EM Match Advice: COVID-19 and the 2020-21 Residency Application Season

em match advice covid-19 residency applicationWith 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.

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By |2026-06-16T16:15:41-07:00Apr 4, 2020|COVID19, EM Match Advice, Podcasts|

Why You Should Have a Mantra During These Stressful COVID-19 Times

mantra

Healthcare workers on the frontlines during the COVID19 pandemic are likely to experience an increase in stress, fear and anxiety. In these challenging times it is especially important that we take stock of our mental health and practice managing our thoughts. Similar to other skills we learn in emergency medicine (EM) practice, mindfulness takes deliberate practice and repetition. A mantra can be one tool for creating mindfulness and focus. A mantra can serve as a solace to come back to when we feel overwhelmed, distracted, or exhausted. In this post, we will describe the practice of creating your own personal mantra.

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By |2020-04-02T13:53:12-07:00Apr 3, 2020|COVID19, Wellness|

Trick of the Trade: Face mask hacks

face mask hacksA 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].

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By |2026-06-16T16:15:31-07:00Apr 1, 2020|COVID19, Tricks of the Trade|

LVAD Part III: Complications

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have moved from being a bridge to a heart transplant to destination therapy for patients with severe heart failure. Although their use in the general public has increased, they still provide a challenge to the emergency medicine (EM) physician. This series aims to cover the basics of how the EM physician approaches the care of these patients.

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By |2026-06-16T16:15:26-07:00Mar 30, 2020|Cardiovascular, Emergency Medicine|

ALiEM AIR | Trauma 2020 Module

Welcome to the AIR Trauma Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts from the top 50 sites of the Social Media Index, the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality online content related to trauma emergencies. 8 blog posts within the past 12 months (as of January 2020) met our standard of online excellence and were curated and approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. We identified 2 AIR and 6 Honorable Mentions. We recommend programs give 4 hours (about 30 minutes per article) of III credit for this module.

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LVAD Part II: Diagnostic Evaluation

lvadLeft ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have moved from being a bridge to a heart transplant to destination therapy for patients with severe heart failure. Although their use in the general public has increased, they still provide a challenge to the emergency medicine (EM) physician This series aims to cover the basics of how the EM physician approaches the care of these patients. Last week we covered the physical exam. This week: the diagnostic evaluation.

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By |2020-03-22T13:31:23-07:00Mar 23, 2020|Cardiovascular, Emergency Medicine|
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