HAPPY NEW YEAR!
In the 2010 CORD-CDEM Supplement in Academic Emergency Medicine, 29 abstracts were selected from the CORD Academic Assembly. I reviewed the Abstracts #1-10 and Abstracts #11-19 last week. Here's a quick look at Abstracts #20-29. Maybe there's something that you might be interested in pursuing or reading more about.
Medical Immediate Action Drill (MIAD) Cards for Core Content Review and Oral Exam Practice for Emergency Medicine Residents
Michael A. Bohrn, et al (York PA Hospital)
This educational innovation involves the creation of pocket cards which cover classic emergent conditions, such as acute angle glaucoma, massive GI bleed, and ventricular tachycardia. Each card contains the patient presentation and key assessment/management pearls. These cards can be used as an adjunct to mock oral boards sessions or for bedside teaching.
A Streamlined Pocket Reference for New Doctors
Joseph Habboush, et al (St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Mt. Sinai Hospital, NY)
Pocket cards were created in this educational innovation, which focus on novice practitioners in the ED (eg. off-service rotations, interns, medical students). Each card details a brief description on how to approach a particular chief complaint, which includes a table of key differentials, initial management plan, and key documentation pearls.
No Place Like Home: Geographic Ties Positively Affect Residency Applicant Pool Characteristics
Matthew S. Dawson et al (University of Utah)
In its first two years of residency (2005, 2006), the Univ of Utah retrospectively assessed whether applicants with geographic ties to Utah were more competitive than those without ties. Of the 586 applicants, 67 (11.4%) had geographic ties. Those with ties were more likely to have attended a top-tier medical school (55.2% vs 40.3%, p=0.02). All other characteristics (competitiveness on the SLOR, board exam failure, medical school remediation, or previous failed residency match attempt), however, showed no difference. The authors conclude that geographical ties improves the applicant pool to new and potentially established residency programs.
Design Innovations and Barriers of a High Fidelity Simulated Emergency Center in Second Life
David J. Robinson, et al (University of Texas Medical School at Houston)
This educational innovation involves using the virtual simulation platform called Second Life. While there are many advantages to this platform, there are significant design and process challenges.
I’m Watching What you Do: Professionalism from the Students’ Point of View
This educational innovation involves using the virtual simulation platform called Second Life. While there are many advantages to this platform, there are significant design and process challenges.
I’m Watching What you Do: Professionalism from the Students’ Point of View
Sally A. Santen, Robin R. Hemphill (Emory University)
This qualitative study evaluated written reflections from 58 fourth-year medical students in an EM clerkship, who included issues of professionalism. The following themes were identified: determining if a patient has drug-seeking behavior, awareness of cynicism, unprofessional behavior by physician superiors, and issues of being subordinate in a hierarchical system.
How Do Emergency Medicine Clerkship Directors Select Visiting Medical Students?
Thomas Morrissey (University of Florida)
This survey study of CDEM members (n=59 responses) assessed how EM clerkship directors choose visiting students. 50% accepted students on a first-come, first-served basis and 25% screened student using transcripts, CVs, and letters. Not sure what the last 25% did.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBL-I) of the Resident and Residency Using the Annual ABEM In-Training Examination
Alison P. Southern (Summa Health System/NEOUCOM)
This educational innovation involved PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents self-identifying a learning plan immediately following the ABEM in-training examination. Twenty hours of online lectures were chosen for each resident prior to the next examination. Although this PBL-I approach did not result in improvement in exam scores, compared to historical controls, residents found the approach valuable.
Is Being Selected as a Chief Resident Necessary for a Career in Academics?
This qualitative study evaluated written reflections from 58 fourth-year medical students in an EM clerkship, who included issues of professionalism. The following themes were identified: determining if a patient has drug-seeking behavior, awareness of cynicism, unprofessional behavior by physician superiors, and issues of being subordinate in a hierarchical system.
How Do Emergency Medicine Clerkship Directors Select Visiting Medical Students?
Thomas Morrissey (University of Florida)
This survey study of CDEM members (n=59 responses) assessed how EM clerkship directors choose visiting students. 50% accepted students on a first-come, first-served basis and 25% screened student using transcripts, CVs, and letters. Not sure what the last 25% did.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBL-I) of the Resident and Residency Using the Annual ABEM In-Training Examination
Alison P. Southern (Summa Health System/NEOUCOM)
This educational innovation involved PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents self-identifying a learning plan immediately following the ABEM in-training examination. Twenty hours of online lectures were chosen for each resident prior to the next examination. Although this PBL-I approach did not result in improvement in exam scores, compared to historical controls, residents found the approach valuable.
Is Being Selected as a Chief Resident Necessary for a Career in Academics?
Gabrielle Jacquet, et al (Multiple residency programs)
This multicenter, 5-year retrospective study assessed whether being an EM chief resident increases the likelihood of an academic career. Although there are several confounding factors, chief residents were found to be over twice more likely to pursue academics than non-chief residents.
Performance Improvement of Emergency Medicine Resident Clinical Care Using Objective Chart Assessment and Feedback
Richard D. Shih (Atlantic Health/Morristown (NJ) Memorial Hospital)
This 5-year prospective study evaluated the medical chart of EM residents at a single institution. Nine charts from each resident were randomly selected (3 chest pain, 3 abdominal pain, and 3 head trauma cases). Each chart was assessed on a 0-100 point scale based on objective measures. Charts from 48 residents were evaluated with the average chart scores being 84.5 (PGY-1), 84.0 (PGY-2), and 86.5 (PGY-3).
Effect of Crowding on Faculty Teaching Time in the Emergency Department
Michelle Lin, et al (Univ. of California, San Francisco)
OK, so this one is my abstract. Briefly, I conducted a prospective, observational, time-motion study of 19 unique attending shifts while supervising medical students and PGY-1 residents. A trained observer documented physician behavior during each 6-hour period. Crowding, based on the EDWIN (ED Work INdex), was associated with decreased teaching behaviors.
This multicenter, 5-year retrospective study assessed whether being an EM chief resident increases the likelihood of an academic career. Although there are several confounding factors, chief residents were found to be over twice more likely to pursue academics than non-chief residents.
Performance Improvement of Emergency Medicine Resident Clinical Care Using Objective Chart Assessment and Feedback
Richard D. Shih (Atlantic Health/Morristown (NJ) Memorial Hospital)
This 5-year prospective study evaluated the medical chart of EM residents at a single institution. Nine charts from each resident were randomly selected (3 chest pain, 3 abdominal pain, and 3 head trauma cases). Each chart was assessed on a 0-100 point scale based on objective measures. Charts from 48 residents were evaluated with the average chart scores being 84.5 (PGY-1), 84.0 (PGY-2), and 86.5 (PGY-3).
Effect of Crowding on Faculty Teaching Time in the Emergency Department
Michelle Lin, et al (Univ. of California, San Francisco)
OK, so this one is my abstract. Briefly, I conducted a prospective, observational, time-motion study of 19 unique attending shifts while supervising medical students and PGY-1 residents. A trained observer documented physician behavior during each 6-hour period. Crowding, based on the EDWIN (ED Work INdex), was associated with decreased teaching behaviors.