Number Needed to Meet: Ten Strategies for Improving Resident Networking Opportunities

In most emergency medicine graduate medical education curricula, few residencies have any lessons devoted specifically to the importance of networking or how best to network. However, networking is important for career development in emergency medicine. Effective networking can lead to new projects, mentors, job opportunities, and promotions. In this article, we will address strategies for both residents and programs to help improve networking among residents. Strategies for residents include active networking at national conferences, preparing for each encounter, use of existing networks to develop new contacts, having a goal for each interaction, and the importance of following up. Strategies for programs include avoidance of academic silos, creation of joint conferences, increasing resident-alumni interactions, use of existing contacts to develop new networks, and simulation and workshops on networking. We will conclude by discussing new directions for research on best practices for resident networking.