The specialty of emergency medicine cares for acutely sick and injured patients. Research in emergency medicine addresses the most basic issues in clinical medical care. An urban emergency department provides a broad array of medical services that range from acute severe trauma and heart attacks to a "safety net" for those with no other access to the medical-care system. Research in this setting can identify fundamental issues of health-care delivery and can improve the quality of emergency care for patients.UCDavis MCUC Davis Medical Center is a 613-bed hospital that is the primary teaching site for UC Davis School of Medicine The Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program (EMRAP) was created in 2000 by the emergency medicine faculty to help with the research initiatives in the UC Davis Emergency Department. This program gives undergraduates a unique opportunity to participate in clinical research, observe emergency department operations, and learn from the physicians, nurses, and staff of the emergency department. The research associate position is an important responsibility requiring maturity, initiative, diligence and excellent interpersonal skills.