Ultrasound For The Win! Case – 64M with Fever and Scrotal Pain #US4TW
Welcome to another ultrasound-based case, part of the “Ultrasound For The Win!” (#US4TW) Case Series. In this series, we focus on a real clinical case where point-of-care ultrasound changed the management or aided in the diagnosis. In this case, a 64-year-old man presents with acute onset scrotal pain and fever. [+]
I am Dr. Christopher Hicks, Simulation/Resuscitation Fellowship Director: How I Stay Healthy in EM
Dr. Christopher Hicks, is an emergency physician from Toronto, Canada. For Dr. Hicks, staying well is worked into every element of his day. When he’s not at work, he enjoys spending time with loved ones, and keeping active. His strategies for keeping mentally in check and being academically happy are something you’ll definitely not want to miss! Here’s how he stays healthy in EM! [+]
IDEA Series: Trapped as a Group, Escape as a Team | Applying Gamification to Team-Building Skills
The Problem Providing high-quality healthcare in the busy, often chaotic world of EM requires teamwork. Team members must overcome varied levels of training, expertise, and conflicting personalities to function as a unit. Effective teamwork and collaboration, particularly in high-stakes, high-acuity environments, can improve patient outcomes and the cost of care.1,2 Although the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) includes “interpersonal and communication skills” (ICS) as a core competency, there is no consensus as to how to effectively teach these skills. Further, military literature identifies “trust” as critical to effective communication within teams.3 To improve trust, communication, and collaboration, authors suggest [+]
Winners of the 2018 ALiEM-EEM Fellowship Contest: Drs. Puja Gopal, Liz Fierro, and Natasha Li
After receiving numerous high-quality submissions, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Essentials of Emergency Medicine (EEM) Education Fellowship Contests! Dr. Puja Gopal from the University of Illinois at Chicago has won the blog post competition. Her winning post, selected by a blinded EEM voting panel, highlights a mnemonic for taking care of patients with tracheostomies, and is featured on the blog today! Dr. Liz Fierro and Dr. Natasha Li have co-won the visual design competition for their submission, Pocket PEM. They were among 4 worthy semifinalist submissions selected by a blinded EEM voting panel, and the winners were ultimately [+]
Troubleshooting the Crashing Patient with a Tracheostomy
Patients presenting to the ED with respiratory distress and a tracheostomy can unnerve almost any provider, and management is often fraught with preventable errors.1,2 This recognition has led to the development of treatment algorithms from groups including the U.K. National Tracheostomy Safety Project to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with tracheostomies.3 Use the ABC-Ts mnemonic to help you perform a focused tracheostomy evaluation and troubleshoot in a stepwise, systematic manner while waiting for your ENT consultant to arrive. [+]
EM Match Advice: County Residency Programs
EM Match Advice is back with its last installment before the Rank Order List deadline (February 21), and puts the focus on county residency programs! In this episode, an esteemed panel peels back the curtain on what it means to work and train in some of the busiest public Emergency Departments in the United States. These programs share a special brand of team-centered training, and residents learn how to make the most of limited resources while caring for patients who are also often resource-poor. This incredible egalitarian spirit shines through in the discussion, hosted by Dr. Michael Gisondi. Watch the video [+]
MEdIC Series: The Case of the Technologically-Challenged Academic
Welcome to season 5, episode 4 of the ALiEM Medical Education in Cases (MEdIC) series! Our team (Drs. Tamara McColl, Teresa Chan, John Eicken, Sarah Luckett-Gatopoulos, Eve Purdy, Alkarim Velji, and Brent Thoma) is pleased to welcome you to our online community of practice where we discuss the practice of academic medicine! This month, we present a case of a budding clinician-scientist who is encouraged to develop a social media and online presence to highlight and disseminate his research achievements. His barrier, however, is his perceived lack of knowledge and technical skills for the growing online FOAM and social media movement. Read more about this case of [+]
ALiEM-Essentials Visual Design Competition: Top 4 Semifinalists | Need Your Vote
The ALiEM-Essentials of EM (EEM) Visual Design Competition kicks into high gear this week as the EEM team selected 4 semifinalists from a myriad of high quality submissions. YOU will decide who wins this competition, and becomes the next EEM Fellow with an all-expense paid trip to the 2018 meeting in Last Vegas! Voting closes January 27 at 5 pm PST. [+]
Infographic: Calcium Channel Blocker Overdose
Calcium channel blocker overdose can produce a deadly toxidrome that requires rapid recognition and intervention. Dr. Joshua C. Feblowitz, a PGY-3 EM resident at the Harvard-Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, created a high-yield infographic on the symptoms and management of this important toxidrome! [+]
Infographic: Pocket PEM
Pediatric Emergency Medicine can be intimidating for even some of the most seasoned providers, but Drs. Liz Fierro and Natasha Li (both PEM Fellows at Loma Linda University Health) have you covered! Their interactive infographic, Pocket PEM, reminds readers of some core PEM content, including pediatric fever, bronchiolitis, and the crashing neonate. [+]
