Fall 2020
The Approach to Orthopedic Complaints in the Emergency Department
Varsha Aravindabose, OMS-IV at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine Acute orthopedic complaints comprise a significant number of Emergency Department (ED) visits every year. Yet, studies show that many Emergency Medicine physicians are not confident in their diagnosis and managemen [...]
Why Talk Flu During a Pandemic?
Taylor A. Klein, MS, OMS-IV Nicholas S. Bowman, OMS-IV If conversations in your household are anything like ours, we are rapidly approaching our regularly scheduled influenza debate. The arguments are numerous: “That vaccine never works anyway.” “Any time I get that vaccine, I get the flu from it.” [...]
Summer 2020
Investigating Inversions To A Tee
Jeff Thekkekara, OMS-IV, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences The discovery of the electrocardiogram (ECG) by the Dutch physiologist, Dr. Wilhelm Einthoven, would eventually win him the Nobel Prize in 1924, but he could not have done so without the knowledge that came before him. For e [...]
A Thing Not Looked for Is Seldom Found
Alyka Glor Fernandez, OMS-IV Mitchell Dean Maulfair, DO A previously healthy 16-year-old male presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. He woke up with abdominal pain that steadily worsened and was unrelieved by a dose of over the counter simethicone. This pro [...]
Applying Emergency Medicine During a Pandemic – Advice for Orphan Program Medical Students
Authors: Andrew Langille DO1, Christina Hornack DO2, Dhimitri Nikolla DO3 Positions/Affiliations: 1ACOEP-RSO Secretary, EM Resident, UT Nashville, Nashville, TN 2ACOEP-RSO President, EM Resident, Adena Regional Medical Center, Chillicothe, OH 3ACOEP RSAC Chair, EM Attending, AHN Saint Vincent, Erie, [...]
Welcome Emergency Medicine Interns!
Greetings and welcome to our new class of Emergency Medicine Interns! You have joined our specialty during an exciting and uncertain time. But excitement and uncertainty are not new to our specialty, nor do I believe they are unique to it. We are often called to react to situations without enough in [...]
Volunteering as a Medical Student During COVID-19: A Personal Account
Kaley Canova-Gaitros, OMS-IV, Kansas City University I am sure that years from now, my classmates and I will all remember what rotation we were pulled from on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; I was in my final week of an ENT Surgery rotation. The next couple of weeks were full of specul [...]
Interview With Stephanie Davis, DO
In May 2020, Sean Creegan, OMS III, sat down (virtually) with Dr. Stephanie Davis, DO, and asked about her work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a transcript of some of the interview. Be sure to listen to the audio version for the complete interview, including our discussion on w [...]
Spring 2020
What Can I Do?
Taylor Klein, NRAEMT, MSc, OMS-III On Sunday, March 15th, 2020, I was on my OB-GYN rotation and was present for three deliveries. The residents and attendings were pimping me on various OB emergency facts as I had just come off of my ED elective and had shared with them my plans to apply to EM. By [...]
Awake Proning for COVID-19 Pneumonia
Dhimitri A Nikolla, DO Emergency Physician AHN Saint Vincent, Erie PA Introduction Proning is a method of positioning hypoxemic patients to improve oxygenation. It reduces mortality in mechanically ventilated patients with severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS),1 and has been recommended [...]
Making a Cost-effective Suction-Assisted Laryngoscopy Assisted Decontamination (SALAD) Simulation System
Authors: Paige Reinfeld, MS, OMS-II Shriman Balasubramanian, MS, OMS-II Michael Polito, OMS-II Nicole Kiess, OMS-II Adithya Nagaraja, OMS-II School: TouroCOM – Middletown,NY Social Media: @simclubtouro Introduction Airway management remains an essential skill for various healthcare disciplines, with [...]
Winter 2020
An Acute Case of Phenytoin Toxicity in the Emergency Department
Akstinas, J. OMS-IV, Miguel, E. DO Mesa View Regional Hospital, NV Rocky Vista University Abstract Case Presentation: A 38-year-old woman with a past medical history of depression, vertigo, and a seizure disorder presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with complaints of dizziness for four days. [...]
Medical Schools Should Turn to Virtual Reality in the Wake of COVID-19
Harshit Singh1*, Jaime Weber, MS1*, Angela Pierce, PhD2 1OMS-III, Kansas City University, College of Osteopathic Medicine 2Phase II Director, Kansas City University, College of Osteopathic Medicine *These authors contributed equally to this work. The global spread of a novel coronavirus in 2019 and [...]
