What is an emergency medicine doctor? The answer likely differs between a major academic centre and a rural hospital. Perhaps the simplest definition is any physician who staffs an emergency department (ED). When it comes to training, emergency medicine (EM) certainly holds the title of most heterogeneous specialty in Canada. While some physicians complete a five-year residency in EM and are Royal College certified, others complete a one-year EM fellowship after two years …
How to Study Effectively: Powering Up Your Study Habits
Kuldeep is a 29 yo medical student who has been studying daily but can’t seem to keep up with the content. His friends seem to be scoring higher than him on tests. How can Kuldeep add some new habits and learn how to study more effectively? When it comes to studying, we are often poor judges of when we are learning well and when we are not. Evidence shows that information sticks better …
FRCPC or CCFP-EM: What is best for you?
FRCPC or CCFP-EM? This is a question that EM physicians spend a lot of time discussing with their mentees. Why are there two EM designations in Canada? What do the letters even mean? What’s the difference? Which route is right for you? These are great questions. Unfortunately, as with many important decisions, you’ll probably get as many answers to them as people you ask. Everyone in the Canadian EM world seems to have …
Tiny Tips: The COWS Scale
As the opiate crisis continues to escalate, emergency departments are seeing higher numbers of patients with complaints and complications related to opiate use disorder. There is strong evidence for opiate agonist treatment in preventing opiate related deaths. Additionally, Suboxone (buprenorphine-naloxone) is the recommended first line treatment.1 Suboxone Treatment For a full Suboxone start, a patient is required to be in moderate withdrawal, meaning a Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) score of greater than …
Call for Junior Editors, Class of 2021-22!
We are pleased to announce that CanadiEM is now accepting applications for our Junior Editor program! If you are interested in learning more about Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAM) or becoming part of our virtual community of practice,1 this program is for you. The application process deadline is June 30, 2021. What are Junior Editors? The role of a Junior Editor is very flexible. The main task is copy-editing and uploading article …
Taking a Sexual History in the ED
A complete sexual history is important in the investigation of several emergency department (ED) presentations. This is often challenging for students, as it can feel intimidating and uncomfortable to breach this topic with patients. Also, the setting of the ED is not inherently conducive to conversations like these, given the lack of established patient-staff rapport and perceived lack of privacy and time. As such, an organized approach with attention to the environment and …