Atraumatic Low Back Pain: ACEP E-QUAL Network Podcast
Atraumatic low back pain is a common complaint in the ED. For most patients, a thorough history and physical exam is sufficient to exonerate causes that threaten life or neurological function. For a small subset, however, MRI may be required. ALiEM has partnered with the ACEP E-QUAL Network to promote clinical practice improvements through a series of podcasts. In our first installment, we focus on this common presentation. We review highlights from an interview with Dr. Jonathan Edlow, Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess, about the presentation and evaluation of low back pain. Afterward be sure to check out the podcast in full.
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If you are a senior resident, this post is for you! Right now you’re juggling an array of responsibilities. From adjusting to your new leadership roles in the Department to applying to jobs and fellowships, it’s easy to let that pesky procedure you have always struggled with or confusing ECG finding slip by you. To help you solidify your skills this year, we have come up with a list of things to master before the end of the academic year. Take a look, and tailor this list to your background and training. Come up with a list of your own, share it with your mentors, and check off each one. Graduation will be here before you know it!
Match season came to a close last month – and with that, some 17,000 U.S. medical school seniors earned a PGY-1 position. Most will go on to complete these programs and have happy, successful careers in their chosen specialty. But for a small number, second thoughts will creep in during residency. Maybe a life event changes the way a resident looks at his or her role in providing care; or perhaps exposure to another specialty – EM for example – occurred late in the fourth year of medical school. For these atypical applicants, there is a dearth of resources to help guide a re-match, if you will, and no guide for navigating the policies and politics associated with changing one’s mind.