 3rd floor, built in 2022, with classrooms, team rooms, lockers, program offices, meeting spaces, and a resident lounge with a stocked refrigerator. Hot lunches are provided at weekly didactics. UAMS also sponsors neurology, internal medicine, and family medicine residencies at WRMC. This gives us the best of both worlds – you can interact with and learn from residents in other disciplines, but you are the primary GME program in the ED and don’t have to compete with a lot of learners to lead a resuscitation.

What does the didactic component look like?

We have protected time on Thursdays for didactics, including during off-site rotations. The morning is spent in lectures with both faculty- and resident-led topics. Presenters are encouraged to use gamification and make lectures interactive because learning should be fun!  After lectures, we break into small groups for more hands-on activities, which include simulation, skills labs, and a smorgasbord of topics. Lunch is provided. One hour of asynchronous learning is assigned each week which includes clinically relevant articles and a quiz. Throughout the year, we have Grand Rounds with other residencies and specialties as well as visiting lecturers who are well known in emergency medicine. Journal Club occurs once a month at a faculty member’s home or a fun location in NWA.

How do I accomplish my research requirement?

During PGY1, we provide residents with a research curriculum that teaches you the ins and outs of scholarly work, from how to form a research question or identify a QI project to how to get IRB approval, collect and analyze data, and disseminate the results. Dr. Hanna Jensen serves as research faculty in all of the UAMS residency programs at Washington Regional. She provides weekly research mentoring sessions onsite and is available to assist residents every step of the way. Dr. Jensen works with multiple departments at UAMS and at Washington Regional to identify opportunities for cross-department or multi-site research. Residents may also work with the UAMS Institute of Community Health and Innovation in Springdale, led by Dr. Pearl McElfish on projects addressing population health and health disparities. You will also be assigned a faculty mentor at the beginning of residency who will meet with you regularly and provide mentorship on your research and education.

Will I teach students in this program?

Yes! Washington Regional is a rotation site for UAMS medical students from the UAMS Northwest Campus, located just a few minutes away in Fayetteville. You will have the opportunity to work with students in the ED and in the ICUs. You can also work with medical students and UAMS students from other disciplines on research projects.

What about wellness?

Given the recent surveys showing EM high on the list of burned-out physicians, wellness is prioritized. Scheduling you off on Wednesday nights before conference allows for residents to gather as a group and build camaraderie. We have an annual resident retreat in the beautiful NWA outdoors as well as an annual program tailgate at Razorback football games, where you can test your cornhole skills against our faculty. Lectures on financial wellness, resilience, mindfulness, and sleep hygiene to name a few allow for a longitudinal focus on wellness.

In coordination with UAMS and the GME Office, residents have 24/7 access to an array of mental health services, including confidential psychiatric care and counseling. Residents may also use sick days to address mental health concerns.