Susan B. Promes

Gaps in procedural experience and competency in medical school graduates.

OBJECTIVES The goal of undergraduate medical education is to prepare medical students for residency training. Active learning approaches remain important elements of the curriculum. Active learning of technical procedures in medical schools is particularly important, because residency training time is increasingly at a premium because of changes in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour rules. Better preparation in medical school could result in higher levels of confidence in conducting procedures earlier in graduate medical education training. The hypothesis of this study was that more procedural training opportunities in medical school are associated with higher first-year resident self-reported competency with common medical procedures at the beginning of residency training. METHODS A survey was developed to assess self-reported experience and competency with common medical procedures. The survey was administered to incoming first-year residents at three U.S. training sites. Data regarding experience, competency, and methods of medical school procedure training were collected. Overall satisfaction and confidence with procedural education were also assessed. RESULTS There were 256 respondents to the procedures survey. Forty-four percent self-reported that they were marginally or not adequately prepared to perform common procedures. Incoming first-year residents reported the most procedural experience with suturing, Foley catheter placement, venipuncture, and vaginal delivery. The least experience was reported with thoracentesis, central venous access, and splinting. Most first-year residents had not provided basic life support, and more than one-third had not performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Participation in a targeted procedures course during medical school and increasing the number of procedures performed as a medical student were significantly associated with self-assessed competency at the beginning of residency training. CONCLUSIONS Recent medical school graduates report lack of self-confidence in their ability to perform common procedures upon entering residency training. Implementation of a medical school procedure course to increase exposure to procedures may address this challenge.

Factors Enhancing Career Satisfaction Among Female Emergency Physicians

STUDY OBJECTIVE Attrition rates in emergency medicine have been reported as high as 25% in 10 years. The number of women entering emergency medicine has been increasing, as has the number of female medical school graduates. No studies have identified factors that increase female emergency physician career satisfaction. We assess career satisfaction in women emergency physicians in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and identify factors associated with career satisfaction. METHODS The survey questionnaire was developed by querying 3 groups: (1) ACEP women in the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians, the (2) Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Mentoring Women Interest Group, and (3) nonaffiliated female emergency physicians. Their responses were categorized into 6 main areas: schedule, relationships with colleagues, administrative support and mentoring, patient/work-related issues, career advancement opportunities, and financial. The study cohort for the survey included all female members of ACEP with a known e-mail address. All contact with survey recipients was exclusively through the e-mail that contained a uniform resource locator link to the survey itself. RESULTS Two thousand five hundred two ACEP female members were sent the uniform resource locator link. The Web survey was accessed a total of 1,851 times, with a total of 1,380 surveys completed, an overall response rate of 56%. Most women were satisfied with their career as an emergency physician, 492 (35.5%) very satisfied, 610 (44.0%) satisfied, 154 (11.1%) neutral, 99 (7.1%) not satisfied, and 31 (2.3%) very unsatisfied. Significant factors for career satisfaction included amount of recognition at work, career advancement, schedule flexibility, and the fairness of financial compensation. Workplace factors associated with high satisfaction included academic practice setting and sex-equal opportunity for advancement and sex-equal financial compensation. CONCLUSION Most of the ACEP female physicians surveyed were satisfied with their career choice of emergency medicine. Opportunities for career advancement, fairness in financial compensation, and schedule flexibility were key factors in career satisfaction among female emergency physicians.

Emergency medicine milestones.

Michael S. Beeson, MD, MBA, is Residency Program Director in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Akron General Medical Center; Wallace A. Carter, MD, is Residency Program Director in the Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital; Theodore A. Christopher, MD, is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals; Jonathan W. Heidt, MD, is Clinical Instructor in the Division of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis; James H. Jones, MD, is Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine; Lynne E. Meyer, PhD, MPH, is Executive Director of the Review Committee for Emergency Medicine, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; Susan B. Promes, MD, is Professor and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco; Kevin G. Rodgers, MD, is Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine; Philip H. Shayne, MD, is Professor and is Program Director and Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine; Mary Jo Wagner, MD, is Residency Program Director and Chief in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Central Michigan University College of Medicine; and Susan R. Swing, PhD, is Vice President of Outcome Assessment at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Generational influences in academic emergency medicine: Teaching and learning, mentoring, and technology (Part I)

For the first time in history, four generations are working together-traditionalists, baby boomers, generation Xers (Gen Xers), and millennials. Members of each generation carry with them a unique perspective of the world and interact differently with those around them. Through a review of the literature and consensus by modified Delphi methodology of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Aging and Generational Issues Task Force, the authors have developed this two-part series to address generational issues present in academic emergency medicine (EM). Understanding generational characteristics and mitigating strategies can help address some common issues encountered in academic EM. Through recognition of the unique characteristics of each of the generations with respect to teaching and learning, mentoring, and technology, academicians have the opportunity to strategically optimize interactions with one another.

