Latest news with #emergencymedicine
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘The Pitt' Receives 13 Emmy Nominations
'The Pitt,' the realistic emergency medicine drama that debuted this year and became a breakout hit for HBO Max, received 13 nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards, including for best drama, best lead actor for a drama (Noah Wyle) and best supporting actress for a drama (Katherine LaNasa). The series also received two nominations each in the writing and directing categories. The show's creator, R. Scott Gemmill, and the executive producer John Wells were nominated for writing and directing the series's first episode. It was a strong overall showing from HBO Max, which led all networks with 142 nominations. Several of its series received nominations in the double digits, including 'The Penguin,' 'The White Lotus,' 'The Last of Us' and 'Hacks.' When it premiered in January, 'The Pitt' earned praise from critics, especially for Wyle's performance as the emotionally scarred but empathic head of a modern emergency room in Pittsburgh. In an unusual development for a scripted hospital drama, some of the show's most passionate champions were real-life emergency room workers, who praised its verisimilitude on social media. In an interview with The New York Times, Gemmill said that the writers had set out to create the most accurate medical show possible, employing practicing physicians at nearly ever level of the production. 'We wanted to differentiate by not cutting corners on the medicine,' Gemmill said. 'The drama is always going to be there in the reality of a place like the emergency department.' Season 2 of 'The Pitt' is currently in production and is scheduled to premiere next year. Wyle, Gemmill and Wells have previous nominations for another hit medical drama: 'ER.' Wyle received five nominations for his performance as Dr. John Carter on the show, in which he appeared from 1994 to 2009, with no wins. Gemmill, a writer and producer of 'ER,' received two, and Wells, who worked as a writer, director and executive producer of 'ER,' received 11. (The estate of Michael Crichton, the novelist and screenwriter who created 'ER,' has sued Warner Bros., Gemmill, Wells and Wyle for breach of contract.) The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held on Sept. 14 in Los Angeles. CBS will broadcast the ceremony.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Alarming 763% spike in poisonings linked to popular new nicotine product
Poisonings linked to nicotine pouches have skyrocketed across the US, especially among young children, a new study has found. Researchers in Ohio found a 763 percent spike in poisonings among children under six years old from 2020 to 2023. The findings are particularly alarming given that the overall number of nicotine-related poisonings declined by 34 percent over the last eight years. Out of more than 134,000 cases of pediatric nicotine poisoning, researchers found that children exposed to nicotine pouches were twice as likely to be hospitalized and 50 percent more likely to suffer serious medical outcomes, including seizures. Nicotine pouches, small, typically white packets placed between the gum and upper lip, have gained popularity since they hit the US market in 2014. Each pouch contains between two and 12 milligrams of nicotine, making them the second most popular nicotine product among young adults. Just one to two milligrams of nicotine can poison a child, who is more at risk because of their small size, leading to sweating, pale skin and vomiting. In serious cases, it can cause tremors, seizures and even death. Researchers noted that while many nicotine products have become less common in the home, nicotine pouches appear to be bucking the trend, with more cases involving children gaining access to them, often mistaking them for candy or chewing gum. Dr Hannah Hays, an emergency medicine physician who led the study, warned: 'Nicotine pouches are a serious and growing toxic ingestion hazard among young children. 'The rapid increase in the number and comparative severity of nicotine pouch ingestions is a reminder of the public health challenges of the changing nicotine product market. 'This is why we need to continue ongoing surveillance and increase our efforts to prevent nicotine ingestions among young children.' For the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers extracted data on nicotine poisonings from the National Poison Data System, a data warehouse from America's Poison Centers. Scientists analyzed cases among children under six years old that occurred between 2010 and 2023, and that involved any one of five products: nicotine tablets, gums/lozenges, liquids, powder and pouches. While nicotine pouches accounted for the fewest poisonings overall, just 1,800 cases, they were the only product to show a significant rise in poisonings in recent years, raising concern among researchers. The data revealed that two-thirds of the children poisoned by nicotine pouches were under the age of two, and nearly all exposures occurred at home, suggesting increased availability and accessibility of these products in domestic settings. The findings underscore the need for greater public awareness and preventive measures, as well as stricter packaging and storage requirements, to protect young children from accidental ingestion. The above graph shows how the rate of poisonings linked to nicotine pouches (purple line) has surged in recent years compared to the others Around 36 children experienced serious medical problems like seizures or breathing difficulties, but no deaths were reported. Dr Natalie Rine, a toxicologist and director of the Central Ohio Poisoning Center, who was a co-author of the study, told CNN: 'It's a high-concentration nicotine product, and it tastes good. 