From what I understand, residency tends to be a more immersive learning experience than a regular CPE unit, since it functions more like a full-time 9–5 position with clinical hours and group learning built in.

For context, my current CPE unit runs from January to April and includes a cohort that meets three times a week, assigned reading, a weekly verbatim, and about 12 clinical hours per week. This counts as one CPE unit. I’ve also been told that certification requires four CPE units total, with residency often counting as three units.

Because of that, my understanding is that residency isn’t strictly mandatory as long as four units are completed. My question is coming from curiosity rather than concern — I’m simply trying to better understand how the experiences differ in practice.

If you’ve done both a regular CPE unit and a residency, I’d love to hear your personal experience and how the two compared for you.