ACEP Dual Training Section Spotlight: Building a “Home Base” for Combined Residency Physicians

In this ACEP Early Career Physicians spotlight, Dr. Laurel Barr speaks with Dr. Vinay Mikkilineni, Chair, about the Dual Training Section and the value of combined residency pathways. Dual training is not "extra." It is a practical model for building flexible careers, connecting across departments, and applying systems thinking to emergency care.

What the Section offers

The Dual Training Section is a professional community for physicians who are dual trained in primary specialties through combined residency programs rather than fellowships. It provides opportunities to network, share lessons from the field, and compare how different departments respond to the same practical problems.

Why this matters for early-career physicians

Many early career physicians are still figuring out where they fit. As Dr. Mikkilineni explains, dual training can offer flexibility over time, allowing physicians to adjust their clinical mix as their interests, goals, and life circumstances evolve.

It also brings a broader systems perspective. Challenges like boarding and throughput extend beyond the ED and are shaped by post acute capacity, outpatient access, reimbursement, and policy. Dual trained physicians may be especially well positioned to connect those dots and help drive smarter solutions.

What the Section is doing right now

The section’s dedicated Dual Training Conference creates space for practical, cross departmental topics that dual trained clinicians encounter in everyday practice. Its focus is on turning real world challenges and ideas into useful, shareable projects, with programming that extends beyond traditional emergency medicine to include care transitions, home based care, and the needs of migrant patients.

The yearly Dual Training Residency Fair gives medical students a chance to connect with leaders and residents from combined programs and ask practical questions about training and career planning. It also encourages students to think beyond residency and consider what a dual trained career can look like over the long term.

The section is also expanding its resource hub to offer more practical guidance for real world decision making, from navigating hiring across two departments to leading cross departmental projects and sharing lessons learned in practice.

Advocacy and myth-busting: clearing the air on dual training

One common myth is that dual training is a costly mistake because of the extra years in residency. But the interview argues that its value is better measured in long term career flexibility, longevity, and the ability to build a practice that fits your goals over time.

Another myth is that dual trained residents are less prepared for critical care. In reality, Dr. Mikkilineni notes that many combined pathways provide substantial critical care exposure, often with deeper experience in settings such as the ICU, PICU, or airway management. 

Get involved

The section offers several easy ways to get involved, from attending or presenting at the Dual Training Conference to participating in the May Residency Fair, contributing to the resource hub, or supporting mentorship for students exploring the field. For anyone who is dual trained, considering it, or simply curious, the section is designed to be a welcoming place to start.

Visit the Dual Training Section →