Clinical Policy: Critical Issues in the Evaluation of Adult Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department With Acute Blunt Abdominal Trauma

This clinical policy from the American College of Emergency Physicians is an update of the 2004 clinical policy on the critical issues in the evaluation of adult patients presenting to the emergency department with acute blunt abdominal trauma. A writing subcommittee reviewed the literature as part of the process to develop evidence-based recommendations to address 4 key critical questions: (1) In a hemodynamically unstable patient with blunt abdominal trauma, is ultrasound the diagnostic modality of choice? (2) Does oral contrast improve the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) in blunt abdominal trauma? (3) In a clinically stable patient with isolated blunt abdominal trauma, is it safe to discharge the patient after a negative abdominal CT scan result? (4) In patients with isolated blunt abdominal trauma, are there clinical predictors that allow the clinician to identify patients at low risk for adverse events who do not need an abdominal CT? Evidence was graded and recommendations were based on the available data in the medical literature related to the specific clinical question.

Clinical Policy: Critical Issues in the Evaluation and Management of Adult Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department With Seizures

This clinical policy from the American College of Emergency Physicians is the revision of a 2004 policy on critical issues in the evaluation and management of adult patients with seizures in the emergency department. A writing subcommittee reviewed the literature to derive evidence-based recommendations to help clinicians answer the following critical questions: (1) In patients with a first generalized convulsive seizure who have returned to their baseline clinical status, should antiepileptic therapy be initiated in the emergency department to prevent additional seizures? (2) In patients with a first unprovoked seizure who have returned to their baseline clinical status in the emergency department, should the patient be admitted to the hospital to prevent adverse events? (3) In patients with a known seizure disorder in which resuming their antiepileptic medication in the emergency department is deemed appropriate, does the route of administration impact recurrence of seizures? (4) In emergency department patients with generalized convulsive status epilepticus who continue to have seizures despite receiving optimal dosing of a benzodiazepine, which agent or agents should be administered next to terminate seizures? A literature search was performed, the evidence was graded, and recommendations were given based on the strength of the available data in the medical literature.

Clinical Policy: Critical Issues in the Evaluation and Management of Adult Patients With Suspected Acute Nontraumatic Thoracic Aortic Dissection

This clinical policy from the American College of Emergency Physicians addresses key issues in the evaluation and management of patients with suspected acute nontraumatic thoracic aortic dissection. A writing subcommittee conducted a systematic review of the literature to derive evidence-based recommendations to answer the following clinical questions: (1) In adult patients with suspected acute nontraumatic thoracic Volume 65, no. 1 : January 2015

Duty hours in emergency medicine: Balancing patient safety, resident wellness, and the resident training experience: A consensus response to the 2008 institute of medicine resident duty hours recommendations

Representatives of emergency medicine (EM) were asked to develop a consensus report that provided a review of the past and potential future effects of duty hour requirements for EM residency training. In addition to the restrictions made in 2003 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the potential effects of the 2008 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on resident duty hours were postulated. The elements highlighted include patient safety, resident wellness, and the resident training experience. Many of the changes and recommendations did not affect EM as significantly as other specialties. Current training standards in EM have already emphasized patient safety by requiring continuous on-site supervision of residents. Resident fatigue has been addressed with restrictions of shift lengths and limitation of consecutive days worked. One recommendation from the IOM was a required 5-hour rest period for residents on call. Emergency department (ED) patient safety becomes an important concern with the decrease in the availability and in the patient load of a resident consultant that may result from this recommendation. Of greater concern is the already observed slower throughput time for admitted patients waiting for resident care, which will increase ED crowding and decrease patient safety in academic institutions. A balance between being overly prescriptive with duty hour restrictions and trying to improve resident wellness was recommended. Discussion is included regarding the appropriate length of EM training programs if clinical experiences were limited by new duty hour regulations. Finally, this report presents a review of the financing issues associated with any changes.

Clinical Policy: Use of Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator for the Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Emergency Department.

This clinical policy from the American College of Emergency Physicians is the revision of a clinical policy approved in 2012 addressing critical questions in the evaluation and management of patients with acute ischemic stroke. A writing subcommittee conducted a systematic review of the literature to derive evidence-based recommendations to answer the following clinical questions: (1) Is intravenous tissue plasminogen activator safe and effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke if given within 3 hours of symptom onset? (2) Is intravenous tissue Volume 66, no. 3 : September 2015

Evaluating educational interventions in emergency medicine.

This article presents the proceedings of the 2012 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference breakout group charged with identifying areas necessary for future research regarding effectiveness of educational interventions for teaching emergency medicine (EM) knowledge, skills, and attitudes outside of the clinical setting. The objective was to summarize both medical and nonmedical education literature and report the consensus formation methods and results. The authors present final statements to guide future research aimed at evaluating the best methods for understanding and developing successful EM curricula using all types of educational interventions.