Is it time to trash the stethoscope? The age of ultrasound

Is the physical exam a relic of the past, because our tools are relics of a prior era?

It is important to do and teach a thorough physical exam. I cautioned against the overreliance on diagnostic testing in lieu of a physical exam, which can be initially burdensome and prolonged. But perhaps our difficulty with the physical exam is not the exam itself, but the tools that we have at our disposal to perform an exam, rather than the exam itself.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2018-01-30T01:59:00-08:00Mar 15, 2013|Medical Education, Ultrasound|

Simulation cases: How to write the storyboard

Last week I wrote about the important components in writing a simulation case. It is an exhausting list, but the thoroughness pays off.

The next big task is writing the actual case storyboard, which can be done in many ways. All revolve around the concept of action and reaction. The key to a well written simulation case is understanding the actions that the learners will take, the actions that they should take, the actions they shouldn’t take.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2016-11-10T13:28:42-08:00Mar 2, 2013|Medical Education, Simulation|

Writing a Medical Simulation Case

It can be a daunting task to write a medical simulation cases. Regardless of prior experience in simulation, writing cases is a different skill set than programming or working a high fidelity simulator. It’s more similar to writing a play– at times an impromptu play!

What is a Medical Simulation Case?

It usually entails a patient encounter with a healthcare provider (learner) where an event occurs, and the learner is expected to perform actions. After some time, or after certain actions are performed, the facilitator stops the simulation, and debriefing ensues.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2016-11-11T18:40:57-08:00Feb 22, 2013|Medical Education, Simulation|

Making Your Match Rank List

This is the moment your whole medical school career has been hinging upon:

Match Rank List Time!

It is time to get serious and come up with a rank list that maximizes your chances of getting your first choice residency. Ranking programs is a personal decision making process, because everyone has different priorities and life circumstances. Therefore, no one piece of advice applies to everyone. This is a run down of my own personal thoughts of what is important.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2026-06-16T16:02:02-07:00Feb 15, 2013|Medical Education|

Getting serious about Serious Gaming!

Many of our childhood memories revolve around late nights playing Mario Brothers. Everybody remembers their mother yelling to stop playing so much, or else their fingers would fall off. Many of us outgrew video games, only to be sucked back in by Angry Birds and Farmville. Now there’s a new generation who experience life with an iPad glued to their hand from the womb. And then there are people like my fiance who belong to guilds in World of Warcraft.

For the purposes of this write up, I want to focus on Serious Games as electronic software as opposed to table top or board games such as Monopoly (or Dungeons and Dragons for the geeks out there!).

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2026-06-16T16:02:04-07:00Feb 8, 2013|Medical Education|

Cape Town Emergency Medicine YouTube Channel

In line with the philosophy and awesomeness of FOAM, Dr. Almero Oosthuizen and the EM Physicians at Cape Town South Africa have created the EM Cape Town YouTube Channe l for the purposes of demonstrating critical EM procedures. This great series was created with zero budget, limited time, and only with the use of an iPhone for recording purposes. This group is very passionate about teaching, and it shows through the videos.

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2026-06-16T16:02:06-07:00Feb 6, 2013|Social Media & Tech|

Creating a successful workshop

This past week was the 2013 International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare Simulation Society, organized by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSIH) in Orlando, FL. This was the second time that I attended this conference, and the first year that I tweeted (#IMSH2013) through it.

This was also the first time that I had ever organized a workshop for a conference. Boy was I nervous! I wanted it to be a great experience for those who attended. I wanted the participants to learn.. laugh.. cry… in other words, I wanted to change their lives!

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By Nikita Joshi, MD|2019-02-19T18:07:55-08:00Feb 1, 2013|Medical Education|

About Nikita Joshi, MD

Is the physical exam a relic of the past, because our tools are relics of a prior era?

What is a Medical Simulation Case?

Match Rank List Time!