[Procedures performed by emergency medicine residents in a Mexico City medical facility].

Objective: To determine the amount and type of procedures performed by three groups of emergency medicine residents in an emergency service in a Mexico City campus.

Methods: We carried out an observational study using a sampling type census with the authorization of the local internal review board (IRB). We followed 33 emergency medicine residents working in Mexico City during the 2007-2008 academic year. We registered the procedures performed and skills displayed by participants in a daily, weekly and monthly format. We included age, gender, academic degree and rotation service. Using descriptive statistics we calculated frequencies, means and standard deviations.

Results: All 33 residents (100%) participated in the study; 33.36% were first year, 33.36% second and 27.27% third year resident. Mean age was of 26.2 +/- 3.5 year and 81.81% were male. Eighteen services where residents carried out their duties were assessed. We recorded a total of 12,075 different procedures and grouped skills under 20 subtypes. 33.30% were performed by first-year, 38.29% by second-year, and 28.42% by third-year. The most common procedures included advanced handling of the aerial route (2,376), central venous accesses (2,307), and resuscitation maneuvers (1,624).

Conclusions: The number of procedures carried out at this medical facility is high with a heavier work load than the one reported in the international literature. We should monitor and compare data among different sites in order to have a clearer picture of the status of emergency medicine specialists in Mexico.