'There's nothing telling the kid, "This is bad, you should spit it out", and that's where you get into trouble.' Among cases where the source was known, e-liquids or e-cigarette fluids caused the most poisonings, with 33,000 cases. Tablets caused 23,000, powder 11,000, and gums or lozenges 8,000 cases. They were followed by tablets, at 23,000 cases, powder at 11,000 cases and gums/lozenges at 8,000 cases. Overall, 36 percent of ingestions had no effect, and 81.3 percent of cases did not require healthcare treatment. Thirty-nine children suffered major effects, including seizures, and two died after consuming e-liquid. Nicotine poisonings increased by 59 percent in the first five years of the study, then declined by 34 percent over the following eight years. There are no named cases of a baby being poisoned by a nicotine pouch. Philip Morris International, which owns the nicotine pouch brand Zyn through its company Swedish Match, said in a statement that the number of poisonings from pouches remains low. 'ZYN is the only nicotine pouch authorized by the FDA as appropriate to protect public health,' a spokesman said, 'In making that conclusion, the agency noted that ZYN's packaging is designed to be child resistant'. 'We welcome the chance to meet with these researchers and educate them on the robust actions Swedish Match takes to guard against underage use.'
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
RVH and U of T partnership expands emergency medicine training in Barrie
Family doctors looking to enhance their emergency medicine skills won't have to travel far anymore, thanks to an expanded partnership between Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and the University of Toronto. Together, RVH and U of T are bringing two high-level emergency training programs to Barrie, to help grow the region's health care workforce, which RVH Chief of Staff Jeffrey Tyberg says is greatly needed. "Our emergency department sees more than 94,000 visits each year, offering exposure to a wide range of cases, from minor injuries to life-threatening trauma," Tyberg said. "Almost three-million Ontarians do not have access to primary care. So we do need to train them [physicians] in communities, especially those that are under-served," added Stu Murdoch, the U of T department of family and community medicine director. The new one-year Enhanced Skills Program offers intensive hands-on training for two family physicians annually who have already completed a two-year family medicine residency. 'Our residents are going to be on-call to come and do every single reduction that happens in the emergency department. So it's going to be massive training for them. The amount of exposure they're going to have is incredible,' said Jordan Shaw, EM enhanced skills program director, who grew up in Barrie. The Supplemental Emergency Medicine Experience (SEME) fellowship is a full-time, three-month clinical immersion program,tailored for physicians practicing comprehensive family medicine in smaller and rural communities. 'It's a unique opportunity to enhance emergency medicine skills in a focused and supportive environment. The program, which starts in September, will host six physicians annually,' a joint news release about the programs stated. 'A lot of these emergency departments in rural areas are staffed by family doctors, and it can be really challenging for them. So this is an opportunity to kind of brush up and build on the skills that they already have,' noted Nick Tassone / SEME program co-director. The Enhanced Skills Program got underway July 1 and the SEME program is set to begin in September. RVH and U of T will also launch a hospital emergency pharmacy residency this month to prepare pharmacists for practice in hospital and long-term care settings.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Triage, Trust And Teamwork: Transferring ER Lessons To The C-Suite
Jay S. Feldstein, DO, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a former emergency medicine physician now serving as a president and CEO, I am often asked what prepared me most for leading an executive team. My answer is simple: the ER. Having spent over a decade in emergency medicine, I learned to thrive in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where every second counts and teamwork is not only beneficial—it's essential. This skill set has been foundational to my philosophy on leadership as I instill the tenets of trust, collaboration, listening and prioritization with my executive team. The Power Of Teamwork The first and probably most important lesson I've learned throughout my career is that you can't do it all by yourself. The saying 'It takes a village' carries a whole new meaning when you are working in an emergency room and are responsible for the lives of others. In the ER, every shift became a masterclass in collaboration. I quickly saw how much physicians, nurses and other staff had to work together seamlessly—and in seemingly impossible circumstances—to bring their unique talents and knowledge to the table to ultimately save a life. I've carried this same belief—collaboration built on a cornerstone of trust—directly into my executive roles. As CEO, your executive leadership team is your most valuable asset. I believe in building teams with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, because often the best decisions are made when different voices are heard. The Art Of Listening Research shows that physicians make diagnoses from the patient's history in approximately 70% to 90% of cases, demonstrating that listening is not only a useful skill, but an