AIR Series: Neurology Module 1 – Bleeds and Strokes
Welcome to the first Neurology 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 neurology content relating to intracranial hemorrhage and stokes. Below we have listed our selection of the 17 highest quality blog posts within the past 12 months (as of November 2015) related to neurologic emergencies, curated and approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically in this module, we identified 5 AIRs and 12 Honorable Mentions. [+]
PEM Pearls: Pediatric Concussions
A 9-year boy was hit in the head during a soccer game and was out for a few seconds. He regained consciousness quickly, but was repetitive for EMS. By the time the patient arrived at the ED, he was back to his normal self. Did this patient sustain a concussion? If so, what discharge instructions, anticipatory guidance, and resources do you have for your patient and his family? Here’s a quick 170-second animated video tutorial to sum up some thing for you. [+]
Fentanyl: Adding Fuel to the Fire in the North American Opioid Epidemic
Drug poisoning is now the leading cause of injury death in the United States,1 with opioids accounting for up to 40% of these deaths. In the U.S., prescription opioid death rates have more than quadrupled since 1999, and death rates exceed those due to motor vehicle crashes.2 Similar trends in opioid exposure and death rates in Canada suggest that it is not far behind. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics paralleled a rise in opioid abuse and fatalities between 2002 and 2010, leveling off between 2011 and 2013,3 only to rise again in 2014.4 Among the more frequently misused opioids nationwide are oxycodone and hydrocodone (the most widely [+]
60 Second Soapbox: Bafuma (IV Antibiotics), Favot (Nod and Smile), & Augustine (Medical Travel)
Get ready for another round of 60-Second Soapbox! Each episode, one lucky individual gets exactly 1 minute to present their rant-of-choice to the world. Any topic is on the table – clinical, academic, economic, or whatever else may interest an EM-centric audience. We carefully remix your audio to add an extra splash of drama and excitement. Even more exciting, participants get to challenge 3 of their peers to stand on a soapbox of their own! [+]
ALiEM Chief Resident Incubator Must Read EM Journal Articles – 2016 Edition
In November 2013, the blog post 52 Articles in 52 weeks: Landmark EM Articles for EM interns was published on the ALiEM site. Over the subsequent years, many ground-breaking and practice-changing articles have been published. As part of a multi-institutional initiative launched by the ALiEM Chief Resident Incubator (“The Crincubator”), 9 chief residents from across the country pooled together lists of journal articles thought to be most important for the broad spectrum of EM learners. Additional input was obtained from FOAM leaders across the country including Dr. Ryan Radecki and Dr. Jeffrey Kline. These lists can be used by individuals for further learning or by residency programs [+]
Trick of the Trade: Topical Tranexamic Acid Paste for Hemostasis
Tranexamic acid (TXA) can be used in a wide variety of settings in the Emergency Department for its hemostatic effects. Topical applications of TXA are commonly utilized to control minor bleeding from epistaxis, lacerations, or dental extractions.1–3 More in-depth reviews of topical TXA can be found on R.E.B.E.L EM4 and The Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine.5 [+]
Zika Virus: What emergency department providers need to know
The Zika virus outbreak has recently been put on “Level 1” activation status by the Emergency Operations Center at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you haven’t already thought about this affecting your emergency department, you should starting now. A Level 1 status has been triggered only 3 times in the recent years: Ebola (2014), H1N1 (2009), Hurricane Katrina (2005). The following are some key facts and resources. [+]
ALiEM Bookclub: Bouncebacks! Emergency Department Cases: ED Returns
There are many pitfalls the practicing Emergency Medicine practitioner can encounter, but hopefully avoid during their time in the ED. Bounceback patients, the ones who come back the next day, usually worse off than the day before, are definitely dreaded events that most would like to avoid. Of course, the ideal goal would be to never have that happen to you or your patients, but that is just not realistic. That’s why Bouncebacks! can be integral to anyone’s reading list. [+]
ALiEMU CAPSULES Module 5: Procedural Sedation & Analgesia in the ED
We are proud to present CAPSULES module 5: Procedural Sedation & Analgesia in the ED, now published on the Academic Life in EM University (ALiEMU) website. Here is a summary of the key points from this outstanding module by Dr. Zlatan Coralic and Dr. Nadia Awad. [+]
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Older Adults
Older adults are at high risk of poor outcomes from even minor head injuries. We see many older patients in the ED who present after a fall or head injury, and we have good decision rules for which patients need brain imaging.1 However, even patients with mild traumatic brain injuries, who have a negative CT scan, are at risk for mortality and significant long-term sequelae. The CDC has called traumatic brain injuries a ‘silent epidemic’.2,3 The first steps to breaking that silence are awareness and recognition. Case A 75 year old male who is not on any anticoagulants presents to [+]
Director of Growth, Strategic Alliance Initiative, Center for Innovation and Digital Health
Massachusetts General Hospital;
Chief Scientific Officer, Conductscience.com
Latest posts by Shuhan He, MD (see all)
- The Discharge Severity Index: Early Research on ED Readmission Risk Assessment - August 14, 2025
- Suboxone and the Emergency Physician: Get Waivered Training - August 12, 2022
- A Tale of Two Epidemics: COVID-19 and the Opioid Crisis - April 23, 2020