The Seemingly Impossible Task of Mourning During Medical Education
Andrew Griffin, OMS-III Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences A couple of weeks into my surgery rotation, I came home from an extended shift when I checked my phone to read dozens of condolences on one of my friend’s Facebook walls alluding to that something severe had happened. Not wan [...]
The Medical Student’s Brief Guide to the 3-Minute Emergency Medicine Presentation
Alyka Glor Fernandez The Emergency Department (ED) is busy. Resident and attending physicians are occupied every minute of their shifts with patient care, procedures, orders, and charting. In addition, they are responsible for teaching and supervising medical students who rotate in the ED. While our [...]
The EM Algorithm: A Simplified Approach For Early Success In Emergency Medicine
Samuel James Nobilucci, DO, MSM-HCA, EMT-P Emergency medicine (EM) is a complex and adaptive specialty that blends the knowledge base of a general practitioner with aspects from nearly every other specialty. Be it pediatrics, geriatrics, infectious disease, surgery, or any number of organ-based focu [...]
Medical Paintball
Anastasia Ambrosio, OMS III ACOEP RSO Student Conference Chair Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences The nurses, the PAs, and even a stray patient in the hallway stared at me, all alarmed. I was excited to get a pimping question right. Muffled heart sounds, hypotension and JVD: the tria [...]
When to Consider Plasmapheresis in the Emergency Department
Samuel Nobilluci DO Jordan Miller DO Ari Leib MD Adena Regional Medical Center Case presentation A 88-year-old Caucasian female walks into the emergency department after her primary care physician told her she had an abnormal lab. She reports that she otherwise feels fine and denies visual changes, [...]
Winter 2019
“Just Get the Flu Shot!”: Update of Influenza Prevention and Treatment
Andrew Leubitz, DO, MBA Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center Influenza in the Emergency Department: It happens at least once per shift, sometimes it seems like every other patient presents this way… a new patient pops up on the board, a 20 or 30-something year old whose chief compliant is “everyth [...]
Calling Consults, Part 1: A Resident’s Perspective
Christopher Swyers, DO, PGY-3 One of the most important jobs of an emergency physician is realizing when he or she needs help. Whether it’s simply ensuring good follow up, getting a patient to surgery, or getting a sub-specialist’s expertise, calling a consult is a critical skill. Experience is ofte [...]
Mass Casualty Shootings and the Implications of the Impact if Left Unchecked
Lindsey Roden, MPH ACOEP Staff August 3, 2010, eight people killed in Manchester, CT. June 17, 2015, nine people killed in Charleston, SC. December 2, 2015, 14 people killed in San Bernardino, CA. June 12, 2016, 49 people killed in Orlando, FL. October 1, 2017, 58 people killed in Las Vegas, NV. Feb [...]
The Winter Student Symposium – I Didn’t Know What to Expect
Zach Mauro OMS-III, EMT-P ACOEP-RSO Conference Co-Chair The Winter Student Symposium - I didn't know what to expect "ABCDE and a secondary survey will never fail you!" "If you don't already, you're going to love ultrasound at the end of today!" "We [as residency programs] want to know why you want t [...]
DEATH AS A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
Taylor Klein, OMS-II, NRAEMT AZCOM I’d be surprised to encounter someone working in healthcare who doesn’t remember their first experience with death. We are taught that it’s inevitable; we can’t save everyone. We know that we will eventually encounter patients who are beyond the help of medical in [...]
Ischemic Stroke in Pregnancy: Thinking Outside the Womb?
Hailey Bossio, MD Kent Hospital, Warwick, RI INTRODUCTION The incidence of stroke is common – someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. In the management of stroke, expediency is key. Like the majority of hospitals, Kent Hospital has a stroke protocol in place, but this does not in [...]
Bupropion: The “Poor Man’s Cocaine”? A Case Report
Ryan A. Anderson, D.O. Chief Resident, Lehigh Valley Health Network CASE A 33-year-old male is brought to the emergency department after being found down in his bathroom. He is slightly confused but has normal vital signs. A white powder was found at the scene, and the patient claims he was snorting [...]
A Case and Discussion of Accidental Hypothermia in the Setting of Trauma
Dhimitri Nikolla, DO, PGY-4 AHN Saint Vincent Hospital Erie, PA CASE A 22-year-old male presented as a trauma alert completely unresponsive. He was found down by a bystander, unresponsive with significant facial trauma presumed to be from assault. Upon arrival, the patient had apneic respirations be [...]
How Can YOU Save a Life? – PulsePoint: Empowering Superheroes
Anthony Unger, OMS-3, BS Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine My uncle believed he was a healthy man. Surviving cancer at a young age caused him to live a very positive and compassionate life. It was no surprise he signed up for a 100-mile bike ride supporting our veterans. He completed the two [...]