imperative one. Especially in an emergency room setting, doctors must ask the right questions and truly listen for the right answers. I say this because there is a fundamental difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak. The former builds trust and understanding; the latter breeds miscommunication and missed opportunities. As a leader of a higher education institution, my approach to listening hasn't changed. I suggest all leaders strive to be the kind of listener who hears not just what is said, but what is left unsaid. This can be invaluable in establishing strong relationships with your executive team and also forging trust with your customers, employees and other stakeholders. The Importance Of Triage The ER is unpredictable; you never know who will walk through the door. Emergency physicians have to triage—quickly assess a situation, prioritize and act. It requires a level of agility that cannot be taught in a classroom, but only through lived experience. In the corporate world, being agile is also important. There will always be competing demands, and not every issue can be solved at once. Knowing how to remain calm when tasked with different questions and priorities, and knowing when to pivot, can be the difference between success and failure. Leaders must address the most critical issues first. Another important aspect of triage involves leveraging data—using tangible evidence and metrics to inform decision making. While intuition has certainly played a role in all of my positions, analyzing data has been equally essential in shaping my decisions. Although it is rare to have access to every piece of information, I've learned that having 80% of the relevant data is often enough to lead you to the right call. I reflect back on my unconventional career journey—from emergency and occupational medicine to a health insurance executive and now a college president—and feel fortunate to have had such a wide breadth of experience. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine was instrumental in nurturing my leadership potential, so it feels full circle to sit in the seat of president and CEO of my alma mater and continue to hone the skills I learned so many years ago. The boardroom may be a far cry from the trauma bay, but the lessons endure. True leadership transcends any setting. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Medscape
01-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Should You Do ‘Away Rotations' As a Fourth-Year Med Student?
When Katy Wyszynski, DO, was a medical student, she pursued three away rotations in emergency medicine. She purposefully chose month-long rotations that were distinct from one another — one at a level 1 trauma center, another at a level 2 trauma center and one in Philadelphia at 'a very high acuity trauma center,' she said. 'Through these rotations, it really showed me that I did want to work with patients and populations that were more underserved and like a true safety net hospital, rather than a different type of shop,' Wyszynski said. An away rotation generally refers to a month-long clinical rotation medical students apply to and complete outside of their home medical school. There are many different terms for an away rotation, Wyszynski said, including rotating internship or sub-internship. These terms all basically mean the same thing. 'It's a chance to work with faculty and residents at that institution, as a way to learn and to help sort of support your own application to residency,' said Sharad Jain, MD, associate dean of students at UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California. Katy Wyszynski, DO Everyone will experience something a little bit different from doing an away rotation, said Wyszynski, who is now beginning her second year of emergency medicine residency at JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas. 'I got so much hands-on experience from doing procedures to even seeing really sick patients alongside the residents and the attendings, and the teaching that's associated with that really is invaluable,' she said. It varies whether residency programs expect medical students to complete away rotations, Jain said. Some of the more competitive residency programs — including those in orthopedic surgery and dermatology — often expect medical students to take on away rotations, he said. 'I think some of the more competitive fields want to see how you're going to perform in those areas.' However, for other specialties — such as the primary care fields of family medicine and internal medicine — it's not at all expected or even recommended for medical students to do them, Jain said. Still some students hoping to pursue those fields may choose to do them anyway. 'You do these away rotations in the specialty that you are applying…to kind of get your foot in the door as a medical student,' Wyszynski said. 'So it really does go both ways in my perspective,' she added. 'The medical student is truly auditioning, doing an audition rotation or an away rotation to be evaluated. But then the student is also evaluating the program to see if they would be a good…match.' Do away rotations really help medical students find and land their desired residency spots? Once a medical student decides to pursue an away rotation, how do they find the right one? We lay out what you need to know about sub internships from applying early to making professional connections while there. Letters of Recommendation, Exposure and More Those interested in pursuing emergency medicine need two formal away rotations to be a competitive applicant, Wyszynski said. In this case, it is important to obtain a Standard Letter of Evaluation or SLOE, she said. A sub-internship provides a student the chance to get such a recommendation letter. Sharad Jain, MD The letter requirement allows residency programs in emergency medicine to compare applicants 'in a very similar manner,' Wyszynski said. Emergency medicine is a rigorous residency program with a 'very difficult schedule,' she said. 