Before I get to the main question a little background:
AMG, 4th year of 6-year program in Eastern Europe (Not by choice, rather due to spouse's nationality and a move for business interests), Boards I in August. I really want to do EM if I can.
In addition to university clinical rotations/classes I am working in the emergency department of a very good hospital here. Here, they integrate their emergency dept. with the trauma surgery so that surgeons run emergency admission. There are no separate physicians for EM so we go back and forth between sections on a normal night. Most of the docs here rotate in and out of Afghanistan and work with surgeons from all over the world so they have very good reputation and experience.
In any case, it's a good learning opportunity for me despite a few issues with the language.
I'm in a position where I can learn just about everything so what would be the main things I should focus on skill-wise that can help me the most when I do an American EM rotation? Of course refinement of diagnostic skills is always a huge thing. So far I'm not touching much beyond IV's and catheters...but I will shortly be allowed to perform intubation, central line placement and will be able to close on a surgeries as well. I've basically got two years left where I can work here so I hope with clinical skills I should be quite solid.
There are a few things I am really worried about and perhaps this should go in the IMG section. Obviously, due to the language I can't yet get experience with writing up normal paperwork that one would see in an American hospital (orders and such) though forms are pretty much the same. I worry a lot about my lack of knowledge as far as American protocols are concerned. Terminology too. Medications are often the same but sometimes not. Also, the patient population is significantly different. We rarely see OD and toxicology cases.
For ultrasound interpretation, what's the best resource you've found thus far?
If you have to pick one book for EM, what would it be? I think I saw Adams? here but I'm not sure if it's what I need.
Any advice is really helpful and greatly appreciated. I am acutely aware this is not an ideal situation but I really have to make the best of it.
canadia22
AMG, 4th year of 6-year program in Eastern Europe (Not by choice, rather due to spouse's nationality and a move for business interests), Boards I in August. I really want to do EM if I can.
In addition to university clinical rotations/classes I am working in the emergency department of a very good hospital here. Here, they integrate their emergency dept. with the trauma surgery so that surgeons run emergency admission. There are no separate physicians for EM so we go back and forth between sections on a normal night. Most of the docs here rotate in and out of Afghanistan and work with surgeons from all over the world so they have very good reputation and experience.
In any case, it's a good learning opportunity for me despite a few issues with the language.
I'm in a position where I can learn just about everything so what would be the main things I should focus on skill-wise that can help me the most when I do an American EM rotation? Of course refinement of diagnostic skills is always a huge thing. So far I'm not touching much beyond IV's and catheters...but I will shortly be allowed to perform intubation, central line placement and will be able to close on a surgeries as well. I've basically got two years left where I can work here so I hope with clinical skills I should be quite solid.
There are a few things I am really worried about and perhaps this should go in the IMG section. Obviously, due to the language I can't yet get experience with writing up normal paperwork that one would see in an American hospital (orders and such) though forms are pretty much the same. I worry a lot about my lack of knowledge as far as American protocols are concerned. Terminology too. Medications are often the same but sometimes not. Also, the patient population is significantly different. We rarely see OD and toxicology cases.
For ultrasound interpretation, what's the best resource you've found thus far?
If you have to pick one book for EM, what would it be? I think I saw Adams? here but I'm not sure if it's what I need.
Any advice is really helpful and greatly appreciated. I am acutely aware this is not an ideal situation but I really have to make the best of it.
canadia22
