Read this tutorial on the use of point of care ultrasonography (POCUS) for pediatric soft tissue ultrasonography. Then test your skills on the ALiEMU course page to receive your PEM POCUS badge worth 2 hours of ALiEMU course credit. Take the ALiEMU PEM POCUS: Soft Tissue Quiz Case Goals List the indications of performing a pediatric soft tissue point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Describe the technique for performing soft tissue POCUS. Interpret signs of cellulitis, abscess, and soft tissue foreign body on POCUS. Describe the limitations of soft tissue POCUS. Differentiate ..read more

Welcome to the AIR Psychosocial Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts in the past 12 months from the top 50 sites of the Digital Impact Factor [1], the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality online content related to related to psychosocial emergencies in the Emergency Department. 3 blog posts met our standard of online excellence and were approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically, we identified 1 AIR and 2 Honorable Mentions. We recommend programs give 1 hours of III credit for this module. AIR Stamp of Approval and Honorable M ..read more

It has been 3 years since the 8-week, self-guided Bridge to Emergency Medicine (EM) curriculum was launched to help graduating medical students prepare for EM residency. The curriculum has been viewed over 43,000 times and we have awarded over 5,000 ALiEMU course certificates. It is now a part of many residency programs’ intern boot camp. Launching the 2nd edition of Bridge to EM (2024) We are thrilled to announce that we launching the second edition of the curriculum. This was made possible thanks to our new co-editor, Dr. Andres Lopez, who revamped and updated the entire curriculum with Dr ..read more

Welcome to the AIR Renal/GU Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts in the past 12 months from the top 50 sites of the Digital Impact Factor [1], the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality online content related to related to renal / GU emergencies in the Emergency Department. 6 blog posts met our standard of online excellence and were approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically, we identified 3 AIR and 3 Honorable Mentions. We recommend programs give 3 hours of III credit for this module. AIR Stamp of Approval and Honorable Mention ..read more

Dr. Sara Krzyzaniak (podcast host and Stanford University PD) and Dr. Michelle Lin (ALiEM Founder/UCSF) are joined by Dr. Abra Fant (Northwestern PD) in this discussion reflecting on the 2024 Match results, after last year’s shocking number of 500+ unfilled positions. Here are the 2024 relevant numbers for Emergency Medicine, as compared to prior years. In the following podcast, we run down the numbers and what they might mean for the future. Match Fill Rates Across Specialties in 2024  In 2023 Match, the number of unfilled positions was 554 for EM. This has been dramatically reduced t ..read more

What is the primary toxin in the substance above? Solanine Myristicin Lysergic acid amide Phytolacca toxin Reveal the Answer 2. Myristicin Background Nutmeg, a common household spice, is made from the seed of the nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans. Valued in many cultures as a treatment for numerous medical ailments [1,3], nutmeg is also used as a recreational psychotropic substance [2,3]. It is attractive to teens and young adults seeking a novel psychotropic experience because it is cheap and legal [3]. While accidental overdoses do occur, toxic ingestions are likely underreported, as nu ..read more

There has been a well-documented growth in the use of FOAM in graduate medical education [1-4]. The decentralized nature of FOAM along with concerns with the lack of peer review make the assessment of the quality of information difficult. Several years ago, a group of physicians set out to solve these problems by modifying the traditional systematic review format, and created the Systematic Online Academic Resource (SOAR) review. The SOAR review aims to “systematically identify online resources by topic…[and] assess the quality of these resources with a validated tool, and collate links.” [5 ..read more

Traditionally large-bore tube thoracostomy has been the standard of care for treating many acute intrathoracic pathologies [1]. However, the advent of less invasive small-bore chest tubes, also known as pigtail catheters, has gradually led to a paradigm shift. Pigtails provide a less invasive and often better tolerated alternative to traditional chest tubes and allow for adequate treatment of pneumothoraces and uncomplicated pleural effusions [1-5]. Unfortunately, these less invasive catheters are not without complications – both unique and similar to traditional chest tubes. Case A 48 year ..read more

What could cause this finding three days after ingestion of a concentrated household substance? Duodenal ulcer Gastric perforation Necrotizing enterocolitis Post-corrosive acute pancreatitis Reveal the Answer 4. Post-corrosive acute pancreatitis The above image shows Cullen’s sign, which appears as blotches of superficial ecchymoses in the skin surrounding the umbilicus and is associated with acute pancreatitis [1]. Acute pancreatitis is an unusual complication of corrosive ingestion and when present is generally associated with severe injury and necrosis in the gastrointestinal tract ..read more

A 23-year-old female with no known past medical history presented with a rash concentrated on her legs, with a few areas on her arms and chest. The rash began the day before presentation when she became overheated while wearing sweatpants in 104°F weather. The rash was mildly pruritic but not painful. She denied any prior reaction to her sweatpants that she has had for several months. She denied any new soap or cosmetic use, prior rash, allergy, or medication use. Her review of systems and past medical history were negative. Additional Images Physical Exam Vitals: Normal Skin: An ..read more