'So it really helps, both the program and the applicant identify and confirm, 'I really want to do emergency medicine.'' An away rotation also allows a medical student to get exposure to the field of emergency medicine because not all medical schools require it as a core rotation in the third year of training, Wyszynski said. Other fields — including most surgical specialties — also recommend away rotations,she said. 'It's almost like a 1-month interview,' Jain said, 'because you are, you're there every day and they're asking you questions. They're seeing how you work with the team. They're checking out your medical knowledge. They're really getting a good sense of the applicant.' Wyszynski ultimately landed a residency spot at one of the institutions where she did an away rotation during medical school. The third-year residents impressed her with how smart, competent and capable they were. 'And I thought to myself, 'I want to be that type of doctor.'' Other students who are pursuing fields that don't necessarily recommend an away rotation such as family medicine may choose to do one anyway. Heather Barnes, who is just starting her fourth year of medical school at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale, Arizona, hopes to ultimately pursue a residency in family medicine. She chose to sign on to five away rotations because for her it was really about returning to Northeast Ohio where she is from and where her husband is currently a medical resident. Barnes then plans to complete her remaining core rotations in Ohio as well. She sees her away rotations as an audition of sorts for residency programs. 'I think you can showcase more during a whole month being there than just an hour-long interview,' she said. Even if she wasn't trying to move back to Ohio, Barnes said, she would have pursued away rotations anyway. Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine isn't affiliated with a home hospital like many other medical schools are, she said. It does have a few affiliated hospitals with dedicated residency programs, Barnes said, but they are rural and not anywhere near the campus. 'For family medicine, for internal medicine, it can be helpful to see a program and to get your foot in the door…,' Wyszynski said. It comes down to how important it is to have a sense of security during the Match process, Barnes said. 'I think for me, it was just nice to have multiple auditions. Like that way when I get to a rank list, I've had interface at multiple different spots in Ohio so my chances of staying in Ohio are greater.' Going on an away rotation, for her, also is a signal of personal expansion. She obtained a master's degree in Illinois prior to medical school, 'and I really do think that these pivotal life moments of living in a completely different state, completely starting from scratch, not knowing anyone, they really served as a nidus for the most growth I've had in my life ever,' she said. Start Early Barnes advises students interested in pursuing one or more away rotations to start planning them early. She began applying and scheduling her five sub-rotations back in December. 'Basically from January until May, I was submitting applications on VSLO [AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities system], reaching out to programs directly, really like emphasizing 'I want to come here. I'm really interested in getting back to Ohio,'' she said. Students interested in away rotations should reach out to education and/or clinical coordinators, Barnes said. 'Look for hospital officials with titles like residency coordinator or rotation coordinators or education coordinators,' she said. 'Don't fall into the group of people that's like: 'You know I'm stressed right now. I feel super busy right now'' and procrastinate starting the process, Barnes said. Try to take an hour out of your day and begin the application process. 'Sitting down to organize something that will help you exponentially in the next few months is like, it's really such like a mental shift to think that way,' she said. 'Shoot Your Shot' Regardless of the specialty, if you are really interested in a specific program, even if it's a reach program, and you don't think that you necessarily would get an interview or they would even accept you for an away rotation, 'I would say shoot your shot,' Wyszynski said. 'It doesn't hurt to apply to these rotations. You can apply to any rotation anywhere in the country regardless of where you go to medical school.' That said, there are certain downsides to away rotations. 'The financial strain is a very real downside of these away rotations,' Wyszynski said. Many institutions offer financial stipends for housing, she said, but it's not always enough. For that reason, many people do at least one away rotation relatively close to where they already are located geographically, she said. That's not always possible, especially if a medical student is interested in pursuing a competitive specialty such as orthopedic surgery where you might have to take an away rotation far away because it's the only one you can get, she said. Despite some potential difficulties, they're worth pursuing, said Wyszynski, who is also president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident Student Association. 'I would say that I made invaluable connections when I was a medical student that I still use as mentors during residency,' Wyszynski said.
