Louisiana State University School of Medicine Program

Program Identity & Fit

LSU Spirit of Charity is a historic, safety-net emergency medicine program rooted in the legacy of Charity Hospital, training residents at University Medical Center, the only Level I trauma center serving New Orleans and eleven surrounding parishes, alongside rotations spanning tertiary referral, community, rural, VA, and dedicated pediatric ED sites. The curriculum builds toward a Charge Resident model of graduated autonomy, giving senior residents independent responsibility for trauma resuscitations, airway management, and a 14-bed ED section, while a pioneering Social Emergency Medicine track formalizes training in social determinants of health, health equity, and community advocacy. The program is one of only four in the country offering a combined EM-Pediatrics pathway and also offers EM-IM, alongside 22 weeks of elective/selective time for subspecialty exploration, signaling strong support for individualized career development within EM. Institutional identity centers on serving the underserved "regardless of insurance or ability to pay," and the program appears to value residents who embrace high-acuity, high-autonomy practice combined with a service-oriented, community-embedded mission.