Fall 2019
5 Tips for Maintaining Wellness During Dedicated Board Prep
Melinda Kizziah, OMS-III West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Summer is over and if you’re a second-year medical student, you are gearing up for another busy but exciting year of medical school. With first year under your belt, you’re probably feeling more confident and prepared to move one [...]
Summer 2019
The ACOEP-RSO Is Working for You
The ACOEP-RSO (American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians - Resident-Student Organization) provides emergency medicine (EM) residents and student members a wealth of opportunities and benefits. From RSO events at Scientific Assembly and Student Symposiums, to the Resident Education Package [...]
ACOEP-RSO Advocating for Better Emergency Care and Training
The ACOEP-RSO has been proudly representing its members at the biannual All Emergency Medicine Residents Organization and Students (AEROS) group meetings, where we have collaborated on several projects to advocate for emergency medicine (EM) residents and students regarding many issues such as maint [...]
An Unusual Case of Septic Shock from a Urinary Tract Infection
Peter Nesbitt, OMS-IV @LECOM, Erie, PA Dhimitri Nikolla, DO @AHN Saint Vincent Hospital, Erie, PA CASE 60 year-old male with quadriplegia due to spinal cord injury and chronic Foley catheter presented to the emergency department (ED) with hematuria and confusion. The catheter was exchanged one day p [...]
Interviewing The Interviewers
Christina Powell, DO Past Director of Student Affairs, ACOEP-RSO University of Maryland Medical Center, Class of 2022 As we transition to yet another cycle of daunting applications, painfully edited personal statements, and hours waiting anxiously by the phone for interview offers to enter the email [...]
Tricks of the Trade: The ED 3-minute Walk Test
Christopher Hart, OMS-II @LECOM-Erie Dhimitri A Nikolla, DO, PGY-4 @AHN Saint Vincent Hospital INTRODUCTION Emergency physicians often have difficulty dispositioning patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute dyspnea caused by exacerbations in either chronic obstructive pulmonar [...]
Spring 2019
Substance-Induced Psychosis in the Emergency Department
Kara Smith, CUSOM MSIII Case Presentation: A 32-year-old Caucasian man is brought to the Emergency Department by EMS after being found hiding naked in a tunnel of a nearby playground. EMS reports he would not let anyone touch him en route. During your interview, the man stops tells you he shed his c [...]
What is the Etiology of this Electrocardiogram Finding?
Dhimitri A Nikolla, DO, PGY-4 LECOM-Erie CASE An elderly male with a past medical history of dementia, on warfarin for a remote history of pulmonary embolism, presented via ambulance from a skilled nursing facility due to the facility’s reports of altered mental status and decreased oral intake. On [...]
Acute Lower Extremity Paralysis: A Sign of Decompensated Hyperthyroidism
John Oh, MD Ashley Lauria, DO Kent Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency Introduction This case describes a young male who presented to the Emergency Room (ER) with a chief complaint of sudden onset bilateral lower extremity paralysis. He was found to have thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP), which [...]
Winter 2019
COVID Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report
Kara Hatlevoll DO, MS, FAWM*, Harshit Singh*, Jaime Weber MS*, Natalie Griego MD *These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract Case Presentation: An 82-year old patient with preexisting COVID-19 pneumonia and significant cardiac risk factors presented via EMS to the emergency department [...]
Soiled Airways: Suction Catheters and Decontamination Techniques
Parham Salehi Saee1, MS4; Dhimitri A Nikolla, DO2 Affiliations: 1Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA. 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Erie, PA. Introduction Usually, blood or vomit in the oropharynx, a soiled airway can obscur [...]
Knee Injury After a Skateboarding Accident
Parham Salehi Saee, MS3; Nathan C Ellis, MD; Dhimitri A Nikolla, DO; Melody Milliron, DO Affiliations: 1Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA. 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Erie, PA. Corresponding Author: Dhimitri A. Nikol [...]
Acute Renal Infarction Leading to Sudden Perirenal Hemorrhage
Jesse Dalton, DOAshley Lauria, DO Kent Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency Abstract Introduction Renal infarction is a rare, but clinically important diagnosis due to its significant morbidity and mortality. Atrial fibrillation is a major risk factor for thromboembolic disease that can lead to re [...]
An Acute Case of Phenytoin Toxicity in the Emergency Department
Akstinas, J. OMS-IV, Miguel, E. DO Mesa View Regional Hospital, NV Rocky Vista University Abstract Case Presentation: A 38-year-old woman with a past medical history of depression, vertigo, and a seizure disorder present