Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Oral examination is a method used to evaluate emergency medicine (EM) residents and is a requirement for board certification of emergency physicians. Second Life (SL) is a virtual three-dimensional (3-D) immersive learning environment that has been used for medical education. In this study we explore the use of SL virtual simulation technology to administer mock oral examinations to EM residents. ⋯ Application of SL virtual simulation technology is a potential alternative to traditional mock oral examinations for EM residents.
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Implementation of rapid response systems to identify deteriorating patients in the inpatient setting has demonstrated improved patient outcomes. A "trigger" system using vital sign abnormalities to initiate evaluation by physician was recently described as an effective rapid response method. ⋯ Implementation of an ED triggers program allows for more rapid time to physician evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and antibiotics.
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Vitamin D is increasingly recognized as an important mediator of immune function and may have a preventive role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. We sought to evaluate the association between vitamin D status and sepsis severity and hypothesized that vitamin D insufficiency would be associated with increased sepsis severity. ⋯ Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with higher sepsis severity in ED patients hospitalized for suspected infection. Larger observational studies, mechanistic studies, and ultimately randomized controlled trials are needed to determine causation and to evaluate if vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of sepsis as a preventive or therapeutic strategy.
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The clerkship director (CD) serves as a faculty leader within a school of medicine and plays a vital role in the hierarchy of undergraduate medical education. Collectively, CDs across specialties serve a multitude of roles and are responsible for clerkship administration, curricular development, teaching, mentoring, and advising students. The emergency medicine (EM) CD has a vitally important role to play in the future development of medical students. ⋯ This article was prepared with the objective of establishing the importance of the EM CD, defining the job description of the CD, explaining the importance of adequate release time to perform the role of the CD, and describing the necessary resources and support for the position. With EM becoming an increasingly popular and integral rotation for medical students, it is likely that additional emphasis will be placed on the role of the EM CD. This reference document serves as a template for the job description and expectations of an EM CD.
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Medical residency is an educational enterprise directed toward producing clinicians who recognize and correctly manage disease. While formal graduate medical education provides didactics and bedside teaching to improve knowledge, individual learning efforts are essential to the educational experience. ⋯ In reviewing the agreement between admission and discharge diagnoses of a single resident over 4 years of residency, significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy was observed. This method of self-correction has potential to supplement formal residency education in emergency medicine.