I am Dr. Philippe Ouellet, Emergency Medicine Resident: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Philippe Ouellet (@OuelletEM) is a 4th year emergency medicine resident from McGill University. Despite being in his 4th year, Dr. Ouellet has managed to fit wellness into the chaos of residency. Drawing from his mentors and other resources, Dr. Ouellet is constantly trying to find ways to optimize his time. His love for biking, not only keeps him active, but also keeps him mentally sound. Here’s how he stays healthy in emergency medicine! [+]
ALiEM 2015 Annual Report
It’s been another amazing year here at ALiEM. The beginning of a new year is a time to reflect about where we have been and where we are hoping to go! In the past year, we have continued to see a rapid growth of innovations and projects. Under the leadership of Dr. Michelle Lin, the ALiEM team has grown to become an international organization with over 50 volunteers all helping to not only write for the blog (such as the new Healthy in EM series), but also to create new projects like our Chief Resident incubator (affectionately known as the “CRincubator”), 60-Second [+]
Top 10 ALiEM Non-Clinical Posts of 2015
‘Tis the season for relaxing and reminiscing, and here at ALiEM we want to take a look back at some of the best non-clinical posts from 2015. While we all strive to know more about our specialty, sometimes focusing on the extracurricular activities and mindsets can really make a difference in your overall wellness. How many of these top 10 posts did you get to read? [+]
Top 20 ALiEM Clinical Posts in 2015
Seasons greetings from the ALiEM team. We have been publishing so many posts this year that you may have missed a few. Did you catch at least the top 20 most-read ALiEM clinical posts, which were published in 2015? Check them out. [+]
Child Whisperer Series: Making the Most of the Holidays in the ED
“Ugh I have to work Christmas Eve and Christmas day.” “I hate not being with my family for the holidays.” “Hanukkah won’t be the same this year if I can’t be with my Dad.” “New Year’s Eve in the ED, sounds like a blast… said no one ever.” These are just a few of the comments I have heard over the last few weeks leading up to the holidays. The last one is courtesy of myself. While I complain, deep down I know it’s not so bad. If you look hard enough I have found you can find the holiday [+]
Trick of the Trade: Isopropyl Alcohol Vapor Inhalation for Nausea and Vomiting
Your triage nurse complains of numerous patients in the waiting room complaining of nausea, retching, and emesis. They ask you “why can’t we have an antiemetic on hand in triage?” Turns out they might have had an effective antiemetic on hand, or rather in their scrub pocket the entire time. They just didn’t know about it yet. [+]
What is International Emergency Medicine?
First and foremost, international emergency medicine (IEM) is a big tent. We’ve got clinicians with an interest in tropical medicine and trauma, systems experts, inventors, educators, missionary families, public health experts, thrill-seekers, and policymakers. A disaster response specialist who has a “go bag” packed at all times ready for deployment belongs in this tent, as does an epidemiologist based in the U.S. who analyzes data on cholera outbreaks in refugee camps. Because it’s a relatively new specialty there is the occasional squabble about what does and does not constitute IEM, but generally we agree that we are working together to [+]
ALiEM Faculty Incubator: Top 5 reasons we are excited about this opportunity for educator-scholars
There is a great need for faculty development, also known as professional development, in medicine and more specifically medical education. A recent JGME publication advocates for more online opportunities for faculty to join digital communities of practice and communities of inquiry to harness the power of experts and mentors worldwide [free PDF]. With our recent successes with the Chief Resident Incubator, which includes over 170 EM chief residents in North America, it was only a natural evolution for us to build a faculty-based incubator. Thus we are proud and excited to announce that applications are now open for the new [+]
PEM Pearls: Cardiac causes of pediatric chest pain
Children with chest pain commonly present to the emergency department. Both the child and family members may think their symptoms are due to a serious illness. Among adolescents seen for their chest pain, more than 50% thought they were having a heart attack or that they had cancer.1 In reality, only 6% of pediatric chest pain has a cardiac etiology.2 Nonetheless, extensive and costly emergency department (ED) evaluations are common and there is wide practice variation.3 But prior to reassuring your patient, what can you do to reassure yourself that your patient doesn’t need a more extensive workup? What would [+]
I am Dr. Brian Lin, Emergency Physician, Blogger, and Educator: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Brian Lin is an emergency physician who truly knows how to keep well! Despite multiple work commitments, he still finds time to engage in his interests, keep fit, and stay well. From completing half-marathons to training capoeira, Dr. Lin, constantly finds ways to keep things fresh. He even shares his tips on how to integrate wellness into your day. Here’s how he stays healthy in EM! [+]