Did you know that the ALiEMU learning management platform has courses in addition to the AIR Series? We just published the third installment of the pediatric point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) series, which focuses on peripheral IV access using ultrasonography. Do you use the traditional transverse, transverse with dynamic needle tip visualization, or longitudinal ultrasound technique?
Our organization has always been a champion and fan of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) research collaborative. We jointly worked on designing their official Head Injury Decision Tool found printed in various emergency departments around the country, featured several PECARN authors on our ALiEM podcast, and provide summaries of their 147-and-growing list of publications in our P3 app. So it follows that we are incredibly honored and thrilled to announce our Twitter collaboration. We will be helping to run their Twitter account. Join @PECARNteam and keep current on their growing list of publications, their clinical take-home points, and even insights from the authors themselves.
While HIV medications receive much attention for the treatment of HIV infection, less attention has focused on the prophylaxis indications. In 2017, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidelines on the indications for the HIV medications tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (2′,3′-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3′-thiacytidine, FTC) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The trade name for the combination medication is Truvada. These daily medications are taken by people at risk for HIV to prevent HIV. This Guideline Review succinctly summarizes the 77-page CDC document into the key pearls for emergency physicians.
Are you a medical student, pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine (EM)? You are navigating your third and fourth years of medical school during an unprecedented time of the COVID-19 era. What if you can not get a visiting EM clerkship rotation? Are you automatically out of luck when it comes to residency applications? How do you keep apprised of timely, relevant information for residency application season? In an effort to support you and get ultra-prepared for the near future and EM internship, we are launching a monthly free email newsletter. Led by editor Dr. Sree Natesan (Assistant EM Residency Director, Duke University) and featuring an all-star, growing team of contributors, we announce the EM Bound newsletter.
“In every crisis, there is an opportunity.” This famous quote by Albert Einstein illustrates the opportunity to reinvent our Chief Resident Incubator (“CRincubator”) year-long experience. We had planned to retire the CRincubator as of a month ago. However, given the relative void in Chief Resident professional development opportunities this year because of physical distancing rules, we wanted to share our lessons learned and resources developed over the past 5 years. We thus announce a half-day, online, professional development learning lab opportunity to all EM Chief Residents. Come join us on May 6, 2020. Read more about the unique curriculum and our all-star speaker line-up on our CRincubator Live homepage.
With so much appropriate attention focused on getting frontline emergency providers with personal protective equipment in the COVID-19 era, one major overshadowed storyline is the uncertainty of the 2020-21 interview season for medical students applying into Emergency Medicine (EM). COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in the entire application season not only for medical students, but also medical schools, residency programs, and hospitals. The downstream effects of potentially canceling visiting (away) EM rotations and possibly even home EM rotations in the near term are dizzying. How does one obtain enough letters of recommendation? Should I even apply for visiting EM rotations? Fortunately, an experienced panel of EM program directors joins Dr. Michael Gisondi (Stanford) and Dr. Michelle Lin (UCSF) in discussing the thought processes, ongoing nuanced discussions, early available resources, and general mindset for the 2020-11 season.
A 35-year-old male working as a healthcare worker presents for evaluation of ear discomfort. The skin behind his ears has been red and irritated since having to wear a surgical face mask with the majority of his patient interactions [1]. He has tried to minimize wearing his mask in the appropriate circumstances, using lotions and emollients, but still has a significant amount of discomfort [2].