IDEA Series: Big Screen Ultrasound in Resuscitation Bays
Bedside ultrasound (US) often plays a crucial role in medical and trauma resuscitations in the emergency department (ED) [1]. Performing and interpreting bedside US studies such as the Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (E-FAST) during traumas or echocardiography during medical resuscitations are key skills for emergency medicine residents to learn during their training and adopt into clinical practice [2]. During trauma resuscitations timely and efficient dissemination of critical information is paramount. Information obtained via bedside US can be critical in determining further clinical actions (need for urgent thoracostomy for a pneumothorax, need for urgent exploratory laparotomy in a [...]
Banishing Busy: Part 3
Medical professionals are busy people and exist in a constant state of “being busy.” How do we resolve chronic “busy-ness”? How do we manage our time effectively? In her recent talk at the CORD Academic Assembly 2020, Dr. Christina Shenvi, EM Physician and Associate Residency Director at UNC, provided 5 key actions to help us be productive, complete our work effectively, and strive for work-life balance. Dr. Shenvi recorded her lecture again to be shared with the ALiEM Faculty Incubator. This series of posts breaks down her talk into 3 sections in order to summarize her key points and to [...]
IDEA Series: Toxicology Virtual Escape Room during COVID-19
In order to enhance emergency medicine (EM) residents’ knowledge of toxicology core content, we previously created an immersive escape room experience complete with team-based puzzle solving in a geographical maze to find an antidote. The subsequent COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing guidelines resulted in canceled in-person EM conferences, thereby requiring a rapid adaptation to virtual formats [1-4]. Our toxicology division sought a novel method of engaging learners with toxicology core content remotely. […]
Little Big Med Podcast: Gender Equity in Medicine
It’s time to talk about gender equity in medicine. Significant gender disparities exist in both healthcare institutions and professional societies. These disparities persist even in fields that are predominantly female, such as pediatrics. In fact, although women comprise 72.3% of active pediatricians, only 27.5% of pediatric department chairs across US medical schools are women. Why does this disparity exist? What can we do to address it? In this episode of the Little Big Med podcast, host Dr. Jason Woods discusses these questions with Dr. Nancy Spector, Professor of Pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine and Executive Director of the [...]
IDEA Series: Homemade Escharotomy Kit
Although escharotomy is rarely performed by emergency physicians during the initial management of burns, it is a life and limb-sparing skill important to know as a trainee and provider in emergency medicine [1,2]. There are few models made to accommodate procedural training, and the ones available are often cost-prohibitive. It is critical to have a method for learning and practicing this important procedure [3,4]. […]
Introducing: GroundED in EM a 4 week asynchronous curriculum for 3rd year students
A group of educators from our ALiEM Faculty Incubator 2020 class has created a 4-week virtual introduction to Emergency Medicine curriculum for 3rd-year medical students called Grounded in EM! Think back, back to March 2020: you were a medical student, happily rotating through core specialties, considering Emergency Medicine, and then WHAM! The coronavirus pandemic pulled the rug out of your regularly scheduled 3rd year. Or, you were a program looking forward to a "business as usual" approach to your 3rd-year EM clerkship. Now, you'll have limited face to face time, and are wondering "How do we provide the same general [...]
Banishing Busy: Part 2
Medical professionals are busy people and exist in a constant state of “being busy.” How do we resolve chronic “busy-ness”? How do we manage our time effectively? In her recent talk at the CORD Academic Assembly 2020, Dr. Christina Shenvi, EM Physician and Associate Residency Director at UNC, provided 5 key actions to help us be productive, complete our work effectively, and strive for work-life balance. Dr. Shenvi recorded her lecture again to be shared with the ALiEM Faculty Incubator. This series of posts breaks down her talk into 3 sections in order to summarize her key points and to [...]
IDEA Series: An asynchronous EMS curriculum implemented during COVID-19
The novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) resulted in the cancellation of educational experiences for emergency medicine (EM) residents at many institutions, including emergency medical services (EMS) ambulance ride alongs. The Accreditation for the Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that residents have educational experiences related to EMS, emergency preparedness, and disaster medicine. EMS experiences must include ground unit runs, direct medical oversight, and participation in multi-casualty incident drills [1]. There are few dedicated EMS curricula published in the literature, and those in existence incorporate physical ride-alongs [2]. […]
Banishing Busy: Part 1
Medical professionals are busy people and exist in a constant state of “being busy.” How do we resolve chronic “busy-ness”? How do we manage our time effectively? In her recent talk at the CORD Academic Assembly 2020, Dr. Christina Shenvi, EM Physician and Associate Residency Director at UNC, provided 5 key actions to help us be productive, complete our work effectively, and strive for work-life balance. Dr. Shenvi recorded her lecture again to be shared with the ALiEM Faculty Incubator. This series of posts breaks down her talk into 3 sections in order to summarize [...]
Silence is not an option: Addressing structural racism in medical education
The year 2020 has been a year of upheaval. The COVID pandemic revealed disparities in healthcare and its effects on marginalized groups such as the Black community. The pervasive effects of structural racism affect all of us, including in medical education. We cannot and must not remain silent. As we honor Juneteenth, #BlackLivesMatter, and #WhiteCoatsforBlackLives, let us reflect on ways we can address racial injustice in our direct environment. […]