Introduction

As the “Residents' Perspective” column enters its seventh year, I am honored to join the prestigious list of previous Resident Fellows. I would like to extend special thanks to Clare Atzema, MD, of the University of Toronto, Royal College Emergency Medicine Postgraduate Training Program in Ontario, Canada, for her contribution in the 2003 to 2004 term. Throughout the upcoming year, I hope to continue providing both educational and interesting commentaries on a wide variety of topics.

I have a special interest in the resident learning process and feel a responsibility to improve the resident educational experience. I would like to provide a series of columns on the clichéd “common sense” approach to emergency medicine, providing a resident's perspective on “what common sense really is,” delineate the importance of evidence-based medicine on internship and residency, and most dear to my heart, create a learning tool for interns on approaching the common emergency department complaints. These goals are high and cannot be accomplished without assistance. Please submit any ideas, experiences, or commentaries as we, dedicated physicians, continually strive for excellence in patient care.