Trick of the Trade: Eye pH
Your patient presents with an ocular burn after accidentally splashing an industrial acid on his face. You, however, can not seem to find the ever elusive eye pH paper to track her initial and serial pH’s during copious ocular irrigation. Now what? [+]
Diagnose on Sight: Diffuse Desquamating Dermatitis
Case: An 84 year old female presents with five days of a diffuse rash. She had a seizure and was started on phenytoin 2 weeks ago. Her mouth, labia, and medial canthi are involved. There are scattered areas of desquamation comprising less than a tenth of her total body surface area. She is tachycardic and febrile. Her complete blood count differential is normal. What is the diagnosis? [+]
MEdIC Series | The Case of the Flirtatious Patient – Expert Review and Curated Commentary
The Case of the Flirtatious Patient has been sparse in volume of comments but we’ve still had a really interesting set of comments over the past week. We are now happy to present to you the Curated Community Commentary and our two expert opinions. Thank-you again to all our experts and participants for contributing again this week to the ALiEM MEdIC series. [+]
Methemoglobinemia: Not the Usual Blue Man With Low SpO2
On a Friday night shift, an ambulance brings you a 52 year-old man who had an episode of syncope at a local club. EMS found him confused and hypoxic with poor skin color. The patient was placed on oxygen via face mask en route to your ED without clinical improvement. On exam, you note a blue discoloration of his extremities, and his chest x-ray and ECG are unremarkable. You draw blood, which appears very dark, and an ABG demonstrates pH 7.39, PCO2 41, and PO2 176. Figure 1. Blue foot Figure 2. Dark arterial blood You suspect [+]
Rib Fractures in Older Adults – What’s the Big Deal?
Blunt chest trauma from falls or motor vehicle collisions are a common reason for ED visits and a common source of rib fractures. While many patients with rib fractures can be discharged home with oral analgesics and an incentive spirometer, certain patients are at much higher risk for morbidity and mortality. This post will look at which patients are at risk, what factors predict increased mortality, and inpatient interventions that can reduce mortality, with a focus on the risks in older adults. [+]
The McMAP Project | #FOAMed Assessment Resources
For all you medical education folks out there, you will know that learner assessment is a really hot topic these days. Competency-based medical education (CBME), entrustable professional activities (EPAs), milestones… These are all the fancy new terms that are floating out of most residency educator’s mouths. Herein we present our McMaster Modular Assessment Program (McMAP) in e-book form, courtesy of ALiEM Press. [+]
I am Dr. J. Scott Wieters, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education at Texas A&M: How I Work Smarter
Dr. J. Scott Wieters (@EMedCoach) is a community EM doc turned academician 4 years ago. Looks like Dr. Wieters found his calling. As the Director of Undergraduate Medical Education Texas A&M COM he has received his medical school’s teaching award 4 years yeas in a row, and it’s easy to see why. As a newly FOAMed convert, he has started contributing on the REBELEM blog and has shown some real speaking skills. This up and coming clinician educator was nominated by Dr. Ben Smith. Dr. Wieters took a few moments to graciously share his insights into work, life, and being efficient. [+]
I am Dr. Chau Pham, Coordinator of the High Performance Physician Program: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Chau Pham has got wellness locked down! Throughout her life, she has always somehow created an environment of wellness while adapting to various situations. Most recently she used these skills to weather the many challenges of being a new mother. Despite having two little ones at home, she still wears many other hats, including the Director of Medical Missions for the national charity, Canadians Helping Kids in Vietnam. In person, Dr. Chau Pham has an incredible lightness of being and is totally zen! Here’s how she stays healthy in EM! [+]
MEdIC Series | The Case of the Flirtatious Patient
Medical students, residents and staff alike have found themselves in conversations with patients about non-medical topics. But what happens when those topics of conversation become too personal? Please join us in discussing the case of the flirtatious patient. We would appreciate your thoughts and advice. [+]
Announcing 2015-2016 ALiEM Social Media and Digital Scholarship Fellowship
We are very excited to begin the recruitment for the 2015-2016 ALiEM Social Media and Digital Scholarship Fellowship! The application process for this virtual fellowship is open as of right now to interested Emergency Medicine residents and medical students, including those who are